International Journal of Agricultural Research, Innovation and Technology

10-16

Authors: M.H. Kabir, F.S. Tisha, H.R. Nayan, M.A. Islam, M.A. Kashem, M.I. Uddin, M.R. Islam and M.B. Meah

Wheat blast, caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum (MoT), constitutes one of the major obstacles to the expansion of wheat production in Bangladesh. In the absence of resistant variety, fungicide control is the first-hand effort. Determining an effective and economic fungicide spray schedule in controlling blast disease of wheat was aimed. Ten fungicides were tested during two consecutive cropping seasons of 2018-2019 to 2019-2020. The wheat plants of blast susceptible cultivar BARI Gom 26 were inoculated with spores (107 spores ml-1) of MoT at pre-heading stage of wheat (52 days age). Fungicides were applied both before inoculation and after the appearance of blast symptoms in cocktail for three times starting from booting of wheat at 7 days interval. Plants received the combination of Filia (Tricyclazole 40% + Propiconazole 12.5%) and Seltima (Pyraclostrobin 10%) had significantly lower blast incidence and severity (1.23% and 3.33%) against untreated plants. Cocktail of Nativo and Trooper (Tricyclazole 75 wp) proved 2nd best curative measure. Application of Nativo (Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin 25%) alone ranked third in its efficacy. The fungicide spray schedule covered booting, pre-heading and heading stages of wheat. The results indicate a mixture of Tebuconazole + Tricyclazole + Pyraclostrobin is more effective (97% blast reduction) and economic (BCR 1.45) than a single compound application in reducing incidence and severity of wheat blast.

26-28

Authors: S. Shibeshi and D. Kassa

Durum wheat productivity in Ethiopia is hindered by different factors mainly lack of improved adapted varieties for specific locations. This experiment was done to identify the most performing durum wheat varieties in the tested environment. The average productivity of the tested genotypes were evaluated at two locations (Alicho and Analimo) using randomized complete block design with four replication for two consecutive years (2016 and 2017). The experimental material consists of seven improved durum wheat genotypes. The Combined analysis of variance showed significant (P<0.05) difference among tested genotypes on collected parameter indicating the presence of adequate variability. The highest average grain yield recorded was 4446 kg ha-1 from Hitosa variety while the lowest obtained was 3634 kg ha-1 from Denbi variety. Grain yield had strong positive correlations (P<0.01) with plant height, number of seed spike-1 and biomass.

37-48

Authors: A. Dinku, B. Abebe, A. Lemma and M. Shako

The study was designed to analyze beef cattle marketing channel choice under transaction costs. Multistage sampling technique was used to acquire primary data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Multinomial Logit Model. The findings verified that most of the respondents (49%) were selling at the village markets, followed by farm gate and secondary market with 28% and 23%, respectively. The model results revealed that the probability of selling at farm gate and village market versus selling at secondary market increased with season sales, indicating level of market uncertainty. The results affirmed the probability of selling at village market versus selling at secondary market outlet increased with knowledge of buyer and decreased with trust in buyers. Other significant predictors were volume of beef cattle supplied, farmers' experience, and education level. Thus, policies aimed at improving the smallholder farmers’ access to cattle marketing channels should be informed by these factors.

60-68

Authors: B. Lemage, M. Tsegaye and Y. Anmaw

Smallholder farmers influenced from the challenges of production constraints to afford farm family with surplus food. To improve this problem the present study was designed to evaluate legume shrubs hedgerow intercropping with maize. In the present study, the growth performance of Sesbania sesban and Cajanus cajan was evaluated to determine their potential in hedgerow intercropping. The result revealed that Sesbania sesban performs better than Cajanus cajan in terms of biomass provision in the successive pruning, mean height, branching, diameter at breast height and root collar diameter. Biomass produced from Sesbania sesban was significantly higher than Cajanus cajan, this plays great role in soil nutrient improvement and maize yield also increased. There was an increasing trend in soil properties in terms of organic C, total N, in legume treatments especially in Sesbania sesban hedgerow to the initial and control soils. Maize grain yield higher under Sesbania sesban hedgerow plot than Cajanus cajan, maize with fertilizer and control. This should be intensively demonstrated to sustain the agricultural production as an organic farming through integration of easily adapting, less competing with the companion crop, deep rooted and fast growing legume tree/shrub species. Further research is important in areas of determining decomposing rate of different parts, pruned biomass and potential species should be identified.

74-83

Authors: W. Adila, H. Terefe and A. Bekele

Common bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. phaseoli, is an economically important disease of common bean and causes significant yield losses in Ethiopia. A field survey was conducted to understand the spatial distribution, relative importance and association of common bacterial blight epidemics with agro-ecological factors in low and mid-land areas of Southwestern, Ethiopia, during the 2018-19 cropping season. A total 85 bean fields were assessed in four common bean growing districts. High diseases incidence and severity was recorded at Debub Ari (77.6 and 52.7%, respectively) while the lowest was from Male (38.5 and 28.0%, respectively). The associations between disease parameters and agro-ecological factors were analyzed using multiple logistic regression models. Agronomic practices including NPS fertilization, preceding crop, weed management and plant population had highly significant (P<0.0001) association with both disease incidence and severity. Also, altitude, seed source and cropping system significantly (P<0.05) influenced disease severity while cropping pattern showed significant (P<0.05) association with disease incidence in the reduced model. Higher mean disease severity (≥40%) had high probability of association with district, absence of NPS fertilization, poor weed management practice, and preceding crops, than their counter parts. Adequate NPS fertilization increases growth performance of the crop in turn decreases disease intensity, weed serve as alternate host for incoming inoculum and previous crops were source for inocula as well as crop rotation used as reduce inoculum load. Therefore, the present study showed that the disease is a major production constraint of common bean, and suggested proper nutrient and weed management practices, and crop rotation to reduce common bacterial blight in the study areas.

92-100

Authors: G. Genemo and T. Seyoum

Flow rate and furrow length are the main irrigation decision variables currently affecting yield and water productivity at farm level. Improper selection of these variables produces an over use of water and loss in crop production. The general objective was to investigate the effect of decision variables on yield and water productivity of onion under conventional furrow irrigation system, with specific objective to analyze the effect of flow rate, furrow length and their interaction on yield and water productivity of onion. The field experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement of three levels of flow rate (0.7, 0.98 and 1.3 L/S) and three levels of furrow length (25, 35 and 50 m) with three replications. Inflow out flow method was used to determine the infiltration characteristics of the soil and Irrigation depth was controlled by using 3-inch Parshall flume. The maximum non-erosive flow rate to the experimental site was fixed through design equation considering soil textural class and furrow bed slope. Effect of furrow length and flow rate on yield and water productivity of the onion were used for evaluation. Their analyses indicated that effect of furrow length and their interaction with flow rate on yield were not significant (p<0.05). However, the flow rate showed highly significant (p<0.01) effect on yield of onion. The ranges of mean yield gained from furrow length and flow rate were F1 (14.75 ton ha-1) to F3 (15.96 ton ha-1) and Q1 (13.59 ton ha-1) to Q3 (19.69 ton ha-1), respectively. The effect of furrow length on crop water use efficiency and field water use efficiency was not significant (p<0.05). However, the flow rate has showed highly significant (p<0.01) effect on crop water use efficiency and field water use efficiency. The range of mean crop water use efficiency and field water use efficiency from furrow length and flow rate were F1 (33.65 kg/ha/mm) to F3 (36.41 kg/ha/mm) and Q1 (30.99 kg/ha/mm) to Q3 (38.65kg/ha/mm) and F1 (2.06 kg/m3) to F3 (2.23 kg/m3) and Q1 (1.89 kg/m3) to Q3 (2.36 kg/m3), respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that a furrow length of 50 m is suitable to use 1.3 L/S of flow rate for better onion yield and water productivity under similar soil type of study area.

109-116

Authors: Darwel, R. Selvia, F. Fadillah, Mahaza and E. Zicof

Compost can be used to reduce waste, it formed naturally, but it will take a long time, around 6-12 months. Bioactivators accelerate composting process; one of them is a solution of LMO (Local Microorganism) coconut pulp. The purpose of this study to determine the effectiveness of LMO coconut pulp for the composting time. The method in this research is quasi-experimental. This study consists of 3 treatments with 5 replications. Treatment 1 composting with the addition of LMO coconut pulp 50,000 ppm; treatment 2 composting with the addition of LMO coconut pulp 100,000 ppm; treatment 3 composting with the addition of LMO coconut pulp 200,000 ppm. The materials used in this study are vegetables and sawdust and the composting process carried out aerobically. From the observations, the average time to compile with LMO coconut pulp 50,000 ppm is 21.00 (21 days), 100,000 ppm 18.60 (19 days) and 200,000 ppm 18.20 (18 days). Based on the ANOVA test, the p value is 0.0001 (p <0.05) which means that H0 rejected, that there is a significant difference in composting time using LMO coconut pulp 50,000 ppm, 100,000 ppm, and 200,000 ppm. The most significant difference is between compost with LMO coconut pulp 50,000 ppm and compost with LMO coconut pulp 200,000 ppm. It is recommended for the further researchers using other types of waste, and test the quality of compost produced especially C/N compost. The community can use coconut pulp as a bioactivator in accelerating the composting process.