Food insecurity is strongly influenced by post-harvest management constraints, particularly those limiting seed storability. This study evaluated the combined effects of packaging materials and storage temperatures on the conservation of soybean seed from five genotypes over 12 months. Two cold storage conditions (fridge at 3–5 °C and deep freezer at − 18 to − 14 °C) and three packaging materials (polypropylene bags, polyethylene bags, and paper envelopes) were tested under room storage. After six months, germination under room conditions declined to 62.3
Greenhouse gases (GHG) have the ability to trap radiant energy from the sun in the atmosphere. The accumulation of GHGs in the atmosphere significantly contributes to climate change. Methane is 21 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas (GHG), however, this is one area where there is a lack of robust data to reflect the amount of GHG different breeds of cattle in Africa produce per day. With an increasing global population placing pressure on land resources, coupled with environmental degradation of existing agricultural land, climate change mitigation and adaptation becomes even a more urgent issue to deal with. Livestock contributes to approximately 15% of global methane (CH4) emissions and 65% of global nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, contributing to an estimated 8-11% of global anthropogenic GHG emissions. The production of GHG from ruminants and their impact on climate change are a major concern worldwide. Although the amounts of GHG from African livestock systems may not be as huge as from other production systems in the world, the inefficiencies in African livestock production systems are a call for concern and deserve quantification. Increasing the efficiency of ruminant production is not only vital in reducing the GHG intensity, but also important for food production to meet increasing demands. Strategies to reduce GHG emissions should include the effects of different feeding systems, the level of intensification and genetics/breeding for reduced GHG emissions. Increasing productivity per animal, that is, efficiency, will reduce GHG emissions per kg of livestock product that is needed to improve livestock production without compromising the environment.
Inappropriate antibiotic use in broiler farming drives antibiotic resistance and residues in poultry, raising significant public health concerns that require safe and effective alternatives. This study investigated the effects of Limnospira platensis polysaccharide and biomass supplementation in drinking water, compared to a tylosin-trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (TTS) antibiotic on broiler growth, biochemical profiles, cecal microbiota, and organ histomorphology. For 42-days, 360 one-day-old male Cobb 500 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to six treatment groups, each with six replicates of ten chicks. Treatments included a control group (CON) with unsupplemented drinking water; an antibiotic group (ATB) supplemented with 1 g L−1 tylosin-trimethoprim-sulfadiazine (TTS) antibiotic; two L. platensis polysaccharide groups (SPS1 and SPS2) receiving 0.5 g L−1 and 1 g L−1; and two L. platensis dry biomass groups (SPO1 and SPO2) receiving 2.5 g L−1 and 5 g L−1. The results indicated that supplementing drinking water with 5 g L−1 L. platensis dry biomass (SPO2) significantly improved body weight, feed intake, and the European broiler index compared to the control, antibiotic, and other L. platensis treatments (p < 0.05). This treatment also significantly lowered serum creatinine, triglycerides, LDL-cholesterol, and AST activity. L. platensis and antibiotic treatments significantly reduced cecal coliform, enterobacteria, and staphylococci populations. Limnospira platensis dry biomass and polysaccharide supplementation preserved liver and spleen structure and significantly increased economic efficiency, outperforming control and antibiotic groups (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that 5 g L−1 L. platensis dry biomass in drinking water represents a promising and effective alternative to antibiotics for improving broiler chicken growth performance, health, and economic efficiency.
Although neem (Azadirachta indica) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) oils have repellent properties against stored grain insects, their effectiveness is limited due to their volatility and sensitivity to heat and light, which causes them to be released from grains quickly. In this study, a bioinsecticide was formulated by impregnating optimally silica, derived from rice husk ash, with mechanically extracted oil from neem and hydro-distilled rosemary. The resulting formulation was tested for its ability to control Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky) during storage of maize grain. The silica, which had some surface functional groups, controlled the populations of S. zeamais in stored maize grains within 12 days of exposure. Compounding the silica with neem and rosemary oils further maintained these functional groups and produced a synergistic effect in controlling the pests in stored maize grains. These results were only comparable to those obtained with the use of synthetic pesticides after 5 days of application. The results indicate that the inert surface functional groups caused the cuticles of the insect pests to dehydrate, ultimately leading to their death. Overall, silica derived from rice husk ash and impregnated with neem and rosemary oils could be a promising alternative to synthetic pesticides for storing maize grains, as it retained more than 85
Lithomorphic Vertisols of Kaélé (Far North Cameroon) are intensively cultivated during the dry season for onion and sorghum production. This study aimed to assess the distribution patterns and controlling factors of trace metal elements (TME) in cultivated Vertisol profiles developed on granite and gneiss. Four soil profiles were described according to the World Reference Base (WRB, 2022), and samples were collected from each master horizon (A–B–C) for physicochemical and geochemical analyses. The soils are clayey to sandy clay loam, moderately to strongly alkaline (pH 6.75–9.70), with moderate to high cation exchange capacity (14.40–39.84 cmol kg⁻¹). Trace metal concentrations followed the order: Ba > Sr > Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Pb > Cd. Barium exhibited the highest concentrations (30.42–426.87 mg kg⁻¹). Pearson correlation analysis revealed strong positive relationships between Ba and Ni (r = 0.95), Ba and Cu (r = 0.87), and Ba and Cr (r = 0.85), suggesting similar geochemical behavior. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) indicated that trace metal distribution is mainly controlled by parent material and soil physicochemical properties (clay content, CEC, pH). The results suggest that lithology and soil characteristics play a major role in controlling trace metal distribution in these Vertisols, while anthropogenic influence appears limited. These findings provide baseline data for sustainable soil management in the Sudano-Sahelian region.
