International Journal of Agricultural Research, Innovation and Technology

1-5

Authors: Merga Jibat and Shamil Alo

The primary reason for postharvest deterioration, which is primarily brought on by fungal invasion, is the loss of turmeric products in Southwestern Ethiopia. The study was conducted to determine the main fungi responsible for the postharvest deterioration of turmeric in major turmeric-growing areas of southwestern Ethiopia. In total, 60 samples of dried and stored turmeric were gathered in 2020 and 2021 from different production zones of southwestern Ethiopia. The fungus that causes postharvest turmeric to deteriorate was isolated and identified at the genus level. At the study locations, rhizomes were not cleaned, washed, sorted, or separated from healthy rhizomes. The spoiled turmeric samples contain fungi from four genera: Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, and Rhizopus. Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium were isolated from drying and storage samples in all zones. However, Rhizopus was only isolated from samples that had been stored. It was discovered that Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium were primarily responsible for the observed deterioration. The identified genera's percentage incidence ranged from 15.1% (Fusarium) to 45.2% (Aspergillus). Proper harvesting, postharvest handling procedures, and adopting suitable turmeric harvesting and postharvest handling technology can help decrease turmeric postharvest degradation.

15-24

Authors: Paxwell D. Adjei, Joseph O. Akowuah, George Obeng-Akrofi and Edward A. Awafo

The study assessed the technical performance and economic viability of a 200 kg capacity biomass-powered inclined bed dryer for drying maize. The dryer recorded an average air temperature of 73.54˚C in the plenum, which reduced the moisture content from 23.25% (w.b) to 13.61% (w.b) at a drying time of 2 hours 40 minutes. This resulted in a drying rate, drying efficiency, and specific energy consumption of 9.50 kg/h, 71.37%, and 25.70 MJ/kg, respectively. The germination potential of dried maize grains was 80% compared to 93% for grains assessed before drying. Stress-crack analysis revealed a lower percentage of no-cracks for dried maize (71%) than maize gains before drying (98%). There was a statistically significant difference between the dried and the undried maize grains for germination viability (p = 0.01) and stress crack analysis (p = 0.00) at α=0.05. At a drying charge of US$ 2.4 per 100 kg bag of maize, the investment cost could be regained at a pay-back period of 6 months and 15 operation days and a benefit-cost ratio of 1.27. The drying system is economically viable at net present value of US$ 1313.48 and internal rate of return of 44%. Evidently, adopting the dryer could contribute to reducing post-harvest loss of maize at the smallholder level and increase farmer's income.

31-37

Authors: Anselm Enwelem Egwunatum, Patience Ndidi Emilimor, Nneka Sophia Emma-Otum and Alukwe Doreen

This study evaluated the potential of compost-combusted forest litters as alternative sources of ex-situ organo-mineral products to the direct use of controlled fire for enhanced soil nutrients in forest stands. Floor litters from six (6) delineated standing forest patches of Pterocarpus erinaceus, Gmelina arborea, Tectona grandis, Bambusa vulgaris, Ceiba pentandra and Mangifera indica were characterized for N, K, P, Ca and Mg; composted for 3, 6, 9 and 12 days and then uniformly combusted to produce organo-minerals for early growth response of Dacryodes edulis in a 6 x 4 split-plot factorial experiment. Analysis of variance was conducted for litter characteristics, calorific values, moisture, ash contents, and germination and growth variables of Dacryodes edulis while significant means were separated with DMRT (p ≥ 0.05). Results showed that Mangifera had the highest P (0.68%) and K (1.15%); Bamboo had the highest N (1.92%). Germination was 6>9>12> 3 days with Bamboo > Ceiba > Teak > Mangifera > Gmelina > Pterocarpus for 6 days organo-minerals, but the highest height (21.56 ± 6.77 cm) by Pterocarpus to implicate litters under microbe-thermal mediation as sustainable organo-mineral ex-situ products to combat incidence of forest fire for fertile forest soil. Thus, in-situ controlled fire in standing forests is no longer needed for nutrient-rich forest-agriculture.

42-47

Authors: Gudeta Genemo, Habtamu Bedane and Eshetu Mekonen

Ethiopian coffee production is greatly hampered by frequent droughts.This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a drip irrigation system for coffee production on a farm. Additionally, it estimated the amount of water required for coffee crops. An experiment was conducted on a 5-year-old coffee plant with 2m spacing between lines and 2m between plants. Catch cans were used to evaluate the system performance of the installed drip irrigation system. Based on these, the average hydraulic characteristics of the installed drip irrigation system, distribution uniformity was 93.55%, Christiansen uniformity coefficient was 95.40%, flow variation was 18.52%, and coefficient of variation was 5.59%. Coffee plants grew and produced more when irrigation was used. A fresh cherry yield of 6785 kg ha-1 was obtained under irrigated coffee and 2346 kg ha-1 under non-irrigated coffee. Compared to non-irrigated coffee, irrigated coffee had the highest crop water use efficiency of 2.5 kg ha-1 mm-1, and the lowest was obtained 1.7 kg ha-1 mm-1, under non-irrigated coffee. Similarly, irrigated coffee had the highest irrigation water use efficiency (3.6 kg m-3), whereas non-irrigated coffee had the lowest (1.4 kg m-3). These findings show that drip irrigation, compared to non-irrigated coffee plants, enhances yield and water use efficiency by 65% and 60%, respectively. In order to boost production, yield, yield components, and irrigation water use efficiency, drip irrigation is a helpful irrigation technique in locations with limited water resources and extended drought spells.

51-59

Authors: Mekete Girma

The study was carried out to document the production system of indigenous Woyto-Guji goats and the major limitations to goat production reared in two districts (Nyangatom and Maale) of South Omo, Ethiopia. Stepwise purposive followed by a random sampling method was used to select respondents. Based on the result, the households in Nyangatom district preferred to rear cattle, goats and sheep and less number of poultry when compared to those residing in the Maale district. The purpose of keeping goats in the district was primarily for tangible and intangible benefits. They are raised for their milk, meat, and blood as a source of wealth creation and insurance against emergencies. The results also indicated that the respondents in Maale district provide feed supplements. Communal grazing is prevalent in Nyangatom district, while in the Maale district, they interchangeably used both communal and private grazing lands; this all depended on the carrying capacity of the grazing land. Natural grazing and browsing the bush was the common form of feeding in both the study areas, while crop residues too were provided in Maale district. The sources of water varied across the study areas, the respondents in Nyangatom district relied solely on river Omo, ‘Omo shesh’ and ‘kure shesh’. While the flocks in Maale district were provided with water in the nearby streams besides the river water. The frequency of delivering water in the districts showed that every alternate day at Nyangatom and daily in the Maale district. The major limitation towards goat production in Nyangatom district was the unavailability of feed mainly in the dry season, followed by incidences of diseases; while some also indicated the problems associated with erratic and decrease in rainfall, thefts of the livestock were the identified problems. In Maale district, disease prevalence was major problem in the area as well as feed shortages followed by shrinkage of grazing lands, predators and lack of herders to take the animals for grazing. The current result on the production and farming system of goats and the major problems associated with goat production in the district helps to design different intervention options for the district.

67-71

Authors: Tesfaye Belay, Abush Tesfaye and Sentayehu Alamerew

Sixty-four soybean genotypes were evaluated to study the association among yield and related traits and determine the directions of association. The field experiment was conducted during the main cropping season in 2019 at Jimma and Bonga Southwestern Ethiopia. The experiment was laid with a simple lattice design with two replications. Data were collected on quantitative traits. Analysis of variance showed significant to highly significant differences among genotypes for all of the studied traits. Correlation analysis exhibited that grain yield was positively and significantly associated with harvest index and the number of pods per plant. Harvest index exerted the maximum positive direct effect on grain yield, followed by pod per plant, seed yield per plant at a genotypic level, and these traits could be used for selection to improve grain yield in soybean.

77-82

Authors: Atinafu Tunebo, Abebe Hegano and Shemelis Tesema

Soil fertility reduction is the main problem for sustainable crop production and productivity in southern parts of Ethiopia. Integrated soil fertility management is the best choice to improve soil fertility constraints using accessible organic and chemical fertilizers. The aim of the experiment was to examine the effect of organic and chemical fertilizers on crop yield and soil fertility improvement. This experiment was conducted from 2017 to 2018 in Debub Ari district, southwestern Ethiopia. The treatments contain Control (no fertilizers), Recommended NP (69/30), 250 kg NPSB + 161 kg ha-1 Urea, 10 t ha-1 compost, and 5 t ha-1 compost + 125 kg NPSB + 80 kg Urea top dress. Potato variety ‘Belete’ became used for the experiment and was planted early in the ‘Belg’ season. The treatments were arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. Soil sample was randomly collected before treatment application with a depth of (0-20cm) and composited into one kg of a sample. The analysis results of the initial soil sample revealed that it was sandy clay in texture, moderately acidic, low in total N, OC, CEC, and very low in available P. The analysis of variances showed significant differences among the treatments on potato tuber yield when compared to untreated plots. Potato tuber yield is increased by 32, 22, and 35% of sole use of inorganic fertilizer, compost alone, and 50% of compost + 50% of NPSB treatment, respectively, than control. The maximum tuber yield 18.7 t ha-1 was obtained from treatment 5 t ha-1 compost + 125 kg NPSB + 80 kg Urea top dress, whereas the minimum tuber yields 13.85 t ha-1 were obtained by untreated plot (without any fertilizer application). Farmers in the study area can use by selecting either recommended NP (69 N and 30 P) ha-1 or 5t + 125 kg NPSB + 80 kg urea ha-1 depending on the accessibility of labor, composting material, and cash to purchase an adequate amount of fertilizers.

89-95

Authors: Habetamu Niguse and Takele Mebratu

This study describes the characteristics of household market participation in avocado production. It investigates the approach required to overcome determinants of market participation among smallholders of avocado farmers in Shebedino woreda, SNNPRS, Ethiopia. The primary sources of the data are farm household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. Two hundred twenty-eight households were selected using a purposive sampling technique. The data obtained were evaluated using Double-hurdle econometric models. The results of the binary probit model revealed that in the decision to sell, land size, family size, distance from the nearest market center, market information, access to media, and the total amount of avocado produced played a significant role. The truncated regression model indicated that the age of the household head, family size, market information and the total amount of avocado produced significantly affected the level of commercialization. The result showed that enhancing the efficient utilization of the existing limited farmland, family size, access to market information, and the total amount of avocado produced had a higher value and was seen as a critical opportunity to improve the lower-income farm households. As a result, better market information, family planning, and new technology like improved verity are required to increase demand for avocado produce and income generation. Concerned bodies need to establish a market center for the farmers around their home, increasing the probability of avocado market participation. The findings of this study may help in the development of appropriate policy intervention mechanisms to promote smallholder avocado commercialization in Sidama Zone.

103-109

Authors: Samiul Alim

In the coastal region, crab cultivators are concerned about the wastage produced by crab moulting and polluting soil health for pisciculture. Farmers have recently been using different bio-compost, produced after decomposing as vegetable wastage, cow dung, Trico-compost and vermin-compost. The nutritional composition of carapace based on dry matter has been approximately analysed and indicates DM-97.33%, Moisture-2.67%, Crude protein, CP-0.02%, Ether extract, Lipid-2.12%, Crude fiber, CF-5.57% and Ash, Minerals-20.25%. After decomposing, the crab shell was used for BARI hybrid summer tomato production in a field trial to observe the plant vegetative and yield performance. In the field, trial has been set five (5) treatments with six (6) replications for each treatment as T1= control treatment, T2= Soil (50%) + vermin-compost (50%), T3= vermin-compost (100%), T4= Crab Shell compost (100%), T5=Soil (50%) + Crab Shell compost (25%) + Vermin-compost (25%). Crab shell compost has a significant relation to vermin compost for enhancing the leaf length of the plant. T4 was more significant than T2 and T5 for enhancing the leaf width of plants and average fruit weight. Crab shell compost is non-significance for increased tiller number, inflorescence number and plant height. T5 have a more significant relation than vermin-compost for increasing the tiller number of plant. After the field trial, the soil nutrient analysis report showed that alkalinity is on the optimum label for crop production. Decomposed crab shell-treated soil also increases Organic matter, Nitrogen, Potassium, Boron, Zinc, and salinity but reduces phosphorous compared to the control treatment. Therefore, the decomposed crab shell is a nutrient source for agricultural production.

123-130

Authors: Md. Atiqur Rahman and Mitul Kumar Saha

Reducing postharvest losses of fruits and vegetables is a major pathway to food and nutrition security in Bangladesh. A survey was conducted in 30 selected upazilas of Bangladesh from February to October 2021 to explore the nature and magnitude of postharvest losses. This study assessed the knowledge gap, attitudes and practices of the value chain’s key actors, and the status of market opportunities in the country. A total of 515 farmers and 295 traders were interviewed from selected upazilas of the country. The findings of this study revealed that 50-70% of growers showed a positive attitude toward good agriculture practices (GAP), maturity indices, and the role of good packaging in keeping the products safe for consumers. More than 41% of farmers aggregated their harvested commodities beside the field on direct soil contact under open sunlight. Only 27% of farmers and traders washed fruits and vegetables before marketing, of which 32% used unsafe water found in the canal or ditches. On average, 86.91% of farmers and traders sorted out their products before marketing for a better price. More than 56% of farmers and traders used jute or nylon sac for packaging fresh fruit and vegetables. Nevertheless, only 20.2% of farmers and 24.41% of traders used plastic crates as packaging containers. Generally, the farmer used different local vehicles, including three-wheeler van, rickshaw, bi-cycle, tempo, etc. In contrast, the traders transported their produce to the wholesale market using a truck and pick-up van. The average postharvest losses were estimated 12.5% at the farm level, whereas 6.7% at trader’s level up to the wholesale market.