In breeding for drought tolerance, availability of precise, cheap and easy to apply selection tool is critical. The aim of the present study was to identify potential screening tools that are useful for selection of drought tolerant genotypes in potato and select drought resistant potato genotypes. The study assessed sixty clones arranged in a 10×6 alpha lattice design with two replicates in a managed stress experiment. Two irrigation treatments were applied: fully watered non-stress and terminal drought, where the irrigation water supply to the crop was withheld after 50 % flowering to induce post-flowering stress. Stress indices were calculated based on tuber yield of genotypes in both stressed and non-stressed conditions. Identification of drought tolerant genotypes based on a single index was less informative as different indices identified different genotypes as drought tolerant. Hence, to determine the most desirable drought tolerant clones rank sum of indices, correlation, and bi-plot display of the principal component analysis was employed. The indices modified stress tolerance index based on non-stressed yield, Men productivity, Geometric mean productivity, Stress tolerance index, Harmonic mean, modified stress tolerance index based on stressed yield and Yield index exhibited strong association with both yield under stressed and non-stressed yield. These indices discriminated drought tolerant genotypes with higher tuber yielding potential both under stress and non-stress conditions. Genotypes CIP-398180.612, CIP-397069.5, and CIP-304371.67 were identified as drought tolerant. These genotypes could be potentially grown both under drought prone and potential environments and these selection attributes could help to develop climate resilient potato varieties.

This paper examines factors determining farmers‘ adoption decision for improved maize varieties in the maize-common bean intercropping practices in two districts of East Hararghe zone, Eastern Ethiopia. It is based on data collected from 129 farm households using structured questionnaire. Descriptive results revealed that adopters of improved maize varieties had better food and nutrition security status. Furthermore, logit model output indicated that the decision to adopt improved maize varieties is influenced by location (district) dummy, education status of the household head, age of the household head, distance from the main road, and the number of plots owned. Major recommendations include improving the rural road infrastructure, educating and training farmers, organizing experience sharing events among farmers, and raising awareness about the food and nutrition security benefits of sustainable agricultural intensification practices like intercropping improved maize with improved common bean varieties.

Various biotic, abiotic and socio-economic factors negatively affect the productivity of the crop. Among these, a new disease known as Faba bean galls (Olpidium viciae) has become a serious threat to faba bean production and productivity in highland areas of central and northern Ethiopia. Thus, field experiment was conducted in Lay Gorebela and Mush to assess the efficacies of fungicides for the management of faba bean gall under natural infection. Six fungicides were evaluated alongside control in randomized complete block design in three replications. Fungicides showed different levels of efficiency at both locations in both seasons. In 2014/15, the highest percent severity index and area under disease progress curve were calculated from control plots at both locations. At Lay Gorebela, higher grain yields were recorded from Metalaxyl 8% + Mancozeb 64% WP and Triadimefon 250 g/L sprayed plots whereas plots sprayed with Metalaxyl 8% + Mancozeb 64% WP gave higher yield at Mush. Similar trends in percent severity index and grain yield were observed with control treatment in 2015/16. Percent severity index and area under disease progress curve were negatively correlated with grain yield and positively correlated with each other at both locations and seasons. Partial budget analysis indicated as Triadimefon 250 g/L and Metalaxyl 8% + Mancozeb 64% WP were cost-effective. The chemical treatment could be used as a short-term control strategy, and a component in integrated management of faba bean galls

Conservation agriculture is a concept which defines different farming systems. Its implementation depends on soil properties, climate and socio-economic considerations. Since two thousands, no-till technology; which is one facet of the conservation agriculture has begun to take place in the high plains of Sétif province-Algeria. Its adoption is facing several problems of socio-economic and technical issues. This work monitored the track of no-till adoption within a sample of 28 farmers during two years 2014 and 2016. During 2014 farmers were supported financially and technically through a subsidy program that aimed at the support of conservation agriculture via no-till technique. In 2016, the subsidy program has ended; hence, farmers have no longer incentives. Multivariate statistical analyses were performed to diagnose the evolution of no-till adoption and behavior’s farmers between the two periods. In 2016, results showed an increase of no-till area, even though, the drop of the number of adoptive farmers by 71%. The main reasons for adopting no-till according to the adoptive farmers were the minimization of farming operation costs and saving time. However, the major impediments facing no-till adoption; were the rise of weeding charges and the concern of weed infestation especially by bromus.sp, which is a vigorous prevalent weed, which locally developed some pesticide’s resistance. Also, the excessive use of pesticides may be considered as an environmental reason for no adopting no-till.

Eighteen (18) lactating she-camels and two mature male for mating were used to determine the effect of Management System on camel calving interval, The camels were maintained under semi-intensive (N = 9) and Traditional management system (N = 9) in North Kordofan State, western Sudan. The experimental females in each group kept together with the bull during 18 months. Blood samples were collected from jugular vein since 4-months post-partum and continue 14 successive months at monthly interval. The serum samples were separated and stored at -20°C and were analysed for progesterone concentration using progesterone specific radio immuno assay (RIA) kits. The results indicated that under semi-intensive system 77.8% of females had been pregnant in 5th - 8th month post-partum and the calving interval varying between 17 to 20 months. Under traditional system and during the experimental period 44.5% of females were pregnant in the 11th – 16th month and the calving interval varying between 23 to 28 months. The ratios of pregnant vs non-pregnant during experimental period in semi-intensive and traditional were 88.9% vs 11.1% and 44.5% vs 55.5%, respectively. Beside the behavioural signs progesterone level consider a good indicator for pregnancy in camels. In pregnant females Progesterone concentration increased significantly during early months. The range of Progesterone concentration varied between 1.10 – 5.76 ng/ml and 0.67 – 2.53 ng/ml in semi-intensive and traditional system, respectively. Our results allow quantifying this impact. With a supplemented diet including 2 Kg of concentrates and 5 kg of roughages per day, the fertility rate will be improved of 67%. It would be possible to expect more than two fold young camels in a year by supplemented 5 kg of concentrates. We conclude that under semi-intensive management dietary supplement during post-partum and early lactation period improves reproductive parameters for instance shortened calving interval. (Résumé d'auteur)

This study was conducted on a total of 776 goats (part of Central highland goat breeds of Ethiopia), 306 from Boset district of Oromia region and 470 were from Minjar Shenkora district of Amhara region. A format developed by using food and agriculture organization discerption list was used for recording of morphological traits, bodyweight and linear body measurements. Both qualitative and quantitative traits were recorded from randomly sampled mature goats and the data were analyzed using SAS software. The goat type in the study area was characterized by a higher proportion of plain coat color patterns (62.5). Ingeneral, the majority (98.4%) of the studied goats were horned and characterized by backward orientation (67%) with a straight shape (49.3%). They presented a concave facial profile (73.8%), slop up toward the rump back profile (66.2%), no wattle (99.6%), no toggle (90.7%), no ruff (85.9%) and no beard (57.3%). The location had a significant effect on body weight and some other linear body measurements. Traits like body length, rump length, horn length, head length, head width and shin circumference were significantly higher in Boset district. In contrast, rump width and cannon bone length were significantly lower. The mean body weight of male goats in Boset and Minjar Shenkora district were 30.5±1.05 kg with a range of 16 to 47 and 27.5±0.56 with a range of 13 to 57, respectively. While for female counterpart mean body weights (kg) were 28.4±0.35 with a range of 17 to 45 for Boset and 27.5±0.33 with a range 15 to 57 for Minjar Shenkora district. Heart girth had the highest correlation with body weight in both sexes and shoulder width in Boset male goats. The wider variation in most quantitative measurement traits would open an opportunity for further improvement, conservation and utilization work.

Bu çalışma, aç bırakılmadan kırılmış arpa tüketimine dayalı tüy dökümü uygulamasında, farklı sıcaklık ve canlı ağırlıkların yumurta tavuklarının performansı, yumurta kalitesi, bazı organ ağırlıkları ve bacak kemiği özellikleri üzerindeki etkilerini değerlendirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Çalışmada, zenginleştirilmiş kafeslerde yetiştirilen 80 haftalık yaşta 288 adet kahverengi yumurtacı tavuk (Lohmann Brown-Classic) kullanılmıştır. Tavuklar tüy dökümü öncesi canlı ağırlık (hafif, orta ve ağır) ve sıcaklık (kontrol ve döngüsel sıcaklık) gruplarına ayrılmıştır. Tüy dökümü döneminde, tavuklar kontrol grubunda 21-22°C'de, döngüsel sıcaklık grubunda ise günlük 10:00-18:00 saatleri arasında 32°C'de ve 18:00-10:00 saatleri arasında 21-22°C'de tutulmuştur. Tüy dökümü programı gruplardaki tavukların 35 günde canlı ağırlıklarının %25'ini kaybetmesini sağlamış ve bu dönemde tavuk ölümü olmamıştır. Tavukların tüy dökümü sonrası performansları perdeli bir kümeste üç ay bahar ve bir ay yaz mevsimi koşullarında incelenmiştir. Tüy dökümü periyodundaki döngüsel yüksek sıcaklık uygulaması, verim dönemi performansını etkilememiş, ancak yumurtaların kırılma direnci, Haugh birimi ve ak indeksini iyileştirmiştir. Ayrıca, canlı ağırlığı yüksek tavuklarda, tüy dökümü sonrası dönemde yumurta ağırlığı, tibia ağırlığı, uzunluğu, genişliği, kırılma direnci ile femurun ağırlığını ve kırılma direncini artmıştır. Yumurta verimi, yumurta ağırlığı, yemden yararlanma oranı ve yumurta kalite özellikleri tüy dökümü sonrası dönemde, tüy dökümü öncesine göre önemli ölçüde iyileşmiştir. Tüy dökümü döneminde tavuklarda, dalak ağırlığı artarken, yumurtalık, yumurta kanalı ve karaciğer ağırlıkları önemli ölçüde azalmıştır. Tüy dökümü döneminde uygulanan döngüsel yüksek sıcaklığın ikinci verim döneminde bazı yumurta kalite özelliklerini olumlu etkilediği ortaya çıkmıştır.

The most important factor in both plant development and productivity, which mostly depends on nutrient availability in the soil and environment, is the constituents of soil nutrients. Soil is always losing its nutrients by leaching, surface runoff as well as through harvesting and cultural operations like: pruning. For maintaining the balance of agricultural ecosystem fertilizer application is necessary to improve soil condition and gain better yield. In case of tea industry for maintaining better and uniform production applying fertilizer is a widespread management technique in worldwide. Tea requires a lot of macro and micronutrients for growth because it cannot be grown without the usage of fertilizer and other nutrient supplies. The purpose of this field survey was to ascertain the nutritional condition of tea leaves as well as the signs of nutrient deficiencies in tea plants. In this study, deficiency symptoms of the essential nutrients were found out at different tea estates of Moulvibazar and Sylhet districts as well as photographs were taken. Photographs of the nutrient deficient tea plants were correlated with the established symptoms. The range of total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and zinc content in the collected tea leaf samples were 2.95- 5.18%, 0.28- 0.49%, 0.56-1.88%, 0.12-0.49%, 0.07-0.08% and 0.002- 0.004%, respectively.

Tarımsal mekanizasyon, tarım alanlarını geliştirmek, her türlü tarımsal üretimi yapmak ve ürünlerin işlenmesini de gerçekleştirmek amacıyla kullanılan tüm enerji kaynağı, mekanik araç ve gerecin tasarımı, yapımı, geliştirilmesi, pazarlanması, yayım ve eğitimi, işletilmesi ve kullanılması konularını içermektedir (Zeren ve ark., 1995). Tarımsal mekanizasyon göstergeleri kullanılarak tarımsal mekanizasyon düzeyinin belirlenmesi, yörelerin ve ülkelerin tarımsal mekanizasyon seviyelerinin ortaya konmasında önem arz etmektedir. Bu çalışmada Kırşehir ili Çiçekdağı ilçesinin tarımsal mekanizasyon özellikleri incelenmiştir. Çalışmada, Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu’nun (TUİK) 2023 ve 2024 yıllarına ait verileri ile Çiçekdağı İlçe Tarım Müdürlüğü’nden elde edilen veriler materyal olarak kullanılmıştır. Bu kapsamda Çiçekdağı ilçesinin tarım alet ve makine sayıları (traktör sayısı, biçerdöver sayısı, birinci ve ikinci sınıf toprak işleme alet ve makine sayısı, ekim-dikim ve bakım makinesi sayısı, bitki koruma makinesi sayısı ve hasat-harman makinesi sayısı) da çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Mekanizasyon düzeyi; traktör, biçerdöver, tarım aletleri sayısı tespit edilmiş olup ve tarımsal mekanizasyon düzeyi göstergeleri; traktör/1000 ha, ha/traktör, kW/ ha ve ortalama traktör gücü (kW) olarak belirlenmiştir.Verilere göre, traktör sayısı 1000 hektar başına 35,97’den 38,74’e yükselmiş olup , traktör başına düşen arazi alanı ise 27,79 hektardan 25,81 hektara gerilemiştir. Traktör başına düşen güç 2,49 kW/ha’dan 2,68 kW/ha’ya artarken, ortalama traktör gücü 69 kW seviyesinde sabit kalmıştır.

This study was conducted in Pokhara, Kaski, Nepal in 2023 to investigate the effects of different pinching types and okra varieties on various growth and yield parameters. Treatments were arranged under a two-factor Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments includes two okra varieties (Arka Anamika and Parbati) and 4 pinching types (apical bud pinching (P1), ABP along with 1 leaf pinching (P2), and ABP along with 2 leaf pinching (P3) and control (P4)). Parbati has exhibited a higher plant height (80.78 cm) than Arka Anamika (72.35 cm). Similarly, the P4 pinching type resulted in the tallest plant (85.91 cm). The P1 pinching type demonstrated the highest number of primary branches (4.87), while the control plots had the lowest (3.00). Arka Anamika showed a higher leaf count (40.77) than Parbati (37.19). Notably, the P1 recorded the highest leaf count (43.41), followed by P2 (37.19), with the control plots showing the lowest leaf count (32.76). The findings reveal the significant impact of pinching treatments on yield. Pinching type P1 produced the highest yield of 15.45 mt/ha, whereas the control group yielded the lowest at 9.31 mt/ha, which was comparable to the yield observed for pinching type P3 at 10.83 mt ha-1. P1 also exhibited the highest number of pods per plant (15.90). Varieties and pinching methods exhibited notable interactions in average pod weight, diameter, and length. P1 displayed the widest pods (5.97 cm), whereas P2 had the longest (13.18 cm). Additionally, it can be noted that P3 yielded the heaviest pods at 16.16g when compared to P2, which yielded 14.09 g. Pinching treatments significantly influenced number of days to flowering, with P3 demonstrating the longest duration. Economic analysis was performed for evaluating technical efficiency, facilitating informed and sustainable decisions. Economically, P1 demonstrated superior performance, yielding a higher gross return of NPR 540,808.3, a net return of NPR 418,708.3, and a benefit-cost ratio of 4.43.