Local governance and participation in agricultural Development Process in Nigeria

Professor Famoriyo obtained a second class honours degree in Agricultural Economics at King's College, Newcastle-On-Tyne (then) of the University of Durham, England in 1966. He did graduate work at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in 1968, and received at Ph. D. in Land Economics at Wye College, Wye of the University of London. He is currently Professor of Agricultural Economics and Head of the Department of Farm Management and Extension at The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. Professor Famoriyo is widely published in his field.     

Spent mushroom compost enhances plant response and phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted soil

Background: Stimulatory efficacy of spent mushroom compost (SMC) cannot be overemphasized. Aims: In this study, the effect of SMC on phytoremediation and plant's response to heavy metal polluted soil was investigated and suggested for the establishment of feasible soil remediation. Methods: Heavy metal polluted soil (80 kg) was sterilized at 121°C in soil sterilizer for 30 min and repeated four more times to remove microbial interference. Five kg of soil was packed into pots supplemented with SMC of Pleurotus ostreatus at different concentrations of 10, 20, 30, and 40%, and control (no SMC), and used to grow the test plant (Megathyrsus maximus commonly known as Guinea grass) for 90 d. Effect of SMC treatments on chemical characteristics of the soil was determined through soil analysis before and after the experiment. Plant response to SMC in polluted soils was studied by observing root proliferation, plant growth, and biomass. Results: The results suggest that SMC treatment modified soil chemical characteristics, the germination index (GI), plant growth, and phytoremediation potential. The soil's pH increased from 4.3 in control to 6.8 both in 40 and 30% SMC treatments; also the soil's nutrients, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and GI improved with incremental increase in SMC treatments, while the heavy metal removal was best observed at 40 and 30% treatments. In addition, the bio‐stimulatory effect of SMC was confirmed on guinea grass root proliferation, growth, phytomass and its phytoremediation potentials on heavy metals. Conclusions: The SMC is therefore suggested for soil stimulation to improve plant's growth and phytoremediation.     

Effect of SHAKTI and KUBOTA power tillers on physical properties of soil and rice yield under Sawah production system in Nigeria

The use of the power tillers （walking tractors） are increasingly popular in Nigeria among farmers adopting Sawah rice production technology. This study compares the effects of two types of power tillers on physical properties of soil and rice yield. because soil properties determine to a large extents rice yield. Data on soil properties and rice yield were collected and subjected to t-test statistics. The results show that, significant differences exit for all the physical properties of soils rice yields from fields where the two power tiller were used with yields from rice field where SHAKTI was used was higher than KUBOTA. It is important that farmers using these models of power tillers for rice production should not only focus on the purchase cost of these power tillers but their overall efficiency in order to achieve the desired high level of yield.