Direct Research Journal of Agriculture and Food Science

Analysis of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) Value Chain in Kebbi State, Nigeria

S. Norbert — 2024-04-30

The study analyzed Tomato value chain in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected using well-structured questionnaires. A multi- stage sampling procedure was used to collect data from 225 respondents for the study. The data collected were analyzed using Descriptive statistics, Net Farm Income, and Gross Margin Analysis. Results from the study revealed that input suppliers, producers, middlemen, traders, processors and consumers are the major actors in tomato value chain. In terms of profitability of the various actors, the study revealed that the actors realized a profit of N1, 630, N271, 821, N2, 190 and N1, 475 for input suppliers, farmers, wholesalers and retailers, respectively. The study further revealed that the marketing efficiency for seedling producers is N1.28, tomato farmers is N1.11, wholesalers is N0.22 and retailers is N0.12, implying that for every N1.00 invested N1.28 kobo for seedling producers, N1.11 kobo for tomato farmers, N0.22 kobo for wholesalers and N0.12 kobo for retailers was realized. These suggest that tomato value chain businesses are both profitable and viable. The constraints faced by the tomato value chain actors include; lack of storage facilities, perishability nature of the product, pest and diseases, lack of processing industries in the state, high cost of inputs, financial challenges, poor road network, price fluctuation and insecurity among others. It was recommended that, farmers should form cooperatives for better marketing and to also attract attention from government while government should provide incentives in the form of storage facilities and credit at low interest rate to value chain actors in order to boost their profit and also formulate and implement policies that are favourable and attractive to investors in the State.

Quality Implications of Marketed Brands of NPK 20:10:10 Fertilizer on Maize (Zea mays)Performance Performance and Residual soil Chemical Properties

R.A. Ezema — 2024-04-30

Anecdotal evidence in Nigeria establishes that there is limited enforcement of fertilizer standards and high prevalence of poor-quality fertilizers. A field study was initiated at the Research and Demonstration Farms of Enugu State Polytechnic Iwollo, Ezimo Campus and University of Nigeria Nsukka, to comparatively evaluate the effects of three brands of NPK 20: 10:10 fertilizer locally called Federal, Ebonyi, and Kano on maize performance and soil chemical properties. The fertilizers and a control were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The fertilizer samples were analyzed for N, P, K contents while residual soils were analyzed for pH, OM, N, P, and K. Hybrid maize (Oba super II) were grown in both locations. Data were collected on their growth and yield traits. Results revealed that, contrary to the labeled nutrient grade -NPK 20:10:10 on the fertilizer brands, they were, NPK 15:8:7; 14: 8:7 and 7:7:8for Federal, Ebonyi and Kano respectively. The difference in nutrient grades reflected in the performance of the plants as Federal significantly (p<0.05) produced plants that were superior in height (123.3 cm), stem girth (7.6cm),number of leaves (13), biomass weight (370g plant^-1), cob weight (146.2g plant^-1), grain weight (4.63tha ^-1) and 100 seed weight. The fertilizer brands did not differ significantly with control in residual soil chemical properties. The study highlights the need for a brand specific test and recommendation of inorganic fertilizers prior to application and for fertilizer regulatory agencies to intensify efforts in enforcing standards.

Perception of Farm Succession Planning among Rubber Perception of Farm Succession Planning among Rubber Farmers Farmers in Delta State, Nigeria

Ogheneovo Owigho — 2024-04-30

The study investigated the perception of farm succession planning among rubber farmers in Delta State. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to draw a sample size of 66 rubber farmers for the study. The data collection of the study was done using questionnaire. Data collected were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The findings of the study showed that most of the rubber farmers in Delta State were males; 50% were married; 37.9% of the rubber farmers had 21- 30 years of farming experience, but majority of rubber farmers had relatively low level of education. The results also revealed that rubber farmers have positive perceptions of farm succession planning. It was found that the factors that influence farm succession planning among rubber farmers in Delta State were the interest of a family member in the rubber farming business, the age of the rubber farmers, the availability of resources for succession planning, skills of rubber farming among family members, education level of rubber farmers, the need to prevent future generational conflicts in the family and rubber farming experience of the potential successor. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among others, that Delta State Government should use cooperative society, extension workers and contact farmers to educate rubber farmers on the need for succession planning.

Community Leadership Succession in Fish Farming Festivities for Agricultural Development in Ibi Local Government Area, Taraba State

Rasheed Mba — 2024-04-30

This study is on community leadership succession in fish farming festivities for Agricultural Development in Ibi Local Government Area, Taraba State. Three specific purposes of the study were stated and transformed into three research questions. Three null hypotheses were also formulated for the study. Survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 340 consisting 300 fish farmers and 40 community leaders. Simple random sampling technique was used to get the sample size of 211 using Taro Yamane’s Formula, which consists of 171 fish farmers and all the 40 community leaders were used because of their manageable size. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled: Community Leadership Succession in Fish Farming Festivities for Agricultural Development Questionnaire (CLSFFFADQ). This consists of 21 structured items statement. The instrument was validated by three validates. The instruments were subjected to trial-test using Cronbach Alpha with reliability coefficient of 0.85. The researcher with the help of two research assistants administered 211 copies of the questionnaire and retrieved all of them for analysis. The data was analyzed using mean and standard deviation for answering the research questions and t-test for testing the null hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance. The finding indicates the respondents agreed with the community leadership style in fish farming festivities, provision of fishing skills to fish farmers, as well as supervision of fish farmers for agricultural development in Ibi Local Government Area, Taraba State. Recommendations made include: Community Leaders to find a way of involving the government and other stake holders to come to their aids in improving fish farming in Ibi Local Government area, the fish festivities be organized in such a way that, it can attracts foreign investors to the area, for high productivity and enhancement of agricultural development.

Assessment of Harvest Age of some Sugarcane Genotypes by using es by using Principal Component Analysis

Eid. M. Mehareb — 2024-04-30

Two field trials were conducted in Upper Egypt conditions at Kom Ombo Agricultural Research Station, (latitude of 24o 28′N and longitude of 320. 57′ E), Aswan Governorate, Egypt during 2019/2020 and 2020/ 2021 seasons (plant cane and first ratoon) to determine the optimum harvest age of the major sugarcane promising genotypes (G. 2003-47, G. 2004-27, G. 2005-47, G. 84-47 and G.T.54-9). The AMMI (Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction) analysis and PCA (principal components biplot) analysis, were utilized to examine and understand the relationship between genotype and environment (G x E). The experimental design was a split plot with three replications. Results showed that harvest ages significantly varied among all studied traits in plant cane as well as first ratoon season. Harvest age of 13 months recorded the highest mean values of stalk length, stalk diameter, stalk weight, brix %, cane and sugar yields, except richness %, sucrose % and sugar recovery % in first ratoon crop and across crops where it recorded the highest values at age of 12-months. By contrast, reducing sugars % and purity % in plant cane, first ratoon and over crops where it recorded the greatest values at age of 10-months and 12-months, respectively. The G. 84-47 genotype surpassed the other genotypes and produced the highest values of brix %. G. 2003-47 genotype surpassed the other genotypes and produced the highest values of sucrose %, purity % and sugar recovery %. Results of the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that the first two components had an Eigen value > 1 and explained about 84.37 % of the total variation among all analyzed variables. The first component (PC1) explained 50.8, 54.2, 45.7, and 57 % of the total variation among the tested sugarcane genotypes assessed by different harvesting ages (10, 11, 12 and 13 months) measured for the plant cane and first ratoon seasons and the second component (PC2) explained 38.5, 35.8, 42.6, and 34.6% of the total variation measured by the same variables, respectively. The PC1 had a strong negative correlation with brix % measured at all harvesting ages. The PC1 had a moderate negative correlation with sucrose and sugar recovery and a moderate positive correlation with stalk diameter, reducing sugars and sugar yield calculated based 10, 11 and 12 months. Results display positive correlation and highly significant between cane yield, stalk weight, then cane yield and stalk length followed by cane yield and stalk diameter. Based on the AMMI analysis: the five sugarcane genotypes under investigation could be divided into three groups, early maturity (G 2003-47 and G 84-47) , mid maturity ( G2004-47) and late maturity (G 2005-47 and GT 54-9).