The utilization of edible insects as food and feed is not a new concept, it is a practice that has been part of the tradition of many communities around the world. They have been primarily used as supplementary food in most African countries. However, there has been a significant decline in the consumption of insects over the years, especially among young people. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the knowledge on entomophagy and the utilization of insects among the youth. The study revealed that the majority of youth had limited knowledge about consumption, nutrition, harvesting, preparation and use of edible insects as livestock feed. From the Chi-square analysis it was observed that age and education level have a significant relationship to the familiarity of consumption of edible insects, P=0.014 and P=0.009 respectively. The results also show that there is a significant association between awareness on the nutritional value of insects with age and education level, P=0.001 and P=0.009 respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to find the association between demographic characteristics, knowledge and the utilization of edible insects. The results revealed that education level, age and knowledge have an impact on the utilization of edible insects. Lack of knowledge contribute to the unwillingness of youth to consume insects. It is noticeable that indigenous knowledge on entomophagy is slowly disappearing with the shift in eating habits and changes in the socio-economic environments. As such, it is imperative that indigenous knowledge is preserved and educational interventions are done to raise awareness on the benefits of entomophagy in order to improve the utilization of insects among the youth.

The use of cassava for fuel ethanol production in Nigeria is supported by the Nigerian Biofuel Policy and Incentives (NBPI) of 2007. Because of its food, feed and industrial value, the need to replace cassava with crops/plants that are food and feeds neutral has motivated this research. Starch was extracted from forest anchomanes (FA) (Anchomanes difformis (Bl.) ENGL.) tubers and some of its physicochemical and elemental properties were determined. At present, the plant is uncultivated in Nigeria and other parts of Africa where it is found. Results showed that the starch content in FA tubers varied from 72.12 to 75.83%. Starch granules from all parts of the FA tubers had similar proximate, antinutrients and elemental properties and appeared usable for fuel ethanol production. However, to suggest its potential to sustainably replace cassava, further investigations are needed beyond these initial results.

Perishable fresh vegetables that do not meet cosmetic standards and other crop waste rich resources are presently wasted. Mangifera indica leaves, Psidium guajava leaves, Petroselinum crispum leaves and Daucus carota were selected as model vegetables to show that they can be converted into a shelf-stable novel functional powdered product. A novel functional product from a blend of these powdered vegetables (FPPV) was formulated. To evaluate the shelf-life of FPPV. The novel functional product from a blend of powdered vegetables (FPPV) was prepared in the Food Science and Nutrition laboratory, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, India. The samples were subjected to accelerated stability study maintaining temperature and relative humidity 40°C ± 2°C and 75% ± 5% respectively. Organoleptic, physico‑chemical and microbiological properties of FPPV was analyzed at an interval of 0, 1, 3 and 6 months to check the degradation levels in the formulation. Organoleptic characters showed no significant changes in accelerated stability condition. There were insignificant changes in physico-chemical profiles and product was free from microbial contamination at different intervals of analysis. On extrapolation of the observations the shelf-life of FPPV was found to be 51 months (4 years and 3 months) for climatic zone I & II countries and 34 months (2 years and 10 months) for climatic zone III & IV countries, respectively. The conversion of perishable vegetables and crop wastes into shelf-stable functional food products will reduce food loss and waste in the vegetable industry.

This study was carried out on 114 Brown Swiss cattle reared in intensive conditions at Ataturk University Food and Livestock Application and Research Center and at the private cattle farm found in Erzurum province. Genotypic structures were examined in terms of Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II gene locus and the distribution of genotypes and allele frequencies of the cattle concerning the genes were determined. The identified Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II genotypes were associated with milk yield traits such as actual milk yield, 305-day, and daily milk yield. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II genotypes were determined by using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)- Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method from blood samples taken from the cattle. The CC, CT, and TT genotype frequencies of the Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II gene found in the population were 41 (34%), 65 (54%), and 14 (12%), and the frequency of the C allele and the T allele was found to be 0.61 and to be 0.39. The general averages of actual true milk yield, 305-day and daily milk yield were 4317±272.9 kg, 5277±240.7 kg and 18±0.9 kg, respectively, while CC, CT and TT genotypes 4168±515.8, 3756±321.7 and 5382±600.3 kg, respectively. As a result, correctly identified IGF-II genotypes were detected by using the PCR-RFLP method in the blood samples obtained from Brown Swiss cattle. Genotype and allele frequencies determined for IGF-II gene polymorphism can be considered sufficient to demonstrate the genotype diversity of the race. According to the Hardy-Weinberg genetic equilibrium test, the distribution of genotype frequencies of the cattle was observed in equilibrium.

Drought is one of the most prevalent forms of abiotic environmental stress that reduce crop productivity. A pot experiment was performed in two Aman seasons under drought (40% field capacity, FC) and control (100% field capacity, FC) irrigations to study drought tolerance mechanism(s) based on morphological and physiological traits in six aromatic rice genotypes. Twelve treatments (6 genotypes × 2 irrigations) were arranged in Complete Randomized Design and experiment was carried out at Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. In the experiment, drought was imposed at panicle initiation stage where morphological and physiological data were recorded. Important morphological (stem and root dry weight) and physiological (photosynthesis and chlorophyl content) attributes were significantly (P>0.05) decreased at 40% FC in both the years. Compared to control, relative reduction at 40% FC in above parameters, genotypes were classified into tolerant (Binadhan-13 and NERICA mutant) and sensitive (RM-100-16, Ukunimodhu, Kalizira, and BRRI dhan34) categories. Tolerant genotypes had smaller reduction in shoot and root dry mater (av. 7.73 and 5.56 %, respectively) than sensitive ones (av. 19.32 and 21.80%, respectively). Low reduction percentages of the traits under drought stress to that of the control discriminated Binadhan-13 and NERICA mutant genotypes consistently as drought tolerant.

Vegetables grown in mining areas can accumulate significant amounts of heavy metals (HMs), which can cause serious developmental disorders and have long-term negative effects on public health. In the present study, the HMs contamination level in vegetables grown around the Riruwai mining area in Kano State, Nigeria, was investigated. Fifteen (15) vegetable samples were collected, including lettuce (Lacuta sativa L.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), as well as their corresponding soils. The levels of As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in all the samples were determined using Microwave Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry, and the measured concentrations were used to calculate the bioaccumulation factor (BAF). The results of the study revealed that HMs concentrations in the investigated vegetables were found to be significantly high, with the majority of levels exceeding the WHO/FAO (2007) recommended limit, and the concentration of HMs in the soil decreased in the order of Zn > Mn > Cr > Pb > As > Ni > Cd > Hg, with As, Pb, and Zn exceeding the WHO/FAO (2001) recommended limit. Pollution levels were found to significantly differ between HMs and vegetable types. BAF results revealed that cadmium is an accumulator of all the studied vegetables (BAFs > 1), while mercury was found to be an accumulator of L. sativa. Higher concentrations of these metals in vegetables and soil, particularly arsenic, cadmium, lead, and zinc, necessitate immediate scientific attention and further research to determine the optimum concentration required for human health. Planting of vegetables for human and animal consumption should be stopped until this is accomplished.

Researchers treated seed technology and crop yield as exogenous, thereby generating bias estimates. In practice, seed technology increases yield and it’s stimulated by social capital and other factors. This paper develops a choice model of maize-seed exogenously, then tested and corrected for causality. A multistage sampling procedure was adopted using seven Agricultural Development Programme zones drawn from purposively selected Oyo and Osun states. A block each was randomly selected per zone. Twenty-one cells were randomly selected, then data were collected from 385 respondents using a structured questionnaire: Data were analyzed using Ordinary Least Square and Two-Stage Least Square α 0.05. Durbin score chi2(1) = 6.65 (p= 0.009) and Wu-Haussmann F (1,37) = 6.431 (p = 0.012), showed reverse causality that was resolved by the Two-Stage Least Square model. The Two-Stage Least Square result indicated that education (β=-0.53), seed quantity (β=-0.13), seed price (β=-0.08), negatively affected the choice of seed and yield while farm size (β=2.05), fertilizer (β=0.004), herbicide (β=0.22), output-price (β=0.02), meeting attendance index(β=0.02), and improved seed ((β=2.66), had a positive influence. Social capital spurs the use of improved seed, thereby increase maize yield. Consequently, active participation in social groups and the use of improved seed is recommended to increase yield.

The aim of the study is to be determine the effect of lactose hydrolysis and sugar content on physicochemical properties, sensory profile and HMF (5-hydroxymethylfurfural) content in Dulce de Leche (DL). Lactose free (lactose-hydrolysed) dairy products as well as low sugar products have been developed to supply consumer demand. Two different sucrose concentrations, 16% and 20%, were used in milk jam samples produced by the traditional method. For the formation of desired colour and flavour in the Dulce de Leche, Maillard reaction products are mainly responsible. HMF is Maillard reaction indicator analysed in this work. Fat, protein, solid content, ash, lactic acid and pH analysis were carried out. Sucrose, glucose, fructose and lactose concentrations were determined. Lightness, yellowness and redness as colour parameters of DL samples were evaluated and sensory analyses were also performed. It has been revealed that lactose hydrolysis causes significant changes in the color parameters and sensory profile of the samples. In this study, less or no HMF was detected in the lactose hydrolyzed DL samples compared to the control samples.

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) hay and urea molasses block on feed intake, digestibility, and body weight change of yearling local sheep fed with grass hay as a basal diet. The rationale for supplementation of alfalfa hay with urea molasses block 1) high-producing animals protein need cannot exclusively met from rumen microbial sources; 2) protein is the most expensive nutrient of ruminant animal feed. Twenty-four yearling intact male local sheep with a mean initial body weight of 23.9±1.9 (Mean ± SD) were used in a completely randomized block design. Treatments were 1% of live weight alfalfa hay (1A), 1.5% of live weight alfalfa hay (1.5A), 2.0% of live weight alfalfa hay (2A), and all three treatments offered with 100g/head/day of Urea-molasses-block (UMB). The control treatment was supplemented with concentrate mix at 2.0% of live weight (C). In addition, all treatments were fed grass hay ad libitum. The study period consisted of 84 days of feeding and 7 days of digestibility tests. Total dry matter intake was 1015.65, 925.41, 956.16, and 1078.13 (SE=± 19.4) for C, 1A, 1.5A, and 2A, respectively and 1A was lower than 2A and similar with 1.5A and C. Apparent crude protein digestibility and Crude protein intake of 2A was statistically similar to C. But, higher than 1A and 1.5A. Average daily gain was 109.33, 54.76, 55.36, and 63.1 (SE=± 6.13) g/day for C, 1A, 1.5A, and 2A, respectively and the values were the highest for C. The study showed that concentrate supplementation at 2% body weight resulted in greater body weight gain, crude protein intake and apparent crude protein digestibility. Additionally, the weight gain achieved at all grade levels of alfalfa plus in combination with the same amount of urea molasses block was commendable. But, considering the accessibility and cost of conventional concentrate mixture, 2% of Live Weight Alfalfa hay with 100g/head/day urea molasses block is recommended as an alternative supplement regime for better sheep performance.

Technological developments have accelerated the use of information and communication technologies in the agricultural sector as in all other sectors. However, there is still a lack of information in the literature on measuring the level of digital technology usage by farmers. This study will help to eliminate the lack of information on the indicators and their weights that can be used to determine the level of digitalisation of farmers. The aim of the study is to determine the indicators to be used in measuring the level of digital technology use, the sub-dimensions of these indicators, and the weights of these indicators. The constant-sum scale and expert opinions were used to determine the indicators and their weights to be used in measuring the level of digitalisation. The level of agreement of the opinions expressed by different experts about different digitalisation level indicators and their weights was revealed with the help of Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance. The study results showed that the indicators of internet access facilities, internet speed, smartphone ownership, mobile internet usage, and the ability to use office programs are important variables in measuring the level of digitalisation. The study determined eight main indicators to measure the level of digitalisation and 96 indicators under them, and their weights were put forward. By using the digitalisation indicators and their weights, it will be possible to measure the level of digitalisation in agricultural enterprises reliably.