Potato (Solanum tuberosum L) is a strategic national food security crop in that can be used as a supplement for carbohydrates. It is the fastest growing staple food crop and source of income for poor smallholder farmers. There is limited documentation on effects of earthing up irish potatoes on yield and yield components in Zimbabwe. A field experiment was conducted in Zaka district of Masvingo province in Zimbabwe during the 2018/19 cropping season. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of time of earthing up on yield and yield parameters of BP1 potato variety. The treatments consisted of four levels of time of earthing up (no earthing up (control), three, four and five weeks after plant emergence), replicated three times on a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Results on earthing-up at three weeks recorded significantly (P<0.013) the highest total tuber yield (21.97 t ha-1) which is 10% higher compared to no earthing up which recorded 14.43 t ha-1. Moreover, earthing up at two weeks had the least number of greening tuber yield (3%), 11% pest damaged tuber yield, 6% unmarketable tuber yield and 45% marketable tuber yield. This is in contrast with no earthing up which recorded 91% greening tuber yield, 25.3% on pest damaged tubers, 59% on unmarketable tubers and 10% marketable tuber yield. Based on the results, first earthing up should be done at three weeks after complete plant emergence at the study area under rain fed conditions for the production of potatoes with improved yield and better tuber quality.
Climate change is projected to have a negative effect towards food security and attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Africa. Its impact is expected to be extremely severe in regions of Africa that depend on rainwater agriculture and have limited resources to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Much of the climate awareness on climate change comes from models or scenarios that face certain degrees of uncertainty. The knowledge of local and indigenous peoples, commonly mentioned to as local knowledge systems (LKS) or indigenous knowledge systems (IKS), is gradually being recognized as an imperative source of information for climate mitigation and adaptation. It is essential that policymakers draw on the best available knowledge in the face of global climate change.
Pesticidal plants offer valuable and sustainable options for managing Lepidopteran pests with considerable health, environmental and economic benefits in smallholder agro-ecosystem. This study Biopesticidal properties of aqueous crude extracts of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) against fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E Smith) on maize foliage (Zea mays L.) diets. Bio-efficacy of aqueous crude N. tabacum leaf extracts was evaluated under average room temperature at Great Zimbabwe University, Biology laboratory. The treatments were tobacco leaf extracts at four dosage levels (25 %, 33.33%, 41.67 % and 50% W/V ) and a negative control of untreated maize leaf foliage (distilled water) was used. A positive control of Carbaryl 85% WP was also used at label rates. The experiment was arranged in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) replicated three times. Five larvae were placed into each of the experimental jars with maize foliage diets drenched into 10ml of distilled water in each treatment extract to keep the maize leaf foliage moist. Mortality for each treatment was recorded at 2 hourly intervals for 20 hours. Results showed that tobacco crude aqueous leaf extracts had Antifeedent activities against FAW larvae. The highest dose of 50% had significantly higher mean FAW larval mortalities (p< 0.05) than lower dosage (25%) and the negative control after 20 hours. However, 50% concentration was not significantly different (p>0.05) from the positive control and that of 33.33% and 41.67% dosages. The bioassay indicated that the 33.33% extract was superior in toxicity to 25% dose and the negative control but similar to higher extract doses though inferior to positive control. However, the mean mortality of 50% extract was not significantly different (p<0.05) from that of the positive control. This study recommends that 50% tobacco aqueous crude leaf extract dose to be used when controlling FAW in maize in the smallholder sector.
Finger millet is a climate compliant crop; its production remains low due to poor establishment methods. A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season of 2018/19 at Dorcas Charare plot in ward 24, Zaka district to investigate the effects of establishment methods on yield and yield parameters of finger millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three treatments namely broadcasting, hand drilling and transplanting replicated three times. Results on grain yield showed that transplanting method had the highest yield of 0.51t/ha whilst drilling and broadcasting scored 0.40t/ha and 0.35t/ha respectively. Transplanting method significantly (p<0.05) influenced higher number of tillers (7.13) per hill followed by drilling (2.40) and lastly broadcasting (2.13). Significant differences (p<0.05) were noted on panicle number with transplanting scoring the highest (8.13) and broadcasting the lowest (3.13). It can be concluded from the study that transplanting method realized a higher panicle number, tiller number and grain yield. Farmers must adopt transplanting as an establishment method in finger millet production.
Study sought to phenotypically characterise indigenous chickens in Rushinga district. Samples were drawn from three wards with the highest number of chickens. Purposive sampling was initially carried to select indigenous chicken farmers followed by snowball sampling to identify more farmers with at least ten adult chickens. A total of 65 questionnaires were administered randomly to assess on production environment. Data was analysed using SPSS version 16 for frequencies, descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance to differentiate chicken populations in wards on quantitative traits. The study showed that more females (67.7%) where involved in indigenous chicken production compared to males (32.3%). Mean flock size was 23.07 and flock composition was mainly characterized by chicks, pullets and cockerels. Neck lengths, shank length, comb height, wattle length and wing span were significantly different amongst all wards (p < 0.05). Pelvic width; back length; body circumference, body weight and body length, were similar in all the wards investigated. Production environment in Rushinga is characterized by resource poor farmers who rely on erratic rain fed farming for income. Phenotypically, chickens exert adaptive characteristics to harsh climatic and production environment. There is need to design and implement a national research program to collect, conserve and improve indigenous chicken breeds. Indigenous chickens (Gallus domestica) accounts for about 80% of the world's poultry population and 90% are in developing countries [1]. Generally kept under scavenging production systems, with limited resources [2]. Most of the breeds are well adapted to the local climatic conditions, scarce feed resources, and are highly disease tolerant [3]. Indigenous chickens play an integral role in smallholder farming systems [4] as they are used to meet the multiple household, socio cultural and economic needs
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