International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences

Patterns of growth for fishes from the pond for Tilapia Zilli were 2.750, Hemichromisfasciatus (2.450) and Oreochromisni loticus (3.020). Oreochromisni loticus exhibited isometric growth rate (3.020) while Tilapia Zilli and Hemichromis fasciatus exhibited allometric growth pattern. The growth patterns were true for species caught from the river with as follows: Tilapia ’Zilli (2.350), Hemichromis fasciatus (2.850) and Oreochromisni loticus (3.00). The results of the correlation coefficient (r) showed that in all the pond fish, lengths were positively but insignificantly correlated with weight (Tilapia Zilli r = 0.20. Hemichromis fasciatus, r = 28) except Oreochromisni loticus in which lengths and weights were positively and significantly correlated (r = 1.00). For fishes from the river, the growth followed the same pattern as in those from the pond. For Tilapia Zilli, b = 2.350, Hemichromis fasciatus (b = 2.850) and Oreochromisni loticus, (b =3.00). Whereas Tilapia Zilli and Hemichromis fasciatus exhibited allometric growth rate, from the pond, condition Oreochromisni loticus exhibited isometric growth pattern (b = 3.00). However, the lengths of fishes from the river were positively and significantly correlated. For Tilapia Zilli (r = 0.40) were however, positively, but insignificantly correlated. For fishes sampled from the pond, condition factor K for Tilapia Zilli, was 1.150. Hemichromis fasciatus (1.06) and Oreochromisni loticus (1.50) For fishes from the river, condition factor K for Tilapia Zilli, was (1.20), Hemichromis fasciatus (1.40) and Oreochromisni loticus (1.48).

Keywords: Growth patterns, Hemichromis fasciatus, Oreochromisni loticus, Pond, Tilapia Zilli, Cichlid Fishes, Aquatic environments

The purpose of the research was to analyze skill of summer crop farmers regarding production system sustainability in Khouzestan Province, Iran. The method of research was correlative descriptive. A random sample of summer crop farmers of Khouzestan province, Iran (n=250) were selected for participation in study. The study was conducted between 2014 and 2015. A questionnaire was developed to gather information regarding skill of summer crop farmers about production system sustainability. The questionnaire reliability was estimated by Cronbach’s alpha. Reliability was 0.85. Data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Based on the results level of farmer’s skill about items of production system sustainability on 8 items was low. The results indicate 53.2% of farmers had moderate overall skill about production system sustainability. Liner regression was used to predict changes in sustainability skill by different variables. Level of education, participation in extension practices, income, access to communication channel, attitude to sustainability, sustainability knowledge may well explain for 74.8% changes (R2 = 0.748) in sustainability skill.

Keywords: Skill, Production System Sustainability, Summer Crop Farmers

Weirs are widely used to regulate the flow of rivers and open channels. The aim of this study is to enhance the discharge coefficient in trapezoidal weir. Some experiments were performed in combination of semicircular and equivalent trapezoidal weirs. A linear equation was presented for calculating the compound semicircular-trapezoidal weir. Optimization method was used to determine the best fit coefficient of the equation. The results showed that discharge coefficient of the semicircular-trapezoidal weir increases up to 40 percent. Values of R2 and RMSE for equation of the semicircular-trapezoidal weir are obtained 0.9982 and 0.0003, respectively. It seems that by combining suitable cross sections and specifying optimum shapes, discharge coefficient for these structures can be significantly increased.

Keywords: Best hydraulic section, Optimization, Trapezoidal, Water depth

The use of a wide range of sustainable agricultural practices at plot level has been promoted as a package of technology to increase productivity per unit area of land while maintaining and enhancing the natural fertility of land resources. However, in most rural areas of Ethiopia, farmers adopt a single or mix of practices rather than all available practices. Thus, this study analyzes the farmer’s choice of combination of improved maize variety, legumes crop and crop residue retention and evaluates its impact on net income using detailed household and plot level data collected from Boricha and Loka Abaya districts. Multinomial logit and endogenous switching regression models were employed. The result indicates that socioeconomic factors, access to information and the credit institution and plot characteristics are found to be important determinants of adoption of multiple sustainable agricultural practices. Regarding the effect of adoption, adoption of multiple practices, provides modestly higher net maize income than adopting each practice in isolation or in any mix. The result also indicates that total production cost is significantly higher with adoption of multiple practices than each possible alternative combination. This implies that sustainable agricultural practices as a package of technology is capital intensive and require relatively higher initial investment cost. This may call for the need and expansion of credit access while promoting sustainable agricultural practices in poor and resource constrained community of rural Ethiopia.

Keywords: Sustainable Agricultural practice, Multinomial logit, Multinomial endogenous regression, Ethiopia

Iranian pear (Pyrus glabra) is one of the most important specie for breeding programs and rootstock production. Propagation of plants by the tissue culture method is very common in many plant species including fruit crops like pear. This paper describes the procedure for the efficient regeneration of plants from meristem cultures of Pyrus and focused on the browning problem in the Iranian pear (Pyrus glabra), by the application of polyvinilpyrolidine (PVP) and suggest the best ways to overcome the problem. In order to study the effect of polyvinilpyrolidine (PVP) on meristem viability and browning, one year mature shoot of Pyrus glabra was collected during growing season of 2011 from tree in Sardasht (West Azerbaijan Province, Iran) and three level of PVP (0, 100 and 200 mgl-1) were added to culture medium. The experiment was arranged as complete plots on the basis of completely randomized design with three replications. The result showed that mersitem survival was significantly affected by concentration of PVP. Maximum meristem surveying in 1 day and 28 days after culture has been seen in medium which supplemented by 200 mgl-1 of PVP. Based the result of the present study, strict control of minimizing phenol pollution in the whole culture process is important and effective.

Keywords: Iranian Pear, In-vitro Organogenesis, Meristem Culture, Polyvinylpyrrolidone, Pyrus glabra

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of freezing storage on the nutritive and antioxidant properties of five leafy vegetables (Abelmoschus esculentus, Celosia argentea, Ipomea batatas, Manihot esculenta and Myrianthus arboreus) widely consumed in Western Côte d’Ivoire. The selected leafy vegetables were frozen at -18°C for 1, 2 and 3 months and subjected to physico-chemical analysis after defrosting and oven drying. The results of moisture, ash, crude fiber and proteins contents after 3 months of freezing storage were as follow: 67.26-83.27%, 6.09-17.73%, 25.56-32.39%, 8.79-19.45% and 0.81-2.61%, respectively. The residual contents of minerals for this storage period (3 months) were: Ca (152.75-334.73 mg/100g), Mg (96.47-309.00 mg/100g), K (225.13-890.92 mg/100g), Fe (6.05-19.78 mg/100g) and Zn (0.70-4.17 mg/100g). Furthermore losses in oxalates, phytates, carotenoids and vitamin C were registered after 3 months of storage with values as indicated: 9.74-25.64%, 14.11-34.39%, 74.30-90.82%, 25.9-51.52%, respectively. Antioxidant activity of frozen leafy vegetables varied from 69.31 to 80.68% during the 3 months of storage. In view to some essential nutrients losses it would be necessary to preserve traditional leafy vegetables by freezing storage within a period not exceeding 1 month in order to contribute efficiently to the nutritional requirements and to the food security of Ivorian population.

Keywords: Antioxidant properties, freezing storage, leafy vegetables, nutritive value