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Sustainable Agriculture Research
Number of Followers: 3

This is an Open Access Journal

Open Access journal
ISSN (Print) 1927-050X - ISSN (Online) 1927-0518
Published by CCSE

[43 journals]

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Sustainable Agriculture Research, Vol. 11,
No. 4
- Abstract: Sustainable Agriculture Research wishes to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Their help and contributions in maintaining the quality of the journal are greatly appreciated.Sustainable Agriculture Research is recruiting reviewers for the journal. If you are interested in becoming a reviewer, we welcome you to join us. Please contact us for the application form at: sar@ccsenet.org Reviewers for Volume 11, Number 4Boutheina Zougari, Regional Research Centre of Oasis Agriculture-Degache, TunisiaDarwin Pangaribuan, Lampung University, IndonesiaJiban Shrestha, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, NepalLuciano Chi, Sugar Industry Research and Development Institute, BelizeLuis F. Pina, Universidad de Chile, ChileMinfeng Tang, Kansas State University, USAMomin Momin, Istanbul University, BangladeshNehemie Tchinda Donfagsiteli, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, CameroonPatrice Ngatsi Zemko, University of Yaoundé I, CameroonTenaw Workayehu, Hawassa Research Center, Southern Agricultural Research Institute, Ethiopia
  PubDate: Sun, 30 Oct 2022 07:46:48 +000
Farm Households Choices of Adaptation Strategies to Climate Variability
Challenges in Benishangul Gumuz Regional State, Western Ethiopia
- Abstract: Climate variability and change are a serious threat to the livelihoods of rural communities because they are very sensitive to such changes. This study assesses the major adaptation strategies pursued by farm households to climate variability and change impact in Benishangul Gumuz regional state, western Ethiopia which is harshly affected by climate change stresses. The data were collected from a randomly selected 385 sample households through interview using field-based questionnaires and focus group discussions and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results pointed out that the likelihood of households to adopt crop diversity, soil and water conservation practice, small scale irrigation, crop rotation, adjusting planting date and improved crop varieties were 54.2%, 49.8%, 47.3%, 45.3%, 44.4% and 43.5% respectively. Moreover, the results indicated that the joint likelihood of using all adaptation strategies was only 1.64% and the joint likelihood of failure to adopt all of the adaptation strategies was 2.92%. Therefore, future policy should focus on towards supporting improved extension service, offer climate related training and information especially to adaptation technologies to increase the farm households experience in adopting different strategies to the negative effects of climate variability which is a global problem of this century.
  PubDate: Sun, 30 Oct 2022 07:42:01 +000
Effect of Dry and Flooded Rice as Cover Crops on Soil Health and Microbial
Community on Histosols
- Abstract: Soil loss due to subsidence is a major concern in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) of South Florida. Summer is typically the fallow season in the EAA, and soil loss due to oxidation and erosion is significant. Flooding and cover cropping are common practices being adopted to conserve soil, reduce weed pressure, and enhance soil health in the EAA. Cover crops also increase the microbial biomass which are the key drivers of soil function. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of (i) fallow, (ii) dry rice as a cover crop, (iii) flooded fallow, and (iv) flooded rice as a cover crop on soil health indicators and microbial community and diversity within the EAA. Baseline (pre-planting) soil samples were collected from all fields before the application of different treatments and post-harvest soil samples were collected after rice was cut and tilled into the soil surface. Microbial community composition was determined using 16S rRNA gene amplicon and fungal ITS gene amplicon sequencing. Soil bulk density decreased, and cation exchange capacity (CEC) increased in all farming practices including fallow fields. Results showed flooded fallow, flooded rice, and rice planting increased maximum water holding capacity (MWHC) and soil protein and decreased total potassium (TK). Bulk soil microbial communities responded surprisingly quickly to the applied treatments. Taxonomic composition of prokaryotic and fungal communities at the phylum level revealed visible shifts in microbial communities in response to the treatments. Instead of leaving field fallow, planting rice or flooding is a better strategy to improve soil health.
  PubDate: Sat, 29 Oct 2022 23:41:16 +000
Comparative Efficiency of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Maize (Zea
mays L.) Growth and Yield in the Rainforest Zone of Centre Cameroon
- Abstract: Maize is a major crop grown and consumed in the world and it requires a high fertilizer input. Although chemical fertilizers are an important input to get higher crop productivity, they have an impact on soil fertility, environment and human health. A field study was carried out to find alternatives to the mineral fertilization of maize. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of fertilizers on maize growth and yield while evaluating economic profitability. Four treatments (control, compost, poultry manure and mineral fertilizer NPK 20-10-10) and two maize varieties (local variety and improved variety CMS 8704) were used in a split-plot design with four replicates. Physicochemical analyses of soil and organic fertilizer were determined. Growth parameters, yield and acceptability index were evaluated. As results, poultry manure and compost are rich in nitrogen and phosphorus. At 9 weeks after sowing (WAS) the best stem diameter was obtained by the local variety in the plots fertilized with mineral fertilizer (2.83±0.31 cm). The yield of the CMS 8704 variety was significantly higher in the plots fertilized with poultry manure (2.23 t ha-1) than the yield of the local variety in the control plots (1.16 t ha-1). Principal component analysis (PCA) shows that compost and poultry manure were characterized by an increase in growth parameters as well as mineral fertilizer NPK. Poultry manure had the highest acceptability index of 1.25. In view of these results, it is clear that organic fertilizers; especially poultry manure, would have a positive impact on increasing maize production.
  PubDate: Sat, 22 Oct 2022 23:02:04 +000
Epidemic Pressure of Cassava Mosaic and Brown Streak Diseases on Ten
Exotic Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) Cultivars in Kisangani, DRC
- Abstract: The crucial obstacle to cassava production in most of African countries is the diseases and pests. The present study assessed in field the epidemic pressure of Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and Cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) on 10 exotic cassava genotypes in Kisangani. To assess the disease impact, trials were established in two sites in Kisangani, Tshopo Province in DRC. The experiment was laid out in randomized completed block design and thrice replicated. Sixty stem cuttings per variety were planted in a plot of 7 rows each measuring 25 m long. Results showed a relatively important CBSD pressure on all the ten exotic cassava genotypes tested (incidence close 60%, severity score 2 and 3.5 whiteflies/plant) and low CMD pressure (incidence 3.3%, severity score 2 and 3.5 whiteflies/plant). CMD remained relatively negligible depending on low symptom manifestation of the tested genotypes. Whitefly population varied according to the genotype and the crop age. The most abundant population was recorded on cultivar ‘Mayombe’ (17 whiteflies/plant). A negative relationship was statistically established between the abundance of whiteflies and the incidence and severity as well as for CBSD and for CMD. The production in terms of percentage of marketable tubers was (74.9%) for cultivar ‘Mayombe’, (70.3%) for ‘Obama 1’, (69.9%) for ‘Obama 2’ and (65.3%) for ‘Ngandajika’. CBSD resulted in variable yield loss on all cultivars tested. The cultivar ‘Butamu’ (85%) recorded the highest loss rate, followed by the cultivar ‘Mvuama’ (70.8%) and ‘Muzuri’ (64.3%). The yield in cassava tubers was destroyed (˂ 5 t/ha) by large necrotic spots of the brown streak in the pulp. This loss is due to the depressive of viral pandemia pressure on the output of ten exotic cassava cultivars studied in Kisangani. Our study highlighted that the best moment of harvesting cassava in Kisangani is 9 MAP, this moment would be ideal to minimize harvesting losses due to CBSD root necrosis.
  PubDate: Thu, 20 Oct 2022 23:22:22 +000
Ranchers’ Attitudes toward Managing for Vegetation and Landscape
Heterogeneity
- Abstract: Grasslands are imperiled due to land conversion, fragmentation, woody encroachment, population growth, and global warming. What remains of intact grasslands are vital for the ecosystem services they provide. Wildlife species native to the North American Great Plains evolved in response to very specific and differing habitats. Without variation in vegetation structure and composition (heterogeneity) the number of species that can thrive is minimized, as are the interconnected ecosystem services. Landowners’ assistance in the maintenance of grassland ecosystems is essential because Great Plains grasslands are primarily privately managed. Thus, increasing heterogeneity on working rangelands is a partial solution to balancing the needs of wildlife with that of cattle production. This study tested a predictive model of factors influencing attitudes toward heterogeneous and landscape-scale ranch management. An online survey was sent to ranchers within prescribed-burn and grazing groups in the Great Plains. Predictors of landscape-scale management were spirituality, stewardship, social descriptive norms, consideration of future consequences, and participation in grassland activities. The lone predictor of attitudes toward heterogeneous grassland management was consideration of future consequences. Even though the survey targeted groups that were more likely to be higher in heterogeneous attitudes, a vast majority are still following the “manage to the middle” paradigm. It appears these ranchers are unaware of the benefits of a heterogeneous landscape and the compatibility of its associated management techniques with their cattle production goals. To improve the adoption of techniques that promote vegetation heterogeneity, more resources should be devoted to demonstrating how these practices benefit ranchers’ cattle business alongside the larger landscape.
  PubDate: Sat, 03 Sep 2022 23:33:45 +000