Abstract An experiment in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica investigated the consequences of three land-use treatments applied following forest clearance on soil fertility and resulting crop growth over a five year period. The treatments were: maintained weed-free without cultivation (bare); cultivated with herbaceous crops (agriculture); and cultivated with herbaceous crops and intercropped with Calliandra calothyrsus contour hedges (agroforestry) and compared with an uncleared secondary forest...
Abstract The need to provide sufficient protein food for an increasing population that is mainly resource poor requires opening up of marginal land for growing appropriate pulsessuch as chickpea. An experiment was carried out at KARI-Naivasha situated at an altitude of 1900 m, characterized with clayey to sandy loam soils in a split plot of randomized complete block design over two seasons (December 29, 2004 to May 26, 2005 and June 21 to November 15, 2007). The objective was to investigate ...
Abstract African horned melon (Cucumis metuliferus) is an indigenous crop belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae. The crop has been neglected despite its high potential. Therefore, to conserve the biodiversity of this crop, there is need to promote its domestication and production. However, this can only be realized if its morphology, agronomic and nutritional value is understood. The objective of this study was to determine the agromorphological performance and nutritional composition of hor...
Abstract The influence of soil fertility management technologies on crop production has widely been researched in Tharaka-Nithi County. However, data on their contribution towards national greenhouse gas budget is scanty. This study aimed at characterising smallholder farming systems and simulating greenhouse gas emissions, maize yields, yield scaled nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and N2O emission factors from different soil fertility management technologies in Tharaka-Nithi County. Three hun...
Abstract Lake Naivasha, Kenya, is a fresh water lake currently experiencing severe environmental problems as result of pollution from agricultural effluents and urban water surface runoff, uncontrolled water abstraction, improper land use practices in the catchment area and proliferation of wetlands’ invasive species. These problems are exacerbated and compounded by changes in climate and inadequate conservation interventions. To deal with the pollution problem, flower farms around the lak...
Abstract Many bacteria strains are now successfully used for plant-growth promotion (PGPR) and as biocontrol agents (BCA) against plant diseases. Mechanisms behind their action involve production of enzymes and antibiotics, which in high concentrations could also affect non-target organisms hence the biodiversity and processes in the soil. Despite these potential negative side effects, there is little research done on the subject to confirm whether they are significant. In three laboratory e...
Abstract/Overview A 12-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing fishmeal with black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) meal on growth performance and carcass composition of African catfish fingerlings. Five isonitrogenous (40% CP) diets of 0 (Control), 25, 50, 75 and 100% fishmeal with BSFL were used in triplicate. A randomized complete block design was used, and 600 fingerlings (0.46±0.02g) were randomly selected and stocked at a rate of 40 fingerlings in 15 plastic ...
Abstract/Overview Wood fuel shortage has existed worldwide since the 1970s during oil energy crisis; accelerating wood fuels scarcity hence coping strategies. This study on local community based strategy for curbing wood fuel shortages was conducted in Nyamache Sub-county, Kisii County, Kenya. The study assessed the establishment of woodlots as an affordable strategy adopted by the households for wood fuel availability. The specific objective analyzed the coping strategies adopted by the ...
Abstract/Overview Rainfall variability characterized by intense rainfall, more frequent droughts and unpredictable rainfall has devastating effects on rain-fed agriculture and dairy production in particular. Over the years, dairy cattle farmers in Keumbu Division have experienced fluctuations in milk production. The purpose of this study was to assess the coping and adaptation strategies employed by small-scale dairy farmers to counter the effects of climate change induced rainfall variab...
Abstract Lodging poses a significant challenge to rice yield, prompting the need to identify elite alleles for lodging resistance traits to improve cultivated rice varieties. In this study, a natural population of 518 rice accessions was examined to identify elite alleles associated with plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), stem anti-thrust (AT/S), and various internode lengths (first (FirINL), second (SecINL), third (ThirINL), fourth (ForINL), and fifth (FifINL) internode lengths). A tota...
Abstract Leptospirosis is an important re-emerging bacterial zoonosis of public health importance in Kenya. It is transmitted through contact with contaminated soil, water, or urine of infected animals. The disease is associated with high economic losses which include high cost of diagnosis and treatment, disruption of international trade in animals and animal products and loss of milk production following mastitis among others. In this study, the sero-prevalence of bovine leptospirosis in K...
Abstract/Overview Cassava (Manihot esculentaCrantz) is a major source of carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins (B and C), and essential minerals and is the third most important source of calories in the tropics. However, it is not clear if the traditional processing methods expose the products to microbial contamination.) is study assessed the levels of fungi and aflatoxin contamination in traditionally processed cassava products (Akuoga and Abeta). A total of 38 samples were collected from th...
Abstract/Overview A 16-week field experiment was carried out at Kaaka fish farm in Namutumba district to investigate the effect of dietary carbohydrate sources on the growth performance of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L Fish fry of an initial mean standard length (SL) of 2.4cm were randomly introduced into experimental 12 pond units. They were subjected to three different test feeds possessing different sources of dietary carbohydrate namely maize bran (MB), cassava peels (CP) and ...
Abstract/Overview Intermediate host snails of schistosomiasis were surveyed in this study to determine their abundance and distribution in the lake and land aquatic habitats of Lake Victoria basin of Kenya. Several sites were sampled at eight locations, both in the lake and on the land. The habitat and/or vegetation type (i.e. open water, hippo grass, hyacinth, ambatch trees, other vegetation, stream, swamp, pond, dam) of the sampled aquatic sites within the locations were also differenti...
Abstract/Overview Background For most rural households in sub-Saharan Africa, healthy livestock play a key role in averting the burden associated with zoonotic diseases, and in meeting household nutritional and socio-economic needs. However, there is limited understanding of the complex nutritional, socio-economic, and zoonotic pathways that link livestock health to human health and welfare. Here we describe a platform for integrated human health, animal health and economic welfare analys...