International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences

The world’s water resources are limited and due to increasing population and demand for food, water consumption will increase to produce agricultural products. The importance of water in our country is doubled due to resource constraints and lack of irrigation efficiency on the one hand and the loss of a major part of water resources on the other hand. In this study, we tried to examine and evaluate the existing conditions of saffron product cultivation in the city of Torbate Jam by evaluating two important parameters of water consumption in the agricultural sector’s that is physical productivity and economic productivity. In this regard, for physical productivity, Index of dry saffron value per specified amount of water consumption (cubic meters) was used, and for economic productivity, gross value created per specified amount of water consumption was used. The results show that the physical productivity of water for the cities of Torbate Jam and Bakharz is 0.001076 and 0.001846 kilograms per cubic meter respectively, and the economic productivity of water for the cities of Torbate Jam and Bakharz is 56428.52 and 100970.3 Rials per cubic meters, respectively.

Keywords: Physical productivity, economic productivity, Saffron

In order to identify fungi associated with stem and leaf of pine trees in the city of Birjand, samples were collected from different regions of Birjand during 2013 -14. Sampling was carried out from discolored and decay tissues of pine trees. After transferring the samples to the laboratory, small fragments of infected tissues were isolated and surface sterilized and the fungi were isolated using general and specific media culture. Purification of isolates was performed using single spore or hyphal tip methods. Identification of isolates was carried out based on the morphological characteristics of isolates. ITS regions of fungi were amplified and sequenced using ITS1 and ITS4 primers. Calmodulin gene was amplified and sequenced using CMD5 and CMD6 primers in molecular studies. Initial setup was designed using Mega6 analysis software and phylogenetic trees. Strength of phylogenetic trees was evaluated with the application of Bootstrap (1000). Based on morphological and molecular data isolates of this research were determined to be Aspergillus terreus, Embellisia sp, Epicoccum nigrum, Fusarium acuminatum and F. solani species.

Keywords: Mycoflora, Aspergillus, Embellisia, Epicoccum, Fusarium

The increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes has stimulated increased efforts to stem the trend using dietary management. Certain food plants have been reported to have the ability to mitigate diseases. Two plants, Dioscorea dumetorum (Kunth) Pax (Dioscoreace) (ona) and Vigna subterranea (L) Verd (Papilonaceae) (okpa) were investigated for this ability – the hypoglycemic potential. Thirty male albino rats in 6 groups of 5 rats each and the tubers and seeds of the plants were used for the study. The animals were given 15 g daily of feed from the plants for 10 days before induction of diabetes. Diabetes was induced in the rats by intraperitoneal administration of alloxan at a dose of 140 mg kg-1 body weight. Blood glucose level was monitored daily for 6 days and serum lipid profile was determined at the end of day 6. The groups were D. dumetorum, V. subterranea, D. dumetorum + V. subterranea, standard rats’ pellet + glibenclamide (5 mg/kg B.W.) fed rats and standard rats’ pellet only. Results show that blood glucose concentrations (mg dL-1) were significantly lowered (P<0.005) and the percentage reduction were D. dumetorum 74, V. subterranea 72, D. dumetorum + V. subterranea 75 and glibenclamide 52 from the 425 % increase in diabetic untreated rats. Lipid profile (mg dL-1) indicated that concentration of triacylglycerides (TAG) and Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) were significantly (P<0.005) lower in the groups fed with both plants and their combination compared to the diabetic and non-diabetic controls. This study revealed that D. dumetorum tuber and V. subterranea seed possesses anti-diabetic properties and the effect of their combination suggests an additive outcome. It also shows a hypo-lipidemic activity of the plants. Resuscitation and increased consumption of both plants could be a strategy to address the increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes in our community.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Dioscorea dumetorum, Vigna subterranean, lipid, dietary management

Important horticultural crops in temperate zones rainfed and in irrigation condition in semiarid regions are planted, subjected to frequent drought periods with little rainfall or deficit irrigation. Drought stress causes detectable changes in plants and the destructive effects of drought stress vary depending on the investigation of the physiological responses. Ascorbic acid is one of the water soluble reluctant which is very important antioxidant which protects plants by suppressing oxidative injury, by affecting many enzymes activities and also is required for regeneration of x-tocopheral. Treatments included drought stress in three levels (a1: control, a2: Stress in panicle emergence stage, a3: Panicle emergence of stress later) and ascorbic acid in three leves (b1: control, b2: 8 and 10 leaves, b3: beginning of the emergence of spikes). Analysis of variance showed that the effect of drought stress and ascorbic acid on all characteristics was significant.

Keywords: Dry weight, wet weight, node per stem

Aloe vera is one of the medical plant for treatment of skin human body For this reason many research have been done on this plant, especially about the growth medium, so in order to investigate the effect of different soil texture on growth of aloe vaera this experiment was conducted as factorial in a completely randomized design (64 pots) in 16 replications the treatments were included soil 100% by volume, 50% soil and 50% leaf litter (v/v), 50% coco peat and perlite and 50% soil (v/v) and 25% soil and 75% leaf litter and second factor was time of harvest including 3 month after planting, 6 month after planting and 10 month after planting. In this experiment Plant height (cm), plant weight (g), and the number of tiller per plant and Survival rate of plant were measured. The results showed that the effect of different siol medium, interaction of time of harvest and soil medium had no significant difference on plant height, the different medium was significant just in survival plant, which the maximum of 50% soil and 50% coco peat. In the other hand harvest times was significant on plant height.

Keywords:Aloe Vera, plant bed composite, measurement time, soil

Water availability is a determining factor in plant growth and yield of all agricultural commodities. While demands on water resources for agricultural purposes is increasing, declining water availability, changing climate conditions, and increasing human demands are limiting its availability for agriculture. Drought tolerance is a complex agronomic trait with multi-genic components which interact in a holistic manner in plant systems. Iron plays an important role in the synthesis of chlorophyll and also helps in the absorption of other nutrients. As a constituent of chlorophyll and cytochrome, it regulates respiration, photosynthesis, reduction of nitrate and sulphate. Although Mn is not a constituent of chlorophyll, it helps in its formation. The field experiment was laid out split plot with randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance showed that the effect of water stress and foliar application on all characteristics was significant.

Keywords: Plant height, Grain yield, Biological yield

The study was an investigation into the effects of climate change on productivity of women farmers in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State. Structured questionnaire was the instrument for data collection. A total of thirty respondents were sampled and questionnaire administered to them. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics namely frequency distribution, percentages and mean. The results of the study showed that majority of the respondents were young and are not more than fifty years (87%) many obtained formal education (73%) and have more than fifteen years farming experience. Rising temperature played a vital role in agricultural productivity such as reduction of grain formation when it coincided with hot season. The erratic wind was observed to have caused several crops removal and the removal of livestock buildings. The conclusion was that adequate wind breaks such as mud/clay house for livestock building should be encouraged and effective capacity building should be developed for the provision and circulation of vital information and knowledge on climate change among the farmers in order to enhance productivity thereby improving the standard of living of the farmers.

Keywords:Climate change, productivity, rising temperature, wind, women farmers, food security

The aim of this study was molecular cloning of Acipenser persicus growth hormone gene in the vector and expression of the recombinant GH protein. For high fidelity two steps cloning of growth hormone (GH) sequence was used in this study. At first the GH encoding open reading frame (ORF) was amplified and dA overhang by Tag polymerase and cloned in easy to clone 3’dT vector pTG19-T, transformed into competent E. coli Top 10. Then plasmid was digested by BamH1 and EcoR1, and GH gene cloned in His tag express vector pET21a by mean of the same endonucleases, and transformed into E. coli strain DE3. For GH synthesis the recombinant E. coli DE3 was grown in LB-broth containing ampicillin. Then, IPTG was added into media to induce rGH expression. The highest level of recombinant GH expression in E.coli was achieved at the 4 hour after adding IPTG. Western blot (Immunoblot) analysis and SDS-PAGE gel confirmed that the 22 kDa protein synthesized in the Persian sturgeon growth hormones.

Keywords: Acipenser persicus, growth hormone, molecular cloning, expression

Rural dwellers are known to be the most active in tree planting mostly because of its role in rural livelihood. However, most rural dwellers are not aware of the role of trees in mitigating climate change effects. This research was conducted to ascertain the level of awareness and purposes of rural people involved in tree planting in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State. Eight (8) of the twelve Council wards of the local Government Area were randomly selected by simple random sampling technique. Fifty respondents were randomly chosen from each of the eight wards. A total of 400 respondents were interviewed through structured questionnaire that seek responses to relevant question of the research. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in percentages and bar –charts. Results show that 73% of the study population plant trees in their compounds, while 27% did not. Among four uses of trees investigated, majority of the respondents (40%) uses trees for timber, while 13.75% use it for environmental protection. Majority of the respondents (80%) reported high temperature as the most felt environmental hazards in the study area. Awareness campaign is recommended among rural dwellers, especially farmers.

Keywords:Climate change, tree planting, awareness, rural livelihood

Hydraulic jump is a phenomenon caused by change in stream regime from supercritical to subcritical flow with considerable energy dissipation and rise in depth of flow. Hydraulic jump primarily serves as an energy dissipater to dissipate excess energy of flowing water downstream of hydraulic structures, such as spillway, sluice gates etc. This excess energy, if left unchecked, will have adverse effect on the banks and the bed. In the present study, the effect of rough beds on hydraulic jump characteristics has been investigated experimentally and numerically, for different Froude numbers. For numerical simulation FLUENT software, for multiphase flow simulation, VOF method and for simulation of turbulent flow, RNG k-ε turbulence model is used and the result of numerical model is compared with experimental data. The results of this study indicate that; FLUENT simulate hydraulic jump on rough beds with good accuracy and head loss for jumps on rough beds were higher than those occurring on smooth beds.

Keywords: FLUENT software, Hydraulic jump, Rough bed, RNG k-ɛ turbulence model, VOF method