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- The lower yield of tomatoes grown in tunnels, due to the limited space, remains a challenge. Stem training has long been identified as one of the most important horticultural practices used to improve the yield and fruit quality of tomatoes grown in commercial tunnels; however, there is little information available on the domeshaped tunnels that are used, particularly by smallholder farmers. The common stem-training methods used in tunnels include the Single-Stem (SS), the Double-Stem (DS) and the Two-Plants-per-Pot (TPP) methods. Their effect on the plants’ growth, development and physiology varies significantly, and hence, it affects crop productivity. The experiment was conducted in an 8 m 30 m dome-shaped tunnel and the treatment included the single-stem, double-stem and two-plants-per-pot methods. A higher photosynthetic rate was observed in the SS treatment, followed by the DS treatment. Similar trends were found in the growth, yield and fruit quality parameters of the SS and DS treatments. However, the DS and TPP treatments exhibited, on average, a higher number of fruits, as well as a higher colour index, TSS, TA and Brima per harvest, than the SS treatment. The study indicated that the double-stem and two-plants-per-pot training methods are the best for farmers who seek to optimize their yields and maximize their profits for this cultivar.
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- Sesamum alatum Thonn., of the Pedaliaceae family is rich in nutrients and is also used for medicinal purposes, but it is still collected from the wild. It thrives well in sandy soils which are known for low fertility and moisture content. Rural communities in KwaZulu-Natal usually keep cows, goats, poultry and sheep as their livestock, where they also source organic manure for subsistence farming. Animal manure improves both plant and soil properties. Application of animal manure also results in an increase in growth, yield and nutrient content of leafy vegetables such as Amaranthus, Abelmoschus, and Corchorus species. In India, Sesamum indicum, a domesticated relative of S. alatum, also had its vegetative, reproductive and nutrient properties improved with the application of poultry manure. A selection of organic manure(s) for S. alatum domestication is possible by reviewing the use of various domesticated animal manures to improve morpho-agronomic traits and nutrient content of leafy vegetables. Therefore, determining an agronomic protocol for this species in South Africa is a priority for future research.
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- 2025| Hasanuddin Universit...Poultry production is a reliable animal protein source used in different communities. Malodor emitted from poultry houses limits their production and significantly contributes to air pollution. Mitigations are thus required to make broiler chicken production more environmentally friendly and productive. This study investigated the role of effective microorganism (EM) on broiler performance and odor emission from litter in broiler chicken production. A total of 180-day-old chicks were divided into four treatments: T0 (without EM-supplementation), T1 (EM-supplemented in water), T2 (EM-supplemented in feed), and T3 (EM-supplemented in water+ feed), with three replicates of 15 birds each. Data on broiler performance, including water intake (WI), feed intake (FI), average weight gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio, and carcass characteristics, were measured and analyzed using one-way ANOVA in SPSS (version 25). Malodor agents were characterized by using gas chromatography. Significant (p< 0.05) increase in WI and FI was delayed among chickens with EM treatments until 4th-6th and 5th–6th weeks, where T0 had lower (p< 0.05) FI and WI, respectively. T3 had the highest (p≤ 0.05) increased ADG at the 5th and 6th weeks. Heart, wing, thigh, girth, and live weight did not differ (p> 0.05) among treatments, while T0 had higher (p< 0.05) liver and gizzard weight compared to the estimates from other groups. T0 recorded higher (p< 0.05) gases, emitted from grower to finisher, compared with starter. EM treatment decreased (p< 0.05) the number of gases emitted, with T3 recorded as the lowest. Thus, EM applications may alter the emission of odor-causing compounds in the broiler chicken litter without compromising its performance.
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- Cucurbita argyrosperma has edible shoots, flowers, fruits and seeds that are rich in nutrients and minerals. However, it is scarcely grown by local farmers in South Africa. This study aimed at establishing fertilizer requirements for its improved growth and yield under large scale farming. Plants were grown under different quantities of 2 : 3 : 4 (30) NPK basal fertilizer and nitrogen (LAN at 28% N) top-dressing. Shoots and leaves of C. argyrosperma plants treated with 300 NPK basal fertilizer at varying nitrogen top dressing, grew faster from 42 to 49 days after planting (DAP). Plants treated with the same fertilizer combinations had thicker stems, numerous leaves, higher leaf total chlorophyll content, heavier fresh shoots, numerous staminate and pistillate flowers, at 49 DAP. At harvest, the same fertilizer treatments resulted in higher number, mass and size of fruits and seeds. The majority of traits had positive correlation amongst each other but shoot moisture content correlated negatively with all traits. Almost all traits were positively defined in both principal component analysis and scatter plot. In a scatter plot, fertilizer treatments grouped themselves based on NPK basal fertilizer, with 300 NPK fertilizer at varying nitrogen being defined positively.
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