bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chemical Studies of Some Nigerian Vegetables
Authors: Oke O. L. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryThree Nigerian vegetables,Solanum melongena, Solanum nodiflorumandVernonia amygdalinawere analysed for oxalate, cyanide, minerals and food value. The edible leaves were low in oxalate and so involve no danger of oxalate toxicity, or decrease in their nutritive value due to the presence of oxalic acid. The content of hydrocyanic acid was also negligible and would, in any case, be lost during cooking. Aluminium contents were very high and could possibly be regarded as constituting a toxic level. The calcium content would provide about 4–7 per cent of the daily requirement for adults, who could depend solely on these vegetables for their daily iron requiretnents. The leaves were also good sources of protein. All these factors make the vegetables important dietary components in Nigeria and they could serve as a protein supplement, especially in villages where children can not get enough protein from meat, milk and cheese.
Evaluation of a Technique for Stimulating Yield of Hevea brasiliensis
Authors: Anliker W. L. , Scanlon D. H. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYUse of substituted phenoxyacetic acids as yield stimulants for Hevea brasiliensis has been mainly limited to applications below the tapping cut rather than above. Although the above-cut application of these stimulants has exhibited some advantages with respect to yield, its use has been limited due to undesirable bark renewal characteristics. This paper describes studies with a method of above-cut application of stimulant which appears to eliminate the previous disadvantages. Reduced concentrations of growth regulator, applied at frequent intervals in combination with a disease preventive measure, resulted in favourable yield responses, bark renewal characteristics and application economics. Subsequent bark renewal was apparently directly proportional to the concentration of stimulant applied and it was thus possible to control the degree of bark regeneration. The above-cut method shows promise of being particularly effective with systems of reduced intensity tapping on certain clones.
Improving Genotypic Adaptation in Crops – a Role for Breeders, Physiologists and Modellers
Authors: Shorter R. , Lawn R. J. , Hammer G. L. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryApproaches using breeding, physiology and modelling for evaluating adaptation of plant genotypes to target environments are discussed and methods of characterizing the target environments outlined. Traditional approaches, and their limitations, to evaluation of genotypic adaptation using statistical and classificatory techniques with a phenotypic model are discussed. It is suggested that a simple biological model is the most appropriate framework in which to integrate physiology and modelling with plant breeding. Methods by which physiology and modelling may contribute to assessment of adaptive traits and to selection for adaptation in a breeding programme are considered.
Responses of Tea (Camellia sinensis) to Irrigation and Fertilizer. II. water Use
Authors: Stephens William , Carr M. K. V. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryThe water use of clonal tea (Clone 6/8) in a line-source irrigation × nitrogen experiment in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania was monitored with a neutron probe during 1987 and 1988 to a depth of 3 m and 1989 to a depth of 5 m. The results for 1989 were used to calibrate a single layer water balance model which was then used to estimate water use for the preceding 1986, 1987 and 1988 dry seasons. In the model evapotranspiration was reduced linearly when the soil water deficit exceeded a critical value of 60 mm. The model predicted water use well for unirrigated, partially irrigated and fully irrigated treatments. Total extractable water was 330 to 350 mm in the 5.5 m deep root zone and estimated annual water use in 1988/89 ranged from 800 mm for unirrigated to 1200 mm for fully irrigated plots, of which about 400 mm was used in the wet season from December to April. Water use efficiencies were between 1 to 4 kg of made tea ha−1 mm−1, increasing with improving water and nutrient status. The slope (b) of the relation between the relative yield loss and the relative reduction in water use was very steep (b = 1.3) reflecting the sensitivity of shoot growth and yield of this clone to water stress.
Effects of Water, Nitrogen and Competition on Growth, Yield and Yield Components of Field-grown Tepary Bean
Authors: Nelson Suzanne C. , Nabhan Gary P. , Robichaux Robert H. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryThe effects of water and nitrogen on growth, yield and yield components of tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius) were evaluated at Tucson, Arizona in 1987 and the effects of water and intercrop competition with Sonoran panicgrass (Panicum sonorum) in 1988. Total shoot biornass and reproductive yield were significantly reduced by lack of water in both seasons. Addition of nitrogen had no significant effect on total shoot biomass or reproductive yield in 1987. Intercrop competition significantly reduced total shoot biomass and reproductive yield of tepary bean in 1988. Yield component responses varied slightly depending on treatment and year.
An Agro-Economic Analysis of Field Trials from a Farming Systems Research Perspective: Weed Control in Rainfed Lowland Rice in Senegal
Authors: Posner Joshua L. , Crawford Eric W. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryUsing a farming systems approach, a multidisciplinary team in southern Senegal examined three strategies for weed control in rainfed lowland rice: use of herbicide; replacement of broadcast seeding by row seeding with mechanical seeders; and transplanting compared with direct seeding of rice. Thorough evaluation of the agronomic and economic benefits of these strategies for farmers was facilitated by supplementing the standard analysis of on-farm trials with multivariate analysis incorporating agronomic survey data to explain treatment effects better, and by considering technical and economic effects throughout the farming system. The agro-economic analysis led the team to conclude that: where soils are productive, herbicide use is a profitable investment; when converting to direct seeding, farmers should facilitate weeding by seeding in rows with a mechanical seeder; and transplanting should not be discouraged in areas where it is still feasible, since it is less time-consuming, fits in better with other farm activities and requires less fertilizer.
Identifying Target Groups for Agricultural Research: The Categorization of Rice Farmers in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Doorman Frans 
Published: October 2008

SummaryA method is discussed for classifying small scale rice farmers from the Dominican Republic who have similar production systems and access to land, but differ widely in the yields they obtain and in the adoption of new technology. The results are used to define two recommendation domains, for farmers with ‘good’ and ‘poor’ production conditions, and to suggest appropriate technology for each. For farmers working in good production conditions the development of a technological package based on the double cropping of semi-dwarf varieties with high yield potential and production efficiency is recommended; for farmers with poor production conditions, a technological package is suggested based on varieties with a high tolerance of drought, flooding and weed development, which yield adequately at low input levels.
Effect of Planting Technique and Planting Density on Yield of Late Planted Sugarcane in North Central India
Authors: Yadav R. L. , Kumar Ravi , Verma R. S. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryIn the wheat–sugarcane rotation, which covers more than half of the growing area in subtropical India, planting of sugarcane is delayed until after the wheat harvest in April–May. This allows little time for the sugarcane to produce tillers and so results in smaller millable cane populations and yields than those from more timely (February–March) plantings. This study considers techniques such as ring and trench planting which might allow a high seed rate to compensate for reduced tillering. Yields obtained using these systems were about 20 t ha−1 greater than from the conventional flat planting method, because of a better distribution of primary shoots from the parent sett and reduced plant competition during the early stage of growth. The cost of cane production was greatest with the ring system and least with the conventional planting method but deep trenches gave the best net return.
The Role of Weeds in the Productivity of Amazonian Bush Fallow Agriculture
Authors: Staver Charles 
Published: October 2008

SummaryThree effects of herbaceous weeds on the productivity of a bush fallow system cropped with maize, cassava and plantain were identified in four experiments carried out in Central Amazonian Peru. First, early weed control is needed to minimize crop yield reductions. Weeds reduce plantain raceme weight and days to flowering, but not cassava yield, if weeding is done early. Second, fallows must be long enough to reduce weed seed banks to levels tolerable to farmers. While fallows of between two and five years eliminate herbaceous weed biomass present at the beginning of the fallow, weed seed banks decline linearly through ten years of tree cover. Third, with successive clean-weedings to reduce weed competition, tree and shrub numbers and their proportion of total non-crop biomass decline, while the amount and proportion of herbaceous weeds increase. Tree and shrub regeneration is reduced by longer cropping periods, more frequent weedings, greater crop cover, and shorter fallow periods.
Effects of Winged Bean on a Following Maize Crop
Authors: Weil R. R. , Samaranayake A. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryThe effects of winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) on a following crop of maize were assessed in two agroecological zones of Sri Lanka. Maize was grown after maize with variable rates of nitrogen fertilizer (0–150 kg N ha−1) or after winged bean or soyabean (Glytine max). Where it could be extrapolated from the nitrogen response curve, the apparent nitrogen contribution by winged bean was 70 kg N ha−1. However, in some cases maize after winged bean yielded more than the maximum yield predicted by the Mitscherlich N-response curve, suggesting the effect of some yield-enhancing mechanism in addition to nitrogen contribution. Where no fertilizer nitrogen was used, maize yields on land which had previously grown winged bean were 52–91% higher than those where maize was the previous crop. Winged bean proved to be an effective green manure crop even when all above-ground plant parts were harvested for food and fodder.
Effects of Age of Harvesting after Pod Set on the Growth, Yield and Quality of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus)
Authors: Iremiren G. O. , Osara A. W. , Okiy D. A. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYDifferences in the age at which okra pods were harvested (4, 7, 10 or 13 days after pod set) had no effect on vegetative growth or pod yield, but pods harvested more than seven days after pod set were of poorer quality. The reduction in pod quality arose mainly from an increase in crude fibre and a reduction in the moisture, crude protein and ash content of older pods.
The Physiology of Grain Yield in Wheat in an Irrigated Tropical Environment
Authors: Ishag H. M. , Ageeb O. A. A. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYThe potential yield of wheat and the physiological basis of yield limitation in the lowland irrigated tropics was investigated in three cultivars planted at five sowing dates. Maximum grain yields were achieved by cultivars that flowered in January when the weather was coolest. The period from sowing to terminal spikelet initiation was similar for all varieties and all sowing treatments. The period from terminal spikelet initiation to ear emergence was increased when seed was sown in late November or early December rather than in October or early November. Manipulation of the sowing date in relation to the choice of cultivar had a considerable effect on grain yield.H. M. Ishag and O. A. A. Ageeb: Rendimiento del trigo en las zonas tropicales.
Effect of Mixed Row Cropping of Early and Late Maturing Rice Varieties on Crop Productivity under Intermediate Deepwater Conditions
Authors: Reddy M. D. , Sharma A. R. , Panda M. M. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYTwo early maturing semi-tall (120–130 cm) rice varieties, Kalinga-3 (85 days duration) and Banaprabha (95 days duration), were compared in pure and mixed crop stands under intermediate deepwater conditions (15–50 cm) with a modern late maturing (170 days duration) semi-dwarf (100 cm) variety, CR 1016. Parallel line seeding of CR 1016 and Kalinga-3 or Banaprabha in alternate rows (1:1 ratio) 20 cm apart yielded 19% more grain than a pure crop of CR 1016 alone. Mixed crop planting in a 1:2 or 2:1 ratio or with reduced inter-rovv spacing gave no additional yield advantage. Mixed row cropping prevented lodging in early varieties, whereas monocrops of the same varieties were partially lodged and showed some premature seed germination. The better and more stable yields obtained from such mixed cropping could be beneficial to resource poor farmers growing rice in conditions of excess water.
The Introduction of an Early Maturing Maize (Zea mays) Variety to a Mid-altitude Farming System in Ethiopia
Authors: Negassa Asfaw , Tolessa Benti , Franzel Steven , Gedeno Gemechu , Dadi Legesse 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYA farm survey conducted in Ethiopia in 1986 identified seasonal food shortage as an important problem facing farmers. The researchers proposed the development of an early maturing maize variety to alleviate the problem and by 1988, on-farm trials of a selected variety were initiated. About two-thirds of the farmers retained part of the harvested crop as seed for planting, indicating their strong interest in the variety. Farmer-designed trials were found to be especially effective for obtaining farmers' assessment of the new variety and for monitoring how they incorporated it into the farming system.Maíl con maduración temprana para Etiopía
Intercropping Ethiopian Trifolium Species with Wheat
Authors: Kahurananga J. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYTrials were conducted in 1987 and 1988 to test methods of intercropping annual Ethiopian clovers, Trifolium spp, with wheat. Several different clover varieties, sowing methods, plant spacings, planting dates and rates of phosphorus application were compared. Planting in single or double alternative rows 20 cm apart did not affect wheat grain and straw yield but broadcast sowing of Trifolium in wheat rows 20 cm apart reduced wheat yield. The Trifolium species used significantly affected legume yield. Phosphorus fertilizer increased yield significantly, especially that of the legume component. The trials indicated that the intercropping of Ethiopian clovers in wheat has potential under African highland conditions.Siembra simultanea de trigo/ Trifolium en Etiopía
The Use of Remote Sensing to Assess the Effects of Water Stress on Wheat
Authors: Mahey R. K. , Singh Rajwant , Sidhu S. S. , Narang R. S. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYGround-based radiometric measurements in the red and infrared bands were used to monitor the growth and development of wheat under irrigated and stressed conditions throughout the 1987–88 and 1988–89 growth cycles. Spectral data were correlated with plant height, leaf area index, total fresh and total dry biomass, plant water content and grain yield. The radiance ratio (R) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were highly and linearly correlated with yield, establishing the potential which remote sensing has for predicting grain yield. The correlation for R and NDVI was at a maximum between 75 and 104 days after sowing, corresponding with maximum green crop canopy cover. The differences in spectral response over time between irrigated and unirrigated crops allowed detection of water stress effects on the crop, indicating that a hand-held radiometer can be used to collect spectral data which can supply information on wheat growth and development.Efectos de lafalta de agua en el trigo
The Distribution of Root Activity in Acid Lime (Citrus Aurantifolia)
Authors: Kurien S. , Goswami A. M. , Deb D. L. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYThe functional distribution of root activity was determined by selective placement of 32P at fixed positions from the base of the plant in five- and six-year-old acid lime (Kagzi Kalan) on Kama Khatta rootstock. Maximum recovery of radioactivity was observed within a 40 cm radius of the plant base and at depths of 24 cm in 1988 and 16 cm in 1989. Most root activity (75–80%) was confined within a radius of 80 cm and a depth of 16–24 cm. Application of fertilizer within this zone is therefore recommended for maximum utilization by the crop.Actividad de las raíces en la lima acida
Evaluation of Short and Tall Sorghum Varieties in Mixtures with Cowpea in the Sudan Savanna Of Nigeria: Land Equivalent Ratio, Grain Yield and System Productivity Index
Authors: Odo P. E. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYPhysiomorphological differences between crops in binary mixtures can influence grain yield. A two year field study considered intra-row mixtures of two sorghum varieties, one short (KSV4) and one tall (Yarwasha), with cowpea at Maiduguri in Nigeria. The performance of the component crops depended largely on the relative proportion of cowpea and sorghum in the mixtures. Comparison of actual and expected land equivalent ratios suggested that mutual compensation and cooperation prevailed within mixtures in most instances. The system productivity index of mixtures where the proportion of sorghum: cowpea was 1:3 showed that their yield stability was greater than that of other sorghum-cowpea mixtures.Combination de sorgol caupi en la Sabana del Sudan
Effect of Drain Spacing and Phosphorus Levels on Yield, Chemical Composition and Uptake of Nutrients by Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea)
Authors: Singh K. N. , Swarup Anand , Sharma D. P. , Rao K. V. G. K. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYField experiments during the winter seasons of 1986–7 and 1987–8 studied the effect of three sub-surface drain spacings and three levels of phosphorus on the yield, chemical composition and uptake of nutrients by Indian mustard (Brassica juncea). The number of siliquae m-2and seed yield decreased with increasing drain spacing. Application of phosphorus increased seed yield and yield attributes. The concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the seed and stalks decreased and those of sodium, calcium and magnesium increased with increasing drain spacing, but application of phosphorus increased the concentration of these nutrients in the seed and stalks. Absence of phosphorus in the drain water effluent and the level of available phosphorus in the soil profile after crop harvest indicated very slow movement of phosphorus, most of which was retained in the top 30 cm of soil.
Yield Stability of Cassava During Prolonged Mid-Season Water Stress
Authors: El-Sharkawy Mabrouk A. , Hernández Anna Del Pilar , Hershey Clair 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYYield stability in cassava requires genotypes that produce well under the variable moisture conditions encountered during the growth cycle. Plant characteristics related to yield stability were studied in two cassava clones subjected to 105 days of water stress in a field drainage lysimeter. Stress conditions commenced 117 days after planting, and the plants were allowed to recover at the end of the stress period for the rest of the growth cycle. Water stress restricted the growth of leaves and stems, but root yields were increased or remained unaffected. Leaf water potential varied little with stress, but gas exchange rates were about 75% those of the control throughout the stress period in both cultivars. Under stress, the plants partially closed their stomata and extracted deep soil moisture slowly. A high yield in both wet and stressed environments was associated with high mean LAI, better leaf retention, and greater partitioning of shoot biomass into leaf formation.
Evaluation of the Leaf of a Range of Tree Legumes as a Source of Nitrogen for Crop Growth
Authors: Gutteridge R. C. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYThe leaf mulch of the tree legumes Acacia cunninghamii, A. fimbriata, Calliandra calothyrsus, Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala and Sesbania sesban was evaluated as a source of nitrogen for maize growth in glasshouse pot experiments. The mulch of Sesbania sesban resulted in the largest yields of maize stover but yields were less than those that resulted from application of equivalent rates of fertilizer nitrogen. The mulches of Gliricidia and Leucaena also produced a yield response in maize but those of Calliandra and the two Acacia species were ineffective as sources of nitrogen in the short term. Sesbania mulch at the equivalent of 5 t dry matter ha-1 produced a maize yield similar to that obtained with 75 kg N ha-1. The poor response to Calliandra and Acacia mulch may be associated with the high polyphenol and/or lignin content of the leaf of these species.
A Case for On-farm Trials of Fodder Banks on the Adamawa Plateau in Cameroon
Authors: Tarawali G. , Pamo E. T. 
Published: October 2008

SUMMARYThe poor quality of the natural vegetation in the dry season affects both animal productivity and the lives of the pastoral community in the Adamawa Plateau of Cameroon but may be improved by introduction of the forage legume Stylosanthes guianensis. When used in a ‘fodder bank’ system, Stylosanthes grew to an average plant height of 1.41 m, had a dry matter productivity of 5.5 t ha−1 and comprised 93.4% of the pasture's botanical composition at the end of the growing season, indicating that fodder banks have considerable potential to enhance animal and crop production in Cameroon. Complementary studies conducted in Nigeria on the yield benefits of cropping leguminous pastures support the feasibility of using fodder banks as a means of improving the livelihoods of small scale farmers.
Phosphorus Utilization Efficiency as Affected by Component Population, Rhizobial Inoculation and Applied Nitrogen in Maize/Mungbean Intercropping
Authors: Chowdhury Mrinal K. , Rosario Elpidio L. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryThe effects of component population, rhizobial inoculation and applied nitrogen on the efficiency of phosphorus utilization in maize/mungbean intercropping were examined in two experiments. The efficiency of phosphorus absorption decreased by between 5 and 43% in maize and by between 31 and 58% in mungbean as a result of intercropping. The overall efficiency of phosphorus absorption in intercropping decreased with increasing nitrogen level but a parallel increase in overall conversion efficiency maintained a constant and large land equivalent ratio (LER) up to the highest level of nitrogen. The increase in LER over unity, however, was due primarily to the greater total absorption of phosphorus by maize and mungbean together in intercropping compared with that when they were grown in pure stands.
Effects of Foliar Micronutrient Fertilizers on the Yield of Irrigated Cotton on the Vertisols of the Sudan Gezira
Authors: Ishag H. M. 
Published: October 2008

SummaryField experiments were conducted on very alkaline calcareous soils to investigate the effects of two proprietary foliar micronutrient fertilizers, Wuxal Suspension Polymicro and Bayfolan 11-8-6, containing iron, zinc, manganese and boron, on the seed cotton yield of Gossypium barbadense and G. hirsutum. Two applications of foliar fertilizer, one at flowering and one three weeks after flowering, increased yield by 40–68%. The foliar fertilizers enhanced earliness and minimized nutrient depletion from the leaves, and thus increased reproductive efficiency.