A field study was conducted, in order to evaluate the influence of growth and phonological attributes on maize production under water stress at various sowing dates, during 2012/2013 and 013/ 2014 in the Demonstration Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kassala at New Halfa, Sudan.The experiment was laid out as split-plot trail arranged in RCBD with 4 replications. The watering treatments were irrigation every 10, 15 and 20 days. At five sowing dates, 15th Oct, 30th Oct, 15th Nov, 30th Nov and 15th Dec. In the two seasons, the prolonged watering intervals 15 and 20 days hastened maize flowering relative to ten days watering interval by more than 3.18% and 3.15%, respectively. The differences among the five sowing dates were highly significant (P≤ 0.01) in the most measured traits in both easons. Whereas, the highest grain yield was produced from first two sowing dates (15th October then followed by 30th October) particularly under ten days watering interval. The increase in yield was associated with significant increases in most of yield related parameters (dry weigh, leaf area and physiological maturity). The positive strong correlations between these characters and grain yield indicated their high contribution to final grain yield.

Afield experiment was conducted for two consecutive winter seasons during 2012/2013 and 013/ 2014 in the Demonstration Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kassala at New Halfa, Sudan to study the effects of watering interval and sowing date on yield components of maize. The experiment was laid out as split-plot trail arranged in RCBD with 4 replications. The watering intervals were designated as W1, W2 and W3 where plots were irrigated every 10, 15 and 20 days, respectively. At five sowing dates, 15^th Oct, 30^th Oct, 15^th Nov, 30^th Nov and 15^th Dec were designated as S1, S2, S3, S4  and S3, respectively. In both seasons, the differences among the three watering intervals, sowing dates and the interaction treatments were significant (p< 0.01) for cob length, cob diameter, number of seeds per cob, number of seeds per row, 100-seed weight and grain yield (kg/ha). The highest grain  yield (9890 kg/ha) was recorded for the frequent watering interval under first the sowing date. In conclusion, the application of the short watering interval (10 days) and first sowing date (15^th Oct.)  solely or their interaction enhanced maize grain yield production.

Okra is an economically important vegetable crop grown in tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world. A field experiment was conducted at the Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology, Makeni University College Campus Farm, Sierra Leone, during the June to September season 2019 to study the growth and yield components of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. cv. Corazon F1) as influenced by Nitrogen and Organic fertilizer mix. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications and five treatments. The treatments consisted of  ‘no fertilizer’ applied, 10tha^-1 Public garbage matter (PGM), 10tha^-1 Guinea grass green manure (GGGM), 200kgha^-1 NPK 19:19:19 fertilizer, and 200kgha^-1 NPK 19:19:19 fertilizer + 10tha^-1 GGGM. There were significant differences between treatments 200kgha^-1 NPK 19:19:19: fertilizer + 10tha^-1 GGGM, 10tha^-1 PGM and ‘no fertilizer’ applied in terms of plant height, stem girth, fresh fruit weight per plot and fresh fruit yield per plot. Among the treatments, highest plant height (39.557 cm), largest stem diameter (4.3000 cm²), largest number of leaves (8.800) and longest leaf (31.1000cm) were recorded in 200kgha^-1 NPK 19:19:19 fertilizer + 10tha^-1 GGGM as the growth traits. The heaviest fresh fruits per plot, (206.11g) and heaviest fruit yield per plot (2.748t/ha) as yield traits, were also observed with application of 200kgha^-1 NPK 19:19:19 fertilizer + 10tha^-1 GGGM. Therefore, it was shown that the integrated use of the green manure and nitrogen fertilizer can be adopted by farmers in the study area to maximize okra yield.

A study was carried out between September and December 2020 to characterize the dairy farming activities in Mpima Dairy Cooperative Society area of Kabwe central Zambia. Data were collected through Focused Group Discussion with cooperative leadership and a questionnaire survey to the 40 household heads included in the sample. The questions in the questionnaire were designed to capture information on cattle breeds used, number of cattle per housed hold and number of years in dairy cattle management, herd size, milking routines and milk yields, grazing regime practiced and size of land, feeding including quantity and quality of feed given, knowledge on the food conversion ratio and nutrients needed by individual dairy animals, water access and quantity /supply, and management improvements needed to increase milk yields. Data entry and storage were carried out using a data entry form earlier prepared which were later entered in Excel Spread sheet where descriptive statistics were performed and later imported into Mini Tab Statistical software package. Chi-square goodness of fit test was applied to compare between expected and observed frequencies of the identified parameters. Graphical presentations were prepared using Microsoft Excel Version 2016. Results obtained showed that farmers had adequate number of years in cattle keeping (6 - 25 years), but that all of the households faced water shortages in the dry season, and fodder was also limited during this time as almost all farmers practiced open range/free ranging grazing regime and supplementary feeding was also limited as most farmers did not make hay or silage and did not have sufficient financial resources to source supplements from outside the district. The amount of feed given to each animal per day was generally low although it varied among farmers with most farmers 74%, n = 26, feeding their animals on 20kg and less per day, and only 26% of the farmers provided ≥ 26kg of feed per day per animal. Otherwise, only 14%, n = 5, provided feed of 30 - 40kgs. The mean milk produced was low 6 (5.9) liters per cow with most farmers 70% (n = 28) milking twice per day, and the remaining 30% (n = 12) milking only once. The quantity of milk slightly increased during the rainy season although the quantity was not specified but with farmers having Friesian and Jersey breeds producing slightly higher quantities of milk than other breeds. It was concluded that all farmers were aware of the potential of the breeds they own to produce larger quantities of milk than what is currently produced, and acknowledged that severe management constraints were the main factors preventing them from realizing their potential. 

A study was conducted for the comparative evaluation of three commercially based feed and a locally formulated feed in order to determine the growth performance and profitability of broiler birds. Initially, a total of Two Hundred and Forty birds -Day Old Chicks- were fed on the same commercially based starter ration under the same environmental condition for three consecutive weeks to serve as a brooding period. During this phase, the birds were randomly divided into four (4) treatments with each treatment further divided into 4 replications by Complete Randomized Design (CRD) of Fifteen (15) birds per replica. The treatments were labelled as T₁ (VF), T₂ (HF), T₃ (TF) and T₄ (Locally Formulated Feed). Proximate analyses of all the four feeds were run to determine the relative composition of parameters such as carbohydrate, crude fiber, Lipid, protein, etc.  The average mean weight of the birds at the commencement of the study was ±430g as at the 3 weeks of brooding period. Consequently, the weight gain (g) was taken weekly and recorded for five consecutive. The result of the study indicates that the average weight gain in kilogram (Kg) for T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄ were 1.92, 1.69, 1.61 and 1.44 respectively. However, the Feed cost in Naira (₦) per kg gain was 594.00, 505.92, 526.40 and 367.5 correspondingly for T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄. This clearly indicates that although the three commercially based feeds are indisputably higher in terms of weight gain but their cost per kilogram (Kg) is also on the escalation as compared with the Locally Formulated Feed whose cost per Kilogram (Kg) is substantially lower even though it is also comparably lesser in terms of weight gain.

The Chironji seeds (Buchanania lanzan Spreng.) were treated with Mechanical scarification (by hammering), Luke warm water (24 hrs.), GA₃ @500, 750 and 1000 ppm (24 hrs.), H₂SO₄ @5 % (10 min.) and Control (Untreated).The maximum seedling height (10.27 cm), stem diameter (0.41 cm), number of leaves (13.40), leaf area (28.38 cm²), fresh shoot weight (6.76 g), fresh root weight (4.17 g), was recorded in mechanical scarification. However, the maximum shoot: root weight ratio (1.81) and maximum shoot: root length ratio (0.62) was recorded in GA₃ @500 ppm and GA₃ @1000 ppm respectively at 120 DAS.

Fish species composition is an important indicator of ecological health. This study aimed at assessing fish species composition and diversity along Buguma Creek, Rivers State, Nigeria.  The study was conducted for six months (January-June, 2020) from three sampling stations. Water quality parameters and fish samples were collected and analyzed monthly. Fish species composition was determined with simple percentages.  Ranking method was used to ascertain the most abundant species. Fish diversity was evaluated using various diversity indices. The results indicated that all the water quality parameters (temperature, DO, pH, salinity, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and water hardness/alkalinity) were not significantly different (p>0.05) in all three stations. Twenty (finfish species (belonging to 14 families out of which 11 were mono-specific) were identified in Buguma Creek, with the Sarotherodon melanotheron as the dominate species accounting for 39.42% (3304 individuals) of the total stock. For all diversity indices measured Station 3 recorded highest values followed by station 1 then station 2. Values at the three stations were: Shannon-Weiner index, H’ (S1 = 2.44; S2 = 1.94 and S3 = 2.50); Pielou's index of evenness J, (S1 = 0.83; S2 = 0.65 and S3  = 0.85); Simpson's Diversity index D, (S1 = 0.88; S2 = 0.77 and S3 = 0.89); Margalef Species Richness index, M, (S1 = 2.76; S2 = 2.13 and S3 = 3.06); Menhinick Species richness Index, d (S1= 0.73; S2 = 0.23 and S3 =  1.00).The dendrogram and diversity profiles showed that station 2 was different from stations 1and 3. However, the bootstrapping and diversity profiles showed that all the stations were similar. In conclusion, Buguma creek showed species diversity and with S. melanotheron being most abundant. In terms of bio-monitoring, the abundance of S. melanotheron might be an indication of presence of environmental stressors.

In Indonesia. firewood is the second source of energy after gas or LPG, which is used for cooking. The use of firewood for cooking has both positive and negative impacts. Positive impact in the form of contribution to the welfare of society in the form of energy availability. The negative impacts are: 1. a decrease in health and 2. a decrease in environmental quality. In this regard, it is important to know the factors that influence the use of firewood. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of socioeconomic factors on the percentage of firewood users in Indonesia. Many studies have been conducted by researchers using primary data, but very few have used secondary data. This study uses secondary data in the form of panel data. Panel data is a combination of time series and cross-sectional data. The analysis tool is LSDV. The result is that the percentage of illiteracy has a positive effect on the percentage of firewood users with a regression coefficient of 0.199. The percentage of users of gas or LPG/elpiji has a negative effect on the percentage of users of firewood, with a regression coefficient of -0.481. Per capita income affects the percentage of firewood users with a regression coefficient of -0.138.

Biosurfactants are surface-active molecules synthesized by microorganisms which have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains and are capable of lowering the surface tension and the interfacial tension of the growth medium. They are more active and less toxic than the chemical surfactants which are more difficult to degrade from the environment. The aim of this study was to determine the biosurfactant activity of fungi: Candida tropicalis and Aspergillus clavatus isolated from oil polluted soil. C. tropicalis and A. clavatus were isolated from soil samples obtained from three automobile workshops at Old Motor Spare Parts, Nkpor, Nigeria, using the spread plate technique. They were identified using the standard methods and confirmed using 18S rRNA gene sequence. Biosurfactant activities of the isolates were determined using the emulsification index (E₂₄), oil spreading technique and microbial cell surface hydrophobicity in three different oils: used engine oil (UEO), diesel and petrol. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p = 0.05. The biosurfactant activity of the isolates showed high emulsification index (>50%), oil displacement area (ODA) (>4.5 cm²) and cell surface hydrophobicity (>50%) in UEO, diesel and petrol. However, the E₂₄ of the isolates were significantly higher in petrol (p< 0.05) compared with UEO and diesel. The broth culture containing A. clavatus showed significantly higher ODA in petrol (p< 0.05) when compared with UEO and diesel. The isolates C. tropicalis and A. clavatus showed biosurfactant activity in UEO, diesel and petrol, thus have promising potential against different hydrocarbon pollution.

Cereal aphid species are becoming one of the significant pests of wheat under the vagaries of agro-climatic conditions of Bihar in the regime of global warming. No scientific study seems to exist on species complex of aphids affecting the wheat crop in the region. Present investigation aimed to resolve the prevailing species complex of the crop. The observations were recorded on eleven diverse wheat genotypes planted in randomized block design during 2012-13 and 2013-14 under unprotected field condition. Aphid population was found maximum during 1^st to 2^nd weeks of March when the crops were mostly between 58 to 69 Zadoks growth stages.  The level of infestation varied from 5% to 100%. In most of the plants the aphids were mainly concentrating on the ear head. Among the wheat genotypes used for the investigation the ear heads were mainly infested by the mixed population of grain aphids i.e. Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) and S. miscanthi, dominated by S. avenae. The aphid intensity varied from less than 10 per tiller to more than 50 per tiller. Other two species which were present in relatively low proportion were Rhopalosiphum maidis and R. padi. R. maidis observed mainly on flag and few lower leaves whereas the R. padi wasobserved on leaves and ear heads often with few numbers. Aphid complex comprising of these four species was found in all the years of investigation with fluctuation in their relative proportions in which grain aphids were found most predominant.

Many people keep animals as pets for company. Pets are fun to spend time with, but taking care of them is also hard work. Veterinarians ensure a safe food supply for people by monitoring and maintaining the health of food-producing animals. The Vet Assistant: An Online Integrated Clinic Management System was developed to aid the business for the automation of process and transactions specifically to Dr. S & J Veterinary Clinic and Grooming Center to test the efficiency of the software through several test cases and observation. The system is capable of data storage and is responsible for quick access and retrieval of data and information. Prior to the development of the system, it is designed with an add, edit, delete, update and search functions that allows the user to input different types of entries such as information about clients, pets, products, services & diagnosis findings for every checkup, that can also be edited and searched by keywords. Also, it is capable of handling point of sales with the integration of data from inventory stock in and stock out. For scheduled patient, the system can also notify clients via SMS without manually texting them one by one. As it was consulted by the end user or the veterinarian, the client’s profile must contain all the information of its pet and its medical records stored in the system. The results obtained from testing cases shows that the proposed system offers and effective and efficient means in doing research activities for the researcher to deliver such system. And that the system also has passed the McCall’s criteria which means that the system is of average quality.