Volume 52 (2019): Issue 2 (June 2019)

This study was conducted to investigate the behaviour, selected physiological indicators and body mass changes in Nigerian indigenous broody hens. The times spent by the hens sitting on eggs and on ingestive behaviours (feeding and drinking) were monitored between 14:00 and 18:00 h twice per week for three weeks. The growth and physiological indicators monitored were body mass, rectal temperature, breast temperature and blood glucose concentration. Data collected were analysed using repeated measures ANOVA of SPSS having week as the repeated factor. The time spent by hens sitting on the eggs (88.09 ± 5.38 – 92.91 ± 2.35 %) and on ingestive behaviours (0.06 ± 0.03 – 0.11 ± 0.07 %) were similar at the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd week of brooding. The blood glucose concentration was reduced at the 1^st and 2^nd but increased at the 3^rd week while the breast temperature (BT) increased at the 1^st and 2^nd but dropped at the 3^rd week. The rectal temperature and body mass did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) during the three weeks of the brooding process. In conclusion, natural brooding of embryos by hens under tropical conditions was accompanied by changes in body metabolism required for generation of heat which is transferred through the breast region of the hens to the eggs without necessarily resulting in higher rectal temperature of the hens.

The African grasscutter is the second largest rodent in Africa, thus, a key component of the minilivestock industry. The study described the histological features and probed the distribution of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in the corpora quadrigemina of the African grasscutter at foetal and postnatal developmental periods. Brain samples from foetuses explanted on foetal days 60 (F60) and 90 (F90) and extracted from 3 and 6-days-old pups (P3 and P6, respectively), 72-days-old juveniles (P72) and 450-days-old adults (P450) were used. They were prepared for histology and immunohistochemistry. Three laminae were distinct in the rostral colliculi at the foetal and postnatal periods; an outermost stratum zonale, middle stratum griseum superficiale and an inner stratum griseum profundum. Stratum griseum intermediale and stratum medullarium were not distinct. On F60 and F90, the stratum zonale was made of immature neurons, devoid of neurites; the central nucleus of the caudal colliculus was also made of immature migrating neurons. On P3, the neurons were already mature. The stratum zonale was made of medium-sized neuronal cells and thick processes. The thickness of this layer decreased with age. On P3, the caudal colliculus was made of all the components typical of a developed caudal colliculus. There was no BDNF immunoreactive cell in the stratum zonale at any postnatal period; a moderate BDNF-immunoreactivity in the stratum griseum superficiale on P3, a mild immunoreactivity on P6, none reactivity on P72 and mild on P450. The dorsal and lateral cortices of the caudal colliculus were none reactive to BDNF at any postnatal period. The results suggest a better auditory than visual capacity in the rodent.

Weed infestation is among the primary reasons for low yields of soybean in Nigeria and other parts of Sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Field trials were therefore carried out in 2016 and 2017 cropping seasons to evaluate the effect of row spacing and weed management methods on growth and yield of soybean. The use of 50 cm row spacing resulted in significant (P < 0.05) reduction in weed cover score, weed density and weed dry matter with subsequent increase in soybean growth and grain yield compared to 75 and 100 cm row spacings in both years. In addition, early weed control with probaben at 2.0 kg a.i (active ingredient) ha¹ followed by (fb) supplementary hoe weeding (shw) at 6 weeks after sowing (WAS) suppressed weeds and increased soybean growth, which carried through to final dry matter and yield. Pre-emergence application of Probaben fb shw at 6 WAS gave the best weed control and resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) higher soybean grain yield compared to two and three hoe weedings or sole application of probaben under 50 and 75 cm inter-row spacing. However, three hoe weedings gave the best weed control and grain yield under 100 cm inter-row spacing. These results suggest that narrow row spacing of 50 cm and weed control by pre-emergence application of probaben fb shw will improve the productivity of soybean. Wide row spacing, however, required longer weed-free period and consequently multiple hoe weeding for optimum soybean yield.

Successful cultivation of maize depends largely on efficient weed control, adequate supply of essential nutrients and sufficient soil moisture. Screenhouse and field trials were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria during the early and late cropping season of 2013 to evaluate effects of biochar integrated with manual weeding and pre-emergence herbicides on weed control efficiency and productivity of maize. The screenhouse trial was a 6 × 5 factorial experiment fitted into Completely Randomized Design in three replicates. The two factors were biochar: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 t ha⁻¹ and weed control methods: weedy check, hoe weeding at 6 Weeks After Sowing (WAS), hoe weeding at 3, 6, and 9 WAS, pre-emergence herbicide application (Codal Gold) at 1.0 and 2.0 kg a.i./ha⁻¹. The field trial was laid out in split-plot arrangement fitted into Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicates. The three main treatments plots on the field consisted of the optimum rates of biochar obtained in the screenhouse (10 t ha⁻¹) compared with 20 t ha⁻¹ and 0 t ha⁻¹ which served as the control. The sub-plots treatments consisted of weed control methods used in the screen house experiment. Data were collected on grain yield and weed dry matter. The result showed that biochar at 10 and 20 t ha⁻¹ in the screenhouse and field trials, respectively, resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) higher grain yield compared with other rates tested. Highest grain yield was obtained in pots hoe weeded thrice at 3, 6 and 9 WAS. Whereas similar grain yield was recorded in plot weeded once at 6 WAS and that hoe weeded at 3, 6 and 9 WAS in the field experiment. Biochar application of 20 t ha⁻¹ gave optimum maize yield. Among the weed control treatments manual weeding either at 6 WAS or at 3, 6 and 9 WAS recorded the highest grain yields. Therefore, incorporation of biochar with either preemergence herbicide or manual hoe weeding would enhance the growth and yield of maize.

Agricultural insurance has been one of the most crucial instruments in modern agricultural value chain financing. This study assesses farmer’s awareness of agricultural insurance packages available in the farming communities of Zamfara State. The study uses a primary source of data collected through a structured questionnaire. From the ten listed common crops majorly grown in the state, ten farmers were purposively selected from each association to make up 100 farmers for the study. The results showed that the majority of the farmers were males with mean age of 40 years and they were educated. Majority of the farmers were married, most of them having a mean family size of seven persons, average farm size of three hectares, average farm experience of about 16 years and majority (61 %) was combining farming with other occupation. Most of the respondents belonged to a cooperative society with eight years of membership. The binary logistic regression showed that the only factor responsible for farmers' awareness of agricultural insurance packages is membership in a cooperative society. It was concluded that farmers' awareness of agricultural insurance packages is significantly influenced only by membership of cooperative association. It is recommended that policy makers, agricultural insurance firms, and other actors in agricultural activities should put cogent effort in awareness and symposiums on agricultural insurance packages to enable farmers be aware of different agricultural insurance packages that can mitigate the uncertainty they face in their agricultural activities.