BC-Department of Agricultural Science and Technology

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Farm Energy, Power and Machinery for Non-Engineers: A Reader for University and College Students in Kenya
(KurArts Designs and Digital Printers Limited, 2022) Waswa, Fuchaka; Shitanda, Douglas; Mukolwe, Michael
An Insight into the Consequences of Emerging Plant Responses Contaminants in Soil and Water and Plant Responses
(Springer, Cham, 2023) Sairam, Masina; Maitra, Sagar; Praharaj, Subhasisha; Nath, Suprava; Shankar, Tanmoy; Sahoo, Upasana; Santosh, D.T; Sagar, Lalichetti; Monalisha, Panda; Priya, G. Shanthi; Ashwini, T.R; Gaikwad, Dinkar J.; Hossain, Akbar; Pramanick, Biswajit; Jatav, Hanuman Singh; Gitari, Harun I.; Aftab, Tariq
With the advancement of science, better monitoring of soil and water quality has become possible. Many contaminants have been reported in the recent past that influence the quality of soil and water negatively. However, the consideration of these pollutants or contaminants is still in the initial stage and needs to be explored in detail for a better understanding of their activity as contaminants.
Role of Legumes in Cropping System for Soil Ecosystem Improvement
(Nova Science, 2022-02) Jena, Jagadish; Maitra, Sagar; Hossain, Akbar; Pramanick, Biswajit; Gitari, Harun I.; Praharaj, Subhashisa; Shankar, Tanmoy; Palai, Jnana Bharati; Rathore, Akshit; Mandal, Tanuj Kumar; Jatav, Hanuman Singh
Soil health management is a prime concern to ensure agricultural sustainability. Dwindling soil fertility as well as declining soil health is one of the great challenges of the present time to feed the world population. Injudicious use of chemical fertilizers may negatively affect soil health. Further, chemical fertilizer production is associated with release of greenhouse gases to atmosphere and thus, pollutes the environment. In the present context of climate change and global warming, legumes can be considered for mitigation of ill effects of climate change and improving soil health. Legumes are versatile crops, having a huge potential to produce protein-rich grains, fix nitrogen biologically and enrich beneficial microbes in soil. Some legumes are capable to solubilize the unavailable phosphate by exudating organic acids from their roots. Legumes can facilitate rebuilding of soil organic matter and restrict pests and pathogens when incorporated in crop rotation. Besides, legumes are known for weed suppression and check erosion as cover crops. As green and brown manures, legumes add a sizeable quantity of biomass and nutrients to the soil. In cropping system, legumes fit well because of wider diversity and adaptability. The multifaceted benefits of legumes are prominent either in multiple cropping or intercropping, and thus, can be considered as an inevitable choice for soil health management in the journey towards sustainable agriculture.
Weeds and Weed Management
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Weeds are undesirable plants that may grow naturally along with crops. They affect the growth of plants, products desirability, decreased production efficiency and the yields. Weeds usually grow very fast, compete for the some resources and hinder plants growth by producing alellochemical. Weeding is necessary since weeds compete with the crop plants for water, nutrients, space and light. Farmers adopt many ways to remove weeds and control their growth. Tilling before sowing of crops helps in uprooting and removing of weeds, which may then dry up and get mixed up with soil. The best time for removal of weeds is before they produce flowers and seeds. The manual removal includes physical removal of weeds by uprooting or cutting them close to the ground, from time to time. Weeds are also controlled by using certain herbicides; these are sprayed in the fields to kill the weeds. They do not damage the crops.
Taxonomy and Classification of Insects
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Classification refers to the arrangement of the kinds of individuals living organisms into groups and the groups into systems called classification. TAXONOMY: This is the science of identifying, naming and classifying organisms. Taxonomy is the day today practice dealing with organism kinds, handling and identification of specimen, publication of data, study of literature and analysis of variations shown by specimens. The taxonomists assign the names to plants and animals.
Introduction to Crop Protection: Plant Diseases
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Plants, whether cultivated or wild, grow and produce well as long as the soil provides them with sufficient nutrients and moisture, sufficient light reaches their leaves, and the temperature remains within a certain “normal” range. Plants, however, also get sick. Sick plants grow and produce poorly, they exhibit various types of symptoms, and, often, parts of plants or whole plants diet. The agents that cause disease in plants are the same or very similar to those causing disease in humans and animals. They include pathogenic microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes, and unfavorable environmental conditions, such as lack or excess of nutrients, moisture, and light, and the presence of toxic chemicals in air or soil. Plants also suffer from competition with other, unwanted plants (weeds), and, of course, they are often damaged by attacks of insects. Plant pathology is the study of the organisms and of the environmental factors that cause disease in plants; of the mechanisms by which these factors induce disease in plants; and of the methods of preventing or controlling disease and reducing the damage it causes. Each discipline studies the causes, mechanisms, and control of diseases affecting the organisms with which it deals. Plant pathology is an integrative science and profession that uses and combines the basic knowledge of botany, mycology, bacteriology, virology, nematology, plant anatomy, plant physiology, genetics, molecular biology and genetic engineering, biochemistry, horticulture, agronomy, tissue culture, soil science, forestry, chemistry, physics, meteorology, and many other branches of science.
Plant Diseases Caused by Viruses
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Plant viruses have a huge impact on crop production throughout the world. Consequently, there has been a considerable effort and resources directed towards managing virus diseases. Crop failure due to debilitating viruses creates significant financial hardship and food insecurity in developing countries. Insect-transmitted viruses cross national boundaries into new geographic areas, resulting in negative social and economic impacts on subsistence agriculture. To be successful, virus management strategies must have the capacity to deal with these challenges. Furthermore, such strategies require a good understanding of how viruses spread between crops and across seasons. In addition, accurate diagnosis backed up by reliable detection techniques is the critical first step in virus disease management. Generally, virus management is guided by a number of principles....
Plant Diseases Caused by Fungi
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Fungi are microscopic organisms that reproduce by means of spores. Only those with cell wall containing chitin are classified as true fungi. Most plant diseases are caused by fungi and most of them tend to become a problem, especially during the wet weather season. Some of fungal diseases can cause up to 100% loss in crops.
Plant Diseases Caused by Nematodes
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Nematodes are lower invertebrate animals and are perhaps the most numerous multicellular animals on the earth. They are generally free-living in marine, freshwater or soil environments, but a large number of species are parasitic to different kinds of plants and animals. The parasitic species are of considerable agricultural, clinical and veterinary importance as pests of plants and parasites of man and livestock respectively. Plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) are eel worms which are essentially aquatic and spend a greater part of their life cycle in the soil. They feed on the surface or the peripheral layers of the root or enter the root and feed from within with the help of a feeding structure called the stylet. Infected plants in general exhibit stunting, yellowing of leaves, wilting and reduced yield, in addition to several below-ground symptoms. Plant parasitic nematodes lay eggs singly or in masses either in the soil or within plant tissues. Most PPN have four larval stages between the egg and adult, with intervening moults. A life cycle from egg to egg can be completed within 3-4 weeks under optimum environmental conditions; temperature being the key factor in determining the duration of the life cycle. This topic deals with how nematodes cause diseases in plants, the symptoms they induce, their lifecycle an interaction with other disease causing agents, their life cycle, dispersal and survival. The above components are discussed in relationship to the control and management of diseases.
Management of Plant Diseases
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Most serious diseases of crop plants appear on a few plants in an area year after year, spread rapidly, and are difficult to cure after they have begun to develop. Therefore, almost all control methods are aimed at protecting plants from becoming diseased rather than at curing them after they have become diseased. Few infectious plant diseases can be controlled satisfactorily in the field by therapeutic means. The various control methods can be classified as regulatory, cultural, biological, physical, and chemical, depending on the nature of the agents employed. Regulatory control measures aim at excluding a pathogen from a host or from a certain geographic area. Most cultural control methods aim at helping plants avoid contact with a pathogen, creating environmental conditions unfavorable to the pathogen or avoiding favorable ones, and eradicating or reducing the amount of a pathogen in a plant, a field, or an area. Most biological and some cultural control methods aim at improving the resistance of the host or favoring microorganisms antagonistic to the pathogen. A new type of biological control involves the transfer of genetic material (DNA) into plants and the generation of transgenic plants that exhibit resistance to a certain disease(s). Finally, physical and chemical methods aim at protecting the plants from pathogen inoculum that has arrived, or is likely to arrive, or curing an infection that is already in progress.
Introduction to Crop Protection: Major Insect Pests
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
The major quarantine pests identified recently on cut flowers include bollworms (Helicoverpa armigera, Spodoptera spp.), leaf miner (Liriomyza sp.), white flies (mainly Bemisia tabaci), thrips (mainly western flower thrips – Frankliniella spp.), and fruit flies (Otieno, unpubl.). The greenhouse provides a modified environment which, in many ways, favours the proliferation of cut flower pests and diseases. During certain times of the year, day temperatures in the greenhouse may soar upto 26° -33°C which reduces the regeneration cycle for many pests.
Introduction to Crop Protection: Homoptera
(2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Order Homoptera include aphids, whitefly, scales, leafhoppers, and mealybugs. They are plant-sucking, and many excrete honeydew, a liquid high in sugar, which attracts ants and is used as a substrate for sooty mold fungus, which interferes with plant photosynthesis. Some are soft bodied, slow moving, or sedentary, forming colonies with wingless forms. Others are active. Adults have wings held roof-like over the body; the antennae are often short and bristle-like (as with leafhoppers). With sucking piercing mouthparts, many are vectors of plant viruses.Some secrete molted skins or a waxy, powdery substance that covers the body. Many are spread by the wind or carried by ants that feed on the honeydew and protect the insects from natural enemies.
Plant Diseases Caused by Bacteria
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Diseases caused by bacterial plant pathogens are one of the most severe constraints to agricultural productivity. Many types of crops are attacked by these pathogens every season with substantial losses occurring. Diseases caused by bacteria are important because they generally have fewer means of management compared to other types of pathogens, and therefore can pose a more serious threat to crop production. Bacterial pathogens are capable of spreading rapidly and are often detected late when plants have already been invaded and considerable harm already done. Infection may also be latent and is only detected after seedlings have been transplanted or crop produce already delivered to markets. Therefore, strengthening the capacity of farmers to identify and effectively manage bacterial plant pathogens is essential to successful and profitable farming. 3.2 Lecture
Cassava production and limitation of propagation through tissue culture
(FaCT: Publishing, 2010) Ogero, K.O.; Gitonga, N. M.; Omwoyo, Ombori; Ngugi, M.
With the unrelenting increase in human population it is important that concerted efforts be made to increase crop productivity so as to match the expected increase in food demand. The gravity of this problem is well appreciated considering the fact that the increasing human population is occurring on a planet with constrained and diminishing natural resources. It is therefore important to respond to this challenge by developing and disseminating technologies that increase productivity per unit area, conserve the natural resource base and impact on many rural-based communities. Droughts have played a significant role in food shortages. As a result farmers are being encouraged to grow food crops which are relatively drought tolerant and take a shorter time to mature, such as cassava. Lack of quality planting material of farmer-preferred varieties, produced locally and at a low-cost is, however, a major constraint to cassava production. Tissue culture technology whereby plant cells and tissues are multiplied in vitro under aseptic conditions, offers a feasible solution to this. Tissue culture techniques have been employed to complement and/or aid conventional methods of plant breeding. It has been used as a tool for multiplication of superior clones, ex-situ conservation of valuable germplasm and production of pathogen-free plants. However, the technology is capital, labor and energy intensive hence out of reach for resource poor farmers. Hence, it is necessary to have low cost options for propagation of important plant species.
Banana production, constraints and their propagation methods
(FaCT Publishing, 2010) Kasyoka, Martha Rhoda; Mwangi, Maina; Mbaka, J.; Gitonga, N.; Kori, N.
Banana (Musa species) is an important food crop worldwide (Robinson, 2007). About 70 million people in East and West Africa are estimated to derive more than one quarter of their food energy requirement from plantains (Rowe, 1998). Bananas are chiefly eaten raw as desert fruit, because in the ripe state they are sweet and easily digested. In their unripe state they are used as starchy fruits cooked before eating. They are usually boiled, fried or roasted. The unripe fruits are peeled, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. They are then pounded into a porridge and eaten, the starchy dish being called Matoke`. Unripe or ripe fruits may sometimes be baked, roasted or fried. In Uganda and Tanzania a nutritious beer is also brewed from plantains and large quantities of this are consumed in the region. Plantains and cooking bananas also form part of the daily diet of people in the Caribbean and Latin America .Apart from their major uses as desert fruits eaten raw, or as starchy fruits cooked before eating, only a relatively small proportion of bananas and plantains are processed to other products. Bananas and plantains do not lend themselves readily to processing because the lack of acidity makes preservation difficult and the year-round availability of fresh fruits also makes preservation unnecessary (Gowen, 1988). In addition there must be sufficient surplus fruits available as rejects from the fresh fruit market, steady supply of such fruits at low price maintained throughout the year, a viable alternative market because fresh fruits are available throughout the year, processed products must receive value-added return compared to fresh fruits because factory infrastructure and labor costs have to be covered. The different products which can be processed from bananas and plantains, and the different procedures involve canning, drying, freezing,extraction, drying or fermentation.
Smut: An increasing threat to maize production in Kenya
(FaCT Publishing, 2010) Mwangi, Maina; Kirubi, D.
Maize smut occurs globally wherever maize is grown. The disease reduces yields drastically through stunting and formation of galls on the above ground parts of the plant especially on the developing cob and the tassel. In the recent past increased incidence of head smut disease caused by Sphacelotheca reliana (Kuhn) has been observed in parts of central province of Kenya, where maize is the staple diet. Infection usually becomes apparent when grain filling starts when it is often late to commence intervention measures. The pathogen causes enlargement of host tissues with the grains being converted into inedible structures filled with masses of dark spores of the pathogen. Observations indicate that most of the maize varieties grown in these regions are susceptible to infection with incidence reaching upto 50% in many farms. Infection appears to be exacerbated by the close integration of maize farming and dairy animal production through the zero grazing system in the region. The use of infected maize residues as fodder increases disease spread since pathogen spores pass through animal gut undamaged and are returned to the farm in manure, thus serving as sources of primary inoculum for maize crops in the following season. In addition, the pathogen also infects Napier grass which is also widely grown for fodder in the region. Napier not only provides an alternate host for this pathogen but also plays a key role in the continuity of pathogen cycle. Normally, when there is no maize in the fields, farmers ensure there is napier so as to secure fodder supplies, thus the pathogen is assured of a host continuously. Further, the practice of continous maize cultivation on the same pieces of land (without rotation) also favours disease spread since the pathogen’s teliospores can survive in crop debris and in soil, where they remain viable for several years. Considering the increasing incidence and severity of smut infection on maize, and the associated threat to food security, it is necessary that efforts be made to investigate the disease and develop effective management measures. Intervention should consider raising farmer awareness on the management measures, especially the importance of regular scouting and timely removal of the smut galls before they break open and release the spores. Studies are needed to determine the extent of loss being incurred by farmers; to characterize the linkage between dairy farming and smut spread, and to identify resistant maize varieties.
What affects efficiency of small holder dairy enteprises in rural Kenya?
(FaCT Publishing, 2010) Wambugu, Stephen K.; Maina, Mwangi; Mugambi, D.K.; Gitunu, A.M
Dairy cattle farming is a major economic activity in Kenya contributing 3.5% of the national gross domestic product (GDP), and income, employment and food to many small-scale farmers. The country’s dairy herd size is the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa. Kenya enjoys preferential market access for its products in the eastern and southern African region. However, the country’s milk consumption level is low, at 76Kg per capita against the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 210Kg. Kenya’s milk is not sold in economic quantities beyond its borders; partly due to comparatively low per cow average daily production of 6 kg and unsustainably high cost of production. Questions on the milk production efficiency especially technical and cost efficiencies arise. These issues are being investigated in an ongoing study whose objective is to assess and document the technical and cost efficiencies of dairy farmers, and relate these parameters to the farm gate price of milk and how this affects demand
Passion fruit production in Kenya: Opportunities and constraints
(FaCT Publishing, 2010) Wangungu, C.W.; Mwangi, Maina; Gathu, R.K.; Mbaka, J.; Kori, J.N.
Passion fruit is ranked third in importance among the horticultural crops in Kenya. In recent years, the fruit has gained high demand due to activities of beverage producing companies. The fruit has dynamically changed the lives of most farmers, being their source of livelihood. Its wide usage makes it an economical fruit to produce i.e. almost all its products (vines, leaves, pulp, juice and seeds) are useful. In recent years, various challenges have led to low supply threatening the passion industry with collapse. The major challenges are diseases and pests and the effects of climate change. These have led to a 50% decline in fruit production in the past 4 years. Research activities have gathered considerable information but a lot remains to be done to effectively revive the passion fruit sector. This paper discusses some of the issues that should be addressed to support the passion fruit value chain.
Contributions of Agricultural Sciences towards achieving the Millenium Development Goals
(FaCT Publishing, 2010) Mwangi, Maina
All the materials included in this book were originally submitted to the 3rd International e- Conference on Agricultural Biosciences held online from June 1 - 15, 2010. This was an internet based conference designed to enable wide participation of scientists from developing countries. It is recognised that costs, e.g. transportation, hotel accommodation, per diem, visa, etc are one of the major factors hindering participation of scientists from developing countries in international symposia. However, the advent of internet and other web based communication technologies is opening new frontiers, closing the gap between communities in at different levels of development. Through this e-conferencing facility every effort is made to minimise cost related barriers. Participation in this conference is possible from an office, home or any other place with internet access. To widen reach and diversity of presentataion, the participants in the e-confetrences have opportunities to exhibit and publish presentations either as MsWord abstracts, posters or power point slides. In addition, publication of full papaers (after peer review) is possible in the online Journal of Applied BioSciences [ISSN 1997-5902] and the Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences (ISSN 2071- 7024). These are open access journals that are published monthly and are available for free download at http://www.m.elewa.org/journals.php . This book provides an additional way in which scuientists will be able to publish their research outputs. Other proceedings of the e-conference can be accessed at http://www.m.elewa.org/econferenceIeCAB.php. We believe ours is a small but important effort in helping scientists to communicate on the important research they are carrying out in different parts of the world. It is our sincere hope that more and mopre scientists will appreciate this rather new and more cost-efefctive way of communicating on what they do every day. There is no doubt science will be at the forefront of progress in reaching the goals that nations have set ahead of themselves, e.g. the Millenium Development Goals. Each one of us must play our roles to make this a better world for all. At FaCT publications we are committed to providing an enabling and supportive platform to ensure the ourputs of research are communicated to the rest of the world.
Role of Wild Crucifers on Parasitoids of Plutella xylostella in Kenya: Wild Crucifers acts as Refugia for DBM Parasitoids
(LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, 2012-05-02) Kahuthia-Gathu, R.
Indiscriminate use of pesticides contributes to elimination of parasitoid guild and development of pesticide resistance. As part of classical biological control, two parasitoids Diadegma semiclausum and Cotesia plutellae were imported from Taiwan and South Africa, respectively and released in the highlands and semi arid areas of Kenya. Two years after the release, research was conducted to investigate the role of wild crucifers on diamondback moth and its parasitoids. The wild crucifers were found to act as refugia for both indigenous and exotic parasitoids and were suitable for parasitoid development. Parasitoids migrated from the wild crucifers to cultivated fields. It therefore would be beneficial to leave weeds as a resource for the natural enemies that inhabit the ecosystems as they act as alternative hosts and provide refugia to parasitoids that risk extinction from pesticide application. The information in this book is intended for use by Masters and PhD students, researchers in IPM especially biological control, ecologists, and biodiversity conservationists.

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