This study examined informal credit acquisition and utilisation among home-grown rice marketers in Agricultural Zone C, Kogi State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select 150 home-grown rice marketers, and data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, gross margin analysis and binary logistic regression were employed for data analysis. The results showed that 65.3% of respondents were female, 68.0% were married and 38.7% had secondary education. The mean marketing experience was 11 years. The study showed that all (100.0%) of the respondents accessed and utilised informal credit for home-grown rice marketing and family needs. Reported sources of informal credit included friends and family (48.0%), Esusu or contribution groups (42.7%), marketers’ associations (38.7%) and cooperative societies (36.0%). The informal credit was used principally for purchasing rice (93.4%) and for other purposes. The average monthly gross margin was ₦376,200, while the net profit was ₦231,850, with a benefit–cost ratio of 1.20. The reported regression results indicated that informal credit utilisation was influenced by gender, association membership, age, the amount of credit acquired, household size and engagement in another occupation at 1%, 5% and 10% significance levels, respectively. Major constraints included high interest rates and other charges (68.0%), insufficient credit disbursement (61.3%) and competing family needs (58.7%). The findings suggest that informal credit supports home-grown rice marketing activities but is accompanied by high interest rates and other charges and repayment challenges. Improved access to affordable, appropriately structured lending and financial literacy support may help marketers manage borrowed funds more effectively.
In this study, one of the basic and conventional phenological observations was made using repeated ground-based in-situ visual monitoring and repeat photography in the period of April 5,2024 through January 17, 2025. It was assumed that those methodologies may provide a unified phenological observation network. A 7-scale assessment ranking system was introduced for evaluating phenological modifications throughout the study. However, clear phenological phase differences were observed for selected four tree species of Silver Birch (Betula pendula; I and II), Corkscrew Willow (Salix matsudana; III), Manna Ash (Fraxinus ornus; IV), and Silver Linden (Tilia tomentosa; V) that were found in a roadside of Suleyman Demirel University campus in Isparta,Türkiye . It was realized that Corkscrew Willow shows leaf out approximately 15 days earlier than the other selected species in April 2024. Moreover, foliage appearance properties were ranked 6 for all those samples from April 24 through August 1. Silver Birches reveal a higher sensitivity to atmospheric conditions, which was evidence for entering into the maturity phase earlier than all three-other species. It is noticeable that up to September 19, Manna Ash and Silver Linden revealed only various shades of green colors on their canopy. Regarding those specific appearances, Corkscrew Willow, Manna Ash and Silver Linden were ranked 6 from May 21 through September 19, while Silver Birch trees were ranked 6 until August 1, then ranked 5 after that. It is worth noting that selected two Silver Birch species show all the leaves fallen on November 7 (entering dormant phase), but after November 13, Manna Ash and Silver Linden show the majority of leaves fallen. Corkscrew Willow appears to be still in maturity phase until November 20 and then enters senescent phase, following the dormant phase after December 13. The ground-based phenological observations and repeated photography in-situ evaluations may be useful in cost and time-effective methods for studying autumn coloration of certain deciduous plants.
Bajra and Jowar are two of the most significant millets grown in India, the world’s largest producer of millets. Together, they occupied a substantial share of cultivated land in Haryana during the state’s early years. However, following the Green Revolution and other changes, Haryana’s agricultural landscape has undergone significant shifts. This study presents a spatio-temporal analysis of millet cultivation in Haryana from 1966 to 2025, focusing on Bajra and Jowar. The study investigates spatial and temporal trends in area and production, using secondary data from Statistical Abstract of Haryana (1966-67 to 2024-25) and Indian Institute of Millets Research (IIMR) covering 1966–1967 to 2024–2025. The paper also examines the compound annual growth rates of Bajra and Jowar from 1966-2025 in the state of Haryana. The study adopts a quantitative approach. To analyse the spatial patterns of Bajra and Jowar crops, district-wise choropleth maps were prepared using ArcMap 10.8.2 GIS software. Linear regression was applied to examine trends in the area under and production of Bajra and Jowar. Following the onset of the Green Revolution in the 1960s, the cropping pattern of the state has undergone significant changes from crops such as Bajra and Jowar towards rice and wheat. The results show a substantial decline in cultivated area of both crops owing to the increase in water-intensive, high-yielding crops such as rice and wheat associated with agricultural policies and the expansion of tubewell irrigation. For Bajra, the results show a clear divergence between area and production, although cultivated area has declined (CAGR: -0.89%), the adoption of hybrid seeds has coincided with positive production growth (CAGR: +2.14%), with production concentrated in the arid south-western districts of Haryana (Mahendragarh, Rewari, Jhajjar and Bhiwani). In contrast, Jowar cultivation has declined sharply, with sharp reductions in total area and production (CAGR: -4.37% and -2.66%). The decline in coarse-grain cultivation is considered alongside groundwater depletion in Haryana. These findings highlight the potential role of agricultural policies and technological innovations in advancing millet farming, given the nutritional value and climatic resilience of millets and their potential contribution to food and nutritional security.
The present investigation was carried out during the Kharif season of 2024–25 at the Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, AKS University, Satna (M.P.), with the objective of evaluating the effects of different integrated weed management (IWM) practices on the growth, yield, and quality of transplanted rice. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Block Design with ten treatments. The treatments were: T₁ – Weedy check, T₂ – Weed free (up to harvest), T₃ – Manual weeding at 20 and 40 DAT, T₄ – Pyrazosulfuron Ethyl 10% WP @ 200 g/ha (PE), T₅ – Pyrazosulfuron Ethyl 10% WP @ 200 g/ha (PE) + one hand weeding at 45 DAT, T₆ – Pyrazosulfuron Ethyl 10% WP @ 200 g/ha (PE) + conoweeder at 45 DAT, T₇ – Pretilachlor 37% EW @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha (PE), T₈ – Pretilachlor 37% EW @ 1.0 kg a.i./ha (PE) + one hand weeding at 45 DAT, T₉ – Byspyribac Sodium 10% SC @ 200 ml/ha (PoE) at 20 DAT, and T₁₀ – Byspyribac Sodium 10% SC @ 200 ml/ha (PoE) at 20 DAT + one hand weeding at 45 DAT. The study revealed that integrated weed management practices significantly improved the growth, yield, and profitability of transplanted rice compared with the weedy check (T₁). Among the treatments, Pyrazosulfuron Ethyl 10% WP @ 200 g/ha (PE) + one hand weeding at 45 DAT (T₅) was highly effective, producing taller plants (86.82 cm), a greater number of tillers (9.60 per plant) at 90 DAT, higher grain yield (4191.34 kg/ha), straw yield (4849.83 kg/ha), and improved carbohydrate content (65.78%). Furthermore, higher gross return (₹106,100.40 ha⁻¹) and net return (₹65,685.64 ha⁻¹) were recorded under T₅ (Pyrazosulfuron Ethyl 10% WP @ 200 g/ha (PE) + one hand weeding at 45 DAT).
A field experiment was conducted in 2020 at the Jute Research Regional Station, Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, to determine the response of the advanced kenaf breeding line KBL-73 to nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S). Ten fertiliser treatments were arranged in a randomised complete block design with three replications. The treatments (kg N-P-K-S ha-1) were T1=0-0-0-0, T2=75-10-20-10, T3=75-20-30-20, T4=75-30-40-30, T5=100-10-20-10, T6=100-20-30-20, T7=100-20-40-30, T8=125-10-20-10, T9=125-20-30-20, and T10=125-30-40-30. Plant population, plant height, basal diameter, green biomass, dry biomass, fibre yield, and stick yield were assessed. Treatment effects differed across traits. T3 produced the tallest plants (358.27 cm), whereas T6 produced the greatest basal diameter (21.35 mm), green weight (3.41 kg plot-1), and dry weight (2.75 kg plot-1). The highest fibre yield (1135.7 g 9 m-2) and stick yield (1912.0 g 9 m-2) occurred under T10 (125-30-40-30 kg N-P-K-S ha-1). Compared with T1, T10 increased fibre yield by 116.6% and stick yield by 93.4%. Fibre and stick yields were strongly correlated (r = 0.93). Principal component analysis showed that the first two components explained 80.1% of the variation among treatment means, with PC1 accounting for 57.0% and PC2 for 23.2%. The results identify T10 as the strongest yield-performing treatment for KBL-73 under the reported experimental conditions, while T6 was superior for stem diameter and biomass accumulation. T10 (125-30-40-30 kg N-P-K-S ha-1) is therefore recommended for further multi-location evaluation; replicated multi-location trials and economic analysis are required before a broadly applicable fertiliser recommendation is finalised.
