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Assessment of Microbiological Proliferation and in Vitro Demonstration of the Antimicrobial Activity of the Commonly Available Salad Vegetables within Dhaka Metropolis, Bangladesh
Tasnia Ahmed,
Nusrat Jahan Urmi,
Md. Sakil Munna,
Kamal Kanta Das,
Mrityunjoy Acharjee,
M Majibur Rahman,
Rashed Noor
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 3, May 2014
Pages:
55-60
Received:
23 March 2014
Accepted:
14 April 2014
Published:
30 April 2014
Abstract: Present study mapped a complete pathogenic profile of the salad vegetables in Dhaka Metropolis, Bangladesh. In addition to a huge bacterial load found previously in lettuce, tomato, cucumber and carrot, current study further detected microbial contamination in chili, onion, capsicum and coriander samples. While Vibrio spp., Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. fecal coliform and Eshcherichia coli were found to be absent within these vegetable samples; a colossal burden of Aeromonas spp. (>106 cfu/g) was observed in chili, capsicum, coriander, whereas Staphylococcus aureus (1.2×108 cfu/g) and Klebsiella Pneumoniae (104 cfu/g) were detected in onion. Fungal growth was also observed in all samples. Most of the pathogens from all 8 samples were resistant against erythromycin (15 µg), amoxicillin (30 µg) and ampicillin (10 µg) while susceptible against ciprofloxacin (5 µg), kanamycin (30 µg) and gentamicin (10 µg). Interestingly, lettuce and cucumber samples were found to exhibit the anti-bacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Aeromonas spp.
Abstract: Present study mapped a complete pathogenic profile of the salad vegetables in Dhaka Metropolis, Bangladesh. In addition to a huge bacterial load found previously in lettuce, tomato, cucumber and carrot, current study further detected microbial contamination in chili, onion, capsicum and coriander samples. While Vibrio spp., Salmonella spp. and Shig...
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Yield and Pomological Characteristics of Three Pomegranate (Punica granatum L) Cultivars: Wonderful, Acco and Herskovitz
Serhat Usanmaz,
İbrahim Kahramanoğlu,
Nihat Yılmaz
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 3, May 2014
Pages:
61-65
Received:
2 April 2014
Accepted:
18 April 2014
Published:
30 April 2014
Abstract: Pomegranate fruit has been associated with a high level of nutrients and many health benefits. This study evaluated the yield and pomological characteristics of three pomegranate cultivars: Wonderful, Acco and Herskovitz grown in Cyprus conditions. Researches performed by collecting data from 17 pomegranate orchards between 2011 (4 years old) and 2012 (5 years old). Yield (kg/tree) was determined according to total harvest. Ten samples were randomly selected from each orchard and each cultivar to determine average fruit weight, number of arils per fruit, fruit width and height, aril per cent, juice per cent and total soluble solids. Results indicated that the Wonderful cultivar had the highest fruit weight and second highest yield (481.12 g/fruit and 14.17 kg/tree). The second highest fruit weight was obtained from Herskovitz which had the highest yield (431.04 g/fruit and 15.44 kg/tree). The lowest fruit weight and yield obtained from Acco (350.31 g/fruit and 11.43 kg/tree). Acco had highest juice content followed by Wonderful and Herskovitz (40.22% > 35.60% > 29.42%). Wonderful had the highest juice content (5.05 l/tree). Juice content per tree for Acco and Herskovitz were determined 4.58 l and 4.53 l, respectively.
Abstract: Pomegranate fruit has been associated with a high level of nutrients and many health benefits. This study evaluated the yield and pomological characteristics of three pomegranate cultivars: Wonderful, Acco and Herskovitz grown in Cyprus conditions. Researches performed by collecting data from 17 pomegranate orchards between 2011 (4 years old) and 2...
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Analysis of Price Transmission of Fresh Tomato and Pineapple in the Rural and Urban Markets of Akwa Ibom Sate, Nigeria
Sunday Brownson Akpan,
Ini-Mfon Vincent Patrick,
Glory Emmanuel Edet,
Daniel Etim John
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 3, May 2014
Pages:
66-78
Received:
28 March 2014
Accepted:
18 April 2014
Published:
30 April 2014
Abstract: The study investigated the dynamics of price transmission and market integration of fresh tomato and pineapple in the rural and urban markets of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Average monthly prices (measured in naira per kilogram) of fresh tomato and pineapple in the rural and urban markets were used in the analysis. The data was obtained from the quarterly publications of the Akwa Ibom State Agricultural Development Programme (AKADEP). The data covered the period from January 2005 to September 2013. The trend analysis showed that, prices of fresh tomato and pineapple in the rural and urban markets have positive significant relationships with time and positive exponential growth rate. The Pearson correlation coefficient of each of the respective pair of rural and urban price of fresh tomato and pineapple revealed significant positive and symmetric relationships. The bivariate Granger causality test revealed bi-directional relationships between the rural and urban price of fresh tomato and pineapple in the State. The co-integration test revealed the presence of co-integration between the rural and urban price of fresh tomato and pineapple. The coefficients of market integration in the rural and urban price equation display varied degrees of long run market integration. The results of the error correction model (ECM) confirmed the existence of the short run market integration between the rural and urban prices of fresh tomato and pineapple in the study area. The urban price of fresh tomato adjusted faster to the stable state in the long run than its respective rural price. Also the rural price of pineapple adjusted faster to a stable state in the long run than its respective urban price. The index of market connection for fresh tomato and pineapple supported the existence of the short run market integration between the rural and urban markets. Based on the findings, it is recommended that, the Akwa Ibom State government should continue to provide marketing infrastructures in the rural areas to improve the symmetric nature of information among fresh tomato and pineapple markets in the state. Effort should also be channeled by all stake holders such as governments, trade unions and other organizations to reduce excessive externality costs associated with the marketing of fresh tomato and pineapple in the state. The government of Akwa Ibom State should established market information centers and awareness programmes on mass media to facilitate efficient information flow among fresh tomato and pineapple producers and consumers in the state.
Abstract: The study investigated the dynamics of price transmission and market integration of fresh tomato and pineapple in the rural and urban markets of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Average monthly prices (measured in naira per kilogram) of fresh tomato and pineapple in the rural and urban markets were used in the analysis. The data was obtained from the quar...
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Technical Efficiency of Vegetable Farmers in Peri-Urban Ghana Influence and Effects of Resource Inequalities
Samuel Twumasi Amoah,
Irene Akobour Debrah,
Razak Abubakari
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 3, May 2014
Pages:
79-87
Received:
16 April 2014
Accepted:
4 May 2014
Published:
20 May 2014
Abstract: In Ghana, statistics indicate that women account for about 70% of total food production and are the most important actors in the food chain which begins from the farm production, market and intra household distribution of food. They play a lead role in post-harvest activities such as shelling of grains, storage, processing and marketing. They are also becoming increasingly visible in farm tasks which traditionally have been designated as male preserve. Despite the increasing central role of women in food production, they have much more limited access to resources than their male counterparts especially in the areas of education, land, agricultural extension services and access to credit, all of which combine to restrain their ability to increase productivity. This study was therefore undertaken toexamine the technical efficiency of male and female vegetable farmers in the Kumasi Metropolis using the stochastic production frontier model. Female vegetable farmers were found to be producing at high levels of inefficiency. The predicted efficiencies differed substantially from between 2 and 85 percent, with mean efficiency of 24 percent. The low mean efficiency index is an indication of inefficiencies in resource use. Also, female headed farms recorded a mean technical efficiency of 16.5 percent with a range between 2 and 66 percent. The male headed farms, on the other hand, showed a mean technical efficiency of 30.8 percent, and a range between 2 and 85 percent. The results imply that on the average, female vegetable farmers were relatively technically inefficient than their male counterparts. The paper concludes that since women farmers contribute immensely of domestic food supply in Ghana, it is important that efforts be made to build their capacity to produce efficiently.
Abstract: In Ghana, statistics indicate that women account for about 70% of total food production and are the most important actors in the food chain which begins from the farm production, market and intra household distribution of food. They play a lead role in post-harvest activities such as shelling of grains, storage, processing and marketing. They are a...
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Effects of Wastewater Irrigation on the Growth of Two Bean Spices and Soil Chemical Properties under Greenhouse Conditions
Hamed Fathi,
Mojan Mirzanejad
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 3, May 2014
Pages:
88-93
Received:
17 April 2014
Accepted:
4 May 2014
Published:
20 May 2014
Abstract: This study has the objectives to evaluate the short-term effect of different dilutions of the wastewater on the chemical properties of sandy loam and sandy clay soils in two bean species under greenhouse condition. The effect of the irrigation with different wastewater dilutions on the bean crops and their chemical properties were studied. The results showed that the irrigation with wastewater reduced the pH in the sandy loam soil significantly in comparison with sandy clay soil, and this could be due to lower buffering capacity of sandy loam soil as compared to sandy clay soil registering a change in pH increasing. Available N, P and K status, OC and metallic cation content were significantly higher in sandy clay than in sandy loam soils. Generally, sewage water irrigation improved chemical properties and fertility status of both soils. The metallic cations contamination of the bean crops were observed below the maximum permissible limit. However, several folds have been built of metallic cations in soils, fronds and grain of the bean crops indicating that it is possible to increase the metallic cations contamination beyond maximum permissible limit if the waste water is continuously used for irrigating for a long time.
Abstract: This study has the objectives to evaluate the short-term effect of different dilutions of the wastewater on the chemical properties of sandy loam and sandy clay soils in two bean species under greenhouse condition. The effect of the irrigation with different wastewater dilutions on the bean crops and their chemical properties were studied. The resu...
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Voluntary Feed Intake and Nutrient Utilization of West African Dwarf Sheep Fed Supplements of Moringa oleifera and Gliricidia sepium Fodders
Issue:
Volume 2, Issue 3, May 2014
Pages:
94-99
Received:
2 May 2014
Accepted:
15 May 2014
Published:
30 May 2014
Abstract: Moringa oleifera (Mo) and Gliricidia sepium (Gs) fodders and their mixtures were fed as protein supplements to basal diets of Panicum maximum (Pm) and cassava peels. Thirty two (32) yearling West African Dwarf (WAD) rams were divided into four groups of eight animals balanced for body weight and allocated to dietary treatments in a Completely Randomized Design for fifteen (15) weeks. Animals in group 1 consumed the basal diet only while animals from group 2, 3 and 4 were fed basal diets with supplements of Mo, Gs and their mixtures respectively. Voluntary feed intake (VFI), nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilization of the animals were evaluated. Animals fed basal diet only had reduced VFI (252.36±22.0g day-1) while those on Mo and Gs mixtures had significantly higher (p<0.05) VFI value of 344.96±22.2g day-1. Voluntary feed intake of basal diet was increased significantly (p<0.05) for animals in group 2 and 4 (260.20±30.00 and 270.46±20.6g day-1 respectively). Higher but significantly different (p<0.05) dry matter digestibility values of 63.90±3.06, 62.72±3.02 and 68.50±4.32% were obtained for animals in group 2, 3 and 4 respectively while the animals in group 1 had the least value of 48.39±2.03%. Similar trend exist in crude protein and crude fibre digestibility with animals in group 4 having significantly higher (p<0.05) values of 60.62±5.24 and 68.63±3.22% respectively. The result of nitrogen utilization indicate significantly lowest (p<0.05) value of 3.56±0.16g day-1 of digested nitrogen for animals in group 1. Higher nitrogen retention value (p<0.05) of 65.81±4.20% was obtained in sheep on Mo and Gs fodder combinations. Those on separate Mo and Gs fodders were statistically similar (58.55±3.02% and 58.00±5.30% respectively) but higher (p<0.05) than those on basal diet (43.70±3.02%). Supplementation of Panicum maximum and cassava peels basal diet with Moringa oleifera or Gliricidia sepium fodders improved the intake of basal diet and enhanced better nutrient utilization of WAD sheep. Mixtures of the two fodders in the same ratio were superior to either supplementation.
Abstract: Moringa oleifera (Mo) and Gliricidia sepium (Gs) fodders and their mixtures were fed as protein supplements to basal diets of Panicum maximum (Pm) and cassava peels. Thirty two (32) yearling West African Dwarf (WAD) rams were divided into four groups of eight animals balanced for body weight and allocated to dietary treatments in a Completely Rando...
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