Abstract: The study analyzed the Technical Efficiency (TE) of poultry egg production in Ogbomoso metropolis of Oyo state, Nigeria from a sample of 60 poultry farmers selected from two Local Government Area in Oyo state. Stochastic parametric technique was used to analyse the technical efficiency of poultry farmers. Estimated technical efficiency of the poultry egg farmers ranged from 18.3% to 92.7% with a mean technical efficiency of 66%. The variation in the level of technical efficiency indicates that more opportunities exist for poultry egg farmers to increase their egg productivity and income through improvements in their technical efficiency. Determinants of technical efficiency of poultry egg farmers were found to be credit accessibility, education level, farming experience, flock size, extension contact and farmers’ associations membership, since all these variables were found to be positive and significantly related to technical efficiency.

Abstract: In present study a total ten varieties of tobacco seeds Gujarat Tobacco-9 (GT-9), Mosaic Resistance Gujarat Tobacco Hybrid – 1 (MRGTH-1), Gujarat Tobacco-7 (GT-7), Gujarat Tobacco-4 (GT-4), Anand-2 (A-2), Anand BT-10 (ABT-10), Anand BD-101 (ABD-101), Anand BD-118 (ABD-118) and Anand-119 (A-119) were procured and grown on simple agar medium. The plants were harvested for further analysis after 5 to 7 days incubation in dark condition. SSR primers tested in present investigation produced fragments of different length. The minimum (150bp) sized fragment and the maximum 600 bp sized amplified fragment was obtained by primer SSR4 & SSR8 respectively. The highest (100%) polymorphism was exhibited by primer SSR1, SSR2, SSR3, SSR5, SSR6, SSR7, SSR9, and SSR10, while the lowest polymorphism (82.30%) was observed with primer SSR4. The maximum scorable bands (34) were generated by primer SSR5, SSR9, & SSR10, whereas the minimum scorable bands (5) generated by primer SSR2. In the SSR analysis, 10 primers were used for polymorphism screening. A total of 18 bands in the size range of 200 to 600 bp were produced by examining across genotypes with 10 SSR primers, with an average polymorphism of 88.8 %. The overall gene frequency analysis reveals a maximum of 1 and minimum of 0.2000. Observed number of alleles (1.3333 ± 0.4830), Effective number of alleles (1.2504 ± 0.3906), Gene diversity (0.1390 ± 0.2076) and Shannon's Information index (0.20160 ± 0.2970) was found in the Genic variation statistics for all loci. The total number of polymorphic loci was found 7 and the percentage of polymorphic loci was 33.33 and the PIC value was found in between 0.980 – 0.466. Phylogenetic trees among 10 tobacco varieties were constructed and 65% genetic similarity was found in the cluster diagram with 2 major groups. This first sub group was divided in two groups where in one group, GT-5 100% was similar with A-2. In second group, MRGTH-1 & GT-9 was 100% similar with ABD-101. Second major group was divided into two sub groups where ABD-118 was similar with A-119 & GT-4. This two tobacco varieties A-119 & GT-4 have 100% similarity. First major group was divided into four subgroups and the second major group again divided into two subgroups at 76.5% genetic similarity which contained ABD-118 and A-119 & GT-4 with 85% genetic similarity. Now, in the first major group the first subgroup was divided at 72% genetic similarity into two another subgroup first subgroups had GT-5 and A-2. The second subgroup was divided into two as MRGTH-1, ABD-101 & ABT-10 and another subgroup had GT-7. GT-9 showed maximum genetic similarity (1.0000) and A-119 showed minimum genetic similarity (0.6667). ABD-118 and GT-4 varieties showed maximum genetic distance of 0.2719 while GT-9 showed no genetic distance (0.0000). Based on study, the large range of similarity values for related cultivars using microsatellites provided greater confidence for the assessment of genetic diversity and relationships. This information (genetic variability at molecular level) will certainly be helpful to identify and develop genetically unique germplasm that compliments the existing cultivars. Further practical approaches are required to unveil the differences among these closely related species of the tobacco varieties studied in the present investigation.

Abstract: A study was done to investigate the possibility to improve claw health at herd level within a period of 1 year in 18 dairy herds. Claw health was monitored using an individual cow based claw-herd health score (CHS) system that corrected recordings of claw trimming for parity, stage of lactation and moment (=season) of claw trimmings. Herd-specific advice was given during regular meetings and on general consensus with a team of different claw-health advisors. It was found that even with this intensive team approach chosen, on average 62% of advice given was implemented with great variation between herds (20-100%). Over time, the CHS improved by 15%. The overall conclusion was, that based on the improvements achieved in most of the participating herds, substantial progress in claw health in dairy herds in The Netherlands can be realized within a one-year period.

Abstract: Due to the increasingly global concerns related to food self-sufficiency and food security in the developing countries, it seems imperative to critically appreciate the relevance and advantages of applying the “Integrated Pest Management (IPM)” concept in view of developing a long lasting and more competitive agricultural system in Cameroon and the Central African sub region. The goal of this reflection is to encourage stakeholders to contribute to IPM development. It presents the historical context and evolution of IPM, defines the concept, explains key components for the development of an IPM program, presents IPM techniques currently developed, and finally, proposes an inter-institutional collaboration scheme that integrates potentialities of different stakeholders while showing the advantages of developing and promoting this crop protection approach particularly in Cameroon and the Central African sub region. IPM is a multidisciplinary decision support system for the selection and use of pest control tactics, harmoniously coordinated into a management strategy, based on cost/benefit analyses that take into account the interests of and impacts on producers, society, and the environment. This approach coordinates the use of the biology of the pest/pathogen, environmental information and available technology to limit unacceptable levels of crop damages. The setting up of an IPM program is possible through six main stages with the following key components: (i) the decision making process including determination of the Economic Injury Level and Action Threshold through pests’ surveillance and monitoring; (ii) collection and retention of approved, most appropriate and innovative control techniques; and (iii) devising management strategies against pesticide resistance. IPM concept is thus a strong advocacy tool for sustainable agriculture, serving as a framework for the development of research and application of a variety of control approaches, with benefits represented in terms of environmental protection and human security. These techniques are underutilized in Cameroon and the CEMAC sub-region, though the achievements gained through the few programs developed so far in this domain are significant and must be enhanced through further valorization of the rich flora of the sub-region by developing efficient biological alternatives to chemical pesticides.

Abstract: This study examines the resource use efficiency of rice farmers in Kaambe district of Guma Local Government Area to help improve rice production in Benue State, Nigeria. A sample size of 100 rice farmers was randomly selected from four rice farming communities of the study area. Data collected were farm size, amount of fertilizer, herbicide/pesticide, planting seeds, farm labour and capital. A regression model was used as analytical tool. The Coefficient of determination (R²) of productivity level by rice farmers is 0.812 with improved seeds and the farm hecterage as the most significant predictors of the productivity achieved by rice farmers. The research concludes that, rice farmers were making efficient use of available resources. Productivity level of rice farmers in the area was determined by 81.2% of the farm inputs such as farm size, fertilizer, herbicide /pesticide, planting seeds, farm labour and capital. These shows that, the variables can therefore be further exploited to improve productivity level of rice farmers to boost rice production in the area.