Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an oilseed crop having high potential for oil and protein cake but still need more exploitation. The experiments were carried out for two winter seasons (2007/08) and (2008/09) at the University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan, under irrigation. Ten safflower genotypes were used and fixed three spacings between plants along the ridge (30, 40 and 50 cm). The treatments were arranged in a split plot design with spacing as the main plots and safflower genotypes as the subplots with four replications. oil analysis was done in Egypt at the Agricultural Research Center “Food Technology Research Institute''. MSTATC package was used for the statistical analysis. The oil content was significantly affected by genotype with an average of 27.68% and a range of 20.03–35.58%. Genotypes 1, 5, 8 and 10 produced oil content percentages over 30%. Genotypes 1 and 5 are spiny, Sudanese collections. Most of the genotypes were of the high linoleic type (67.78–78.02 % of total fatty acids). The observed stearic acid range was (2.1-3.1 %). Oleic acid contents ranged from 11.7 % to 15.97 %. The genotypes 1, 5, 8 and 10 were recommended for further improvement and testing under Sudan conditions.

The present work aimed to characterize the chemical, physical and organic matter attributes on three land use systems (No Tillage System-NTS, Livestock Forestry Integration-LFI and Native Forest-NF), adopted in an agricultural property. Soil deformed samples were collected for texture and chemical analysis. For density, particle density and soil density analysis, undisturbed samples were collected at different depths. As for texture, the NTS was characterized as clayey and the LFI and NF systems as sandy. For the Particle Density (Pd), the systems did not differ statistically at the depth of 0-5 cm, and the other depths differed significantly only between NTS and NF. As for the Soil Density Sd, the LFI and NF systems did not differ from each other and showed the highest value. In macroporosity, at depths of 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm, there was a significant difference only between NF and LFI systems. In NTS the microporosity, the levels of Ca, Mg, P and K and O.M (0-10cm) were higher. For the O.M the NTS and NF presented similar values. The evaluated characteristics were influenced by the soil texture and not by the adopted system. The producer makes use of that information to implement the appropriate system.

A study was carried out to assess the performance of the Kapenta (Limnothrissa miodon) fishing industry on Lake Kariba fishery covering the period 2010-2018. The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the lunar moratorium on catch per unit effort and the research objectives were to; establish the catch per unit during the four (04) years before and four (4) years after the implementation of the lunar moratorium, determine seasonal influence on catch levels, and assess stakeholder perceptions on the effects of lunar moratorium on catch levels. To thoroughly examine these areas of concern, we conducted a detailed literature review of the topic focusing on; physical environment, eco-biology, harvesting system, and livelihoods/socioeconomics. Such an approach helped us to eliminate factors that may, based on the understanding of fishers and the fishing communities on the shores of the lake, be considered to be responsible for the subsisting decline in catches. Data were collected from Kapenta rig owners operating on the Zambian side of Lake Kariba fishery, Department of Fisheries and the Local District Council. All rig owners are required by law to submit monthly statistics with details on landings (catches) and number of nights fished for each rig. The data collected was verified from the returns kept at the DOF local office and from local council office. Data with details on fishing nights per month, Kapenta wet weight in kilogrammes, number of hauls per fishing night, fishing month and year, fishing zone and rig identity number were collected covering a period from 2010 to 2018. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Mann-Whitney U test in SPSS version 23 was used on data that did not meet the requirements for a parametric test. One-Way ANOVA and independent samples t-test were used on data that fulfilled the fundamental assumptions of a parametric test such as normality and homogeneity. Other tests used were Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Levene’s test. Results obtained showed that the effect of lunar moratorium was not significant. It was concluded that effective management of the lake Kariba fishery required multiple strategies covering the ecology and socioeconomics. To improve Kapenta catches in Lake Kariba, the fishing ban should be supported by other management strategies as outlined in the fisheries Act and recommendations from various scholars. More research is required relating to the impact of climate change on the eco-biology of Kapenta.

This study evaluated the effects of multiple exposures of nutmeg and clove seed extracts on some electrolytes in two sizes of  Clarias gariepinus. A total of six hundred (600) apparently healthy C. gariepinus, consisting of 300, 12 weeks old juvenile fish (mean length 19.66cm ± 1.17SD; mean weight 350.88g ±1.07SD) and 300, 24 weeks old adult sizes (mean length 44.66cm ±5.99SD; mean weight 1011.77g ± 54.99SD) were exposed repeatedly three times at one week interval to nutmeg and clove extracts as anaestheticsv in the laboratory. This study was carried out to assess changes in  the electrolytes of fish during exposure to these extracts. The results obtained, indicated that the two anaesthetics caused a significant alterations (P <0.05) in the electrolytes which include Calcium (Ca²⁺); Sodium (Na⁺); Potassium (K⁺); Chloride (Cl^-­); and Bicarbonate (HC0₃^-) in the plasma of the exposed fish. Values of  Ca^2+,   K^+, and Cl^-­ increased significantly (P<0.05) across different concentrations of anaesthetics, while Na⁺ and HC0₃  reduced. These alterations were more pronounced during the third exposure of C.gariepinus to these anaesthetics.

The study analyzed the effect of Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) livelihood enhancement activities on the beneficiaries’ poverty status in Anambra State, Nigeria. Primary data were collected from one hundred and twenty (120) respondents using a well-structured questionnaire/interview schedule. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, mean scores and poverty profile model were employed in data analysis; while Z-test was used to test null hypothesis at 5% level of significance. Result showed that most of the community interest group (CIGs) were livestock based (45.15%) followed by trading (12.98%). The result of mean score analysis revealed that the project livelihood activities met the beneficiaries felt needs (X  =  3.59), improved their crop farming technical knowledge (X = 2.48) and livestock farming knowledge (X  =  3.34) among others. However, the mean per capita expenditure of the households increased from N12, 111.36 to N15, 453.27. Also, the core and moderate poverty line and non-poor benchmark established was at N 14,037.12; N 8,074.24 and > N 8,074.24 before participation were enhanced to N 5,151.09; N 10,302.18 and > N 10,302.18 respectively. The result of null hypothesis showed that the monthly mean per capita household expenditure was different indicating significant increase in income after participation (Z = -10.119***) at 1% level of significance. Also, significant difference exists in poverty incidence, intensity and severity of poverty respectively (Z = 16.101 ***; 17.028*** and -14.150***) at 1% level of significance. The study concludes that viable livelihood activities were successfully implemented by Anambra State NEWMAP as alternative means of reducing poverty profile of the project beneficiaries through additional income generation, wealth creation and sustainable livelihood. Necessary recommendations such as: effective dissemination of innovations to CIGs, effective communication and collaboration of NEWMAP stakeholders, in-line ministries and universities in the region could facilitate implementation of livelihood enhancement activities to achieve project goals.

The introduction of any new crop to an area requires information concerning its performance under the local environmental conditions. The goals of the experiment were to investigate the effects of genotype and intra-row spacing on seed yield, yield components, of ten safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) genotypes. This field experiment was conducted at two sites in central Sudan, the field of the experimental farm of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences in Nisheishiba and the experimental farm of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Abu Hraz, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan, during the winter seasons of 2007/08 and 2008/09. The factorial treatments were arranged in split plot design with three intra-spacings (30, 40, and 50 cm) as main plots and the ten genotypes as sub-plots with four replications. Seed yield (kg/ha), seed yield per plant (g), head diameter, number of heads per plant and 100-seed weight (g), According to the results, the measured traits were affected by genotypes and to some extent by spacing with non-significant effects of genotypes x spacings. The highest number of capitula per plant (95) was shown by genotypes 1 and 5 while the lowest (21) was shown by genotypes 2 and 4. Genotype 4 showed the largest capitulum diameter while genotype 1 showed the smallest. Genotype 1 gave the highest number of capitula/plant, the smallest capitulum diameter. Across locations, the highest 100-seed weight was given by genotype 4 (6.4 g) while the lowest was recorded by genotypes 2 and 1 (3.9g). Genotype 4 gave the largest capitulum diameter, indicating that seed weight and capitulum diameter were positively related, while seed weight and number of capitula / plant were inversely associated. The highest yielding genotypes were 10, 6, 1 and 3 respectively, with across seasons and sites. Their seed yields per hectare were 1953, 1777, 1726 and 1725 kg respectively. The highest yielding genotype (genotype 10) was recommended for further improvement under the conditions of hand harvesting while genotype number 6 was suggested to be grown when mechanical harvesting is possible under Sudan dry conditions.