Adoption and Impact of Modern Rice Varieties on Poverty in Eastern India

The factors affecting the adoption of modern varieties(MVs) of rice and impact on poverty in Odisha, India were discussed. A total of 363 households from Cuttack and Sambalpur districts of Odisha via multistage sampling technique participated in the survey. The Cragg's Double hurdle model was used to model the determinants of adoption and intensity of adoption of MVs of rice, and the propensity score matching was used to analyze the impact of adoption on poverty. The results showed that age, education, risk aversion, land size, yield, perception of MVs as high yielding, resistant to diseases and availability of MVs positively influenced the decision to adopt. However, variables such as household size, experience of a farmer, off-farm job participation, amount of credit received, cost of seeds, insecticides and fertilizers negatively influenced the adoption of MVs. Intensity of adoption of MVs was negatively influenced by experience of a farmer, cost of fertilizer and marketability of MVs, and positively affected by household size, risk aversion, land size, cost of insecticides, perception of MVs as high yielding and availability of MV seeds. Poverty incidence, gap and severity were high among non-adopters to adopters of MVs. After matching adopters and non-adopters of MV groups using four different algorithms of nearest neighbour matching, stratification matching, radius matching and kernel matching, the impact of MV adoption resulted in higher per capita monthly household expenditure by about US$ 52.82 to US$ 63.17.     

AFLP as a fingerprinting tool for characterising isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis causal organism for fusarium wilt disease of oil palm in Ghana

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Fusarium wilt is a damaging disease of oil palm in Ghana. Genetic diversity of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis (Foe) the causal organism of the disease...     

A comprehensive study of Easter lily poisoning in cats.

This study was conducted with 3 objectives in mind: first, to identify the toxic fraction (aqueous or organic) in leaves and flowers; second, to identify diagnostic marker(s) of toxicosis in cats; and, third, to evaluate the morphologic effects of intoxication. The study was conducted in 2 phases. Phase 1 was to identify which extract, organic or aqueous, was nephrotoxic and also to determine the appropriate dose for use in the phase 2 studies. Results indicated that only the aqueous extracts of leaves and flowers were nephrotoxic and pancreotoxic. To identify the proximate toxic compound, cats in the phase 2 study were orally exposed to subfractions of the aqueous flower extract, 1 subfraction per cat. Results confirmed vomiting, depression, polyuria, polydipsia, azotemia, glucosuria, proteinuria, and isosthenuria as toxic effects of the Easter lily plant. Another significant finding in serum was elevated creatinine kinase. Significant histologic kidney changes included acute necrosis of proximal convoluted tubules and degeneration of pancreatic acinar cells. Renal ultrastructural changes included swollen mitochondria, megamitochondria, edema, and lipidosis. Subfraction IIa3 of the aqueous floral extract contained most of the toxic compound(s). These studies reproduced the clinical disease, identified the most toxic fraction of the Easter lily, and helped characterize the clinical pathology, histopathology, and ultrastructural pathology associated with the disease.     

Determinants of cost inefficiency in poultry production: evidence from small-scale broiler farms in the Ashanti Region of Ghana

This paper examines the extent of cost inefficiency at 120 small-scale broiler farms in the Ashanti Region of Ghana by the use of stochastic frontier cost function, which incorporates cost inefficiency effects. Furthermore, farm-specific determinants that help explain why cost inefficiencies are different across broiler farms are identified. The findings confirm the presence of cost inefficiencies in small-scale broiler production in the area studied. Specifically, the results suggest that the broiler farms in question have the potential to reduce their production costs by 13.6% by being more efficient in cost management. The findings further indicate that experience in broiler production, an increase in farm size, veterinary contacts, use of self-prepared quality broiler feed, and membership in the Poultry Farmers’ Association (PFA) all help minimize cost inefficiency. On the other hand, the findings show that cost inefficiency appears to worsen with an increase in the market age of a farm’s broiler birds.

     

Effects of Single and Dual Applications of Selected Trichoderma and Bacillus Isolates on Performance of Dry Bean Seedlings Grown in Composted Pine Bark Growth Medium under Shadehouse Conditions

A shadehouse pot trial was conducted to study the efficiency of single and dual inoculations with selected Trichoderma and Bacillus isolates on performance of dry bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) grown in composted pine bark (CPB) potting medium. All the plant treatments inoculated with Trichoderma spp. and/or Bacillus spp. had higher photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm values). Of the treatments, only B. subtilis B69 showed a significant increase (P = 0.02) in Fv/Fm values over the growth period. The Trichoderma and Bacillus treated plants showed increase in dry shoot biomass. The greatest degree of nodulation was observed in Trichoderma and/or Bacillus treated plants. Increase in nitrogen concentrations were observed in leaves of plants inoculated with Trichoderma and Bacillus isolates. Only T. atroviride SY3A significantly increased phosphorus concentrations in leaves. These results depict and highlight the role these organisms can play in plant root-plant growth promoting rhizobacteria or plant growth promoting fungi (PGPR/PGPF) interaction in a nutrient-poor growth medium.     

Decreased clearance of CNS beta-amyloid in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is hypothesized to be caused by an imbalance between β-amyloid (Aβ) production and clearance that leads to Aβ accumulation in the central nervous system (CNS). Aβ production and clearance are key targets in the development of disease-modifying therapeutic agents for Alzheimer's disease. However, there has not been direct evidence of altered Aβ production or clearance in Alzheimer's disease. By using metabolic labeling, we measured Aβ42 and Aβ40 production and clearance rates in the CNS of participants with Alzheimer's disease and cognitively normal controls. Clearance rates for both Aβ42 and Aβ40 were impaired in Alzheimer's disease compared with controls. On average, there were no differences in Aβ40 or Aβ42 production rates. Thus, the common late-onset form of Alzheimer's disease is characterized by an overall impairment in Aβ clearance.     

Seed Treatment with Trichoderma Harzianum Strain kd Formulation Reduced Aflatoxin Contamination in Groundnuts

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Pre-harvest infection of groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea) by Aspergillus flavus creates a major food safety problem worldwide. Many strains of Aspergillus...     

Evaluating the efficacy of potential fungicide-adjuvant combinations for control of myrtle rust in New Zealand

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Myrtle rust is a serious fungal disease caused by Austropuccinia psidii affecting a number of Myrtaceae species in New Zealand and elsewhere. Control with...