Browsing by Author "Kudra, Abdul"

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Evaluation of post-harvest losses and shelf life of fresh mango (Mangifera indica L.) in Eastern zone of Tanzania
(Taylor & Francis Group, 2019-12) Baltazari, Anna; Mtui, Hosea; Chove, Lucy; Msogoya, Theodosy; Kudra, Abdul; Tryphone, George; Samwel, Jaspa; Paliyath, Gopinadhan; Sullivan, Alan; Subramanian, Jayasankar; Mwatawala, Maulid
Post-harvest loss negatively impacts food security, nutrition and economic stability of farmers, exporters, traders and consumers. Experiments were conducted to assess the effects of post-harvest techniques on the shelf life of Apple and Palmer mango cultivars under different storage conditions. Post-harvest losses of these fruit along the supply chain were also evaluated. A two-factors factorial experiment with six replications was used for each culti- var. Post-harvest techniques included dipping of fruit in hexanal solution (0.02% v/v), calcium chloride solution (2% w/v), smoke treatments and untreated fruit. The fruit were then stored at two different storage conditions namely: ambient temperature (28 ± 2°C) and cold storage (18 ± 2 ° C). Shelf life data was analyzed by using R-software. Mean separation was done by using Tukey Honestly Significant Difference at (p ≤ 0.05). Results showed that the major sites of post-harvest losses were at harvest, transport, wholesale and retail stages of supply chain. Furthermore, post- harvest treatments of fruit with hexanal and calcium chloride significantly increased shelf life and reduced disease incidences compared to untreated control and smoke-treated fruit. Cold storage significantly increased shelf life of mango fruit compared to ambient storage. Therefore, hexanal, calcium chloride and cold storage are recommended to extend fruit shelf life, maintain fruit firmness and to reduce disease incidences in mango fruit.
Fungicidal effects of commiphora swynnertonii (burrt.) and synadenium Glaucescens (pax.) against tomato fusarium wilt disease
(Elservier, 2023) Madege, Richard R; Babu, Saidi; Mabiki, Faith P; Mtui, Hosea; Kudra, Abdul
Tomato fusarium wilt disease is an important soil-borne disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici (FoL) worldwide. The disease causes yield losses of about 90% worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the extracts of C. swynnertonii (resins) and S. glaucescens (latex, fresh and dry leaves) for their efficacy against FoL. In the laboratory, a 4 × 4 factorial experiment in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) was carried out to evaluate resins, latex, fresh, and dry leaves each in four concentrations (0.01 g/ml, 0.05 g/ml, 0.1 g/ml and 0.15 g/ml). The negative and positive controls were Sterile Distilled Water (SDW) and a Linkmil 72 WP (Mancozeb 64% + Metalaxyl 8%) respectively. In a screenhouse, resins, latex, and fresh and dry leaves, each at 0.15 g/ml were applied on pre-inoculated tomato plants to manage TFW disease. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. The negative and positive controls were the untreated soil and soil treated with Linkmil 72 WP respectively. The differences between extracts in the in- hibition of radial mycelial growth of the pathogen were highly significant (p = 0.000). The efficacy of the plant extracts against in vitro growth of FoL was significantly dependent on the application dose. The inhibition of mycelial growth caused by latex and dry leaves was higher than that of Linkmil 72 WP (23.58%) and SDW (0%) by 41% and 65% respectively. Findings show that there was a TFW disease reduction of 72.92% 68.75% and 56.25% in plants treated with dry leaves, the latex of S. glaucescens, and resin of C. swynnertonii in that order. Plant extracts had significant effects (p = 0.000) on plant growth. The plants treated with dried leaf powder attained the highest height, the number of branches/plant, leaves/plant, and leaf area of 85.85 cm, 19.25,99.5 and 59.39 respectively. The findings benchmark the fungicidal potential of C. swynnertonii and S. glaucescens.
Influence of soil fertility management on striga reproduction and grain yield of sorghum in semiarid areas of Tanzania
(2011) Kudra, Abdul
Kudra A., 2011. Influence of soil fertility management on Striga reproduction and sorghum grain yield in semiarid areas of Tanzania. PhD thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nairobi. Witchweed (Striga), a root parasite, has become a major biological constraint to sorghum production with severe yield losses of about 85% reported in semi-arid areas of sub-Saharan Africa. In Tanzania, Striga asiatica is the most dominant Striga species and covers over three quarters of the country, from the northern parts to the southernmost regions. The success of this weed is due to its ability to produce large numbers of tiny dust-like seeds that cause a rapid increase in parasite population density after the first infestation. A long-term control program must focus on reducing Striga seed inputs into the soil sufficiently so that a reasonable crop yield can be obtained. Therefore a study was carried out in two regions of Tanzania with the following specific objectives: (a) to determine the agronomic practices adopted by farmers in Striga control and the relationship between soil chemical characteristics and Striga reproduction; (b) to determine the influence of organic and inorganic fertilizers on Striga asiatica reproduction and sorghum grain yield; and (c) to evaluate the effect of combined farmyard manure and urea on Striga asiatica reproduction and sorghum grain yield. Surveys were carried out in 20 farmers’ fields in 2010/2011 cropping season in semi arid areas of Dodoma and Morogoro regions for the first objective. Data collected included the agronomic practices used by farmers in Striga control, soil chemical characteristics, Striga plant counts and xv umber of capsulesIStiriga plant. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to generate information on the cropping practices, farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of the Striga problem and agronomic practices adopted by farmers for Striga control. Soils were sampled at 0 - 20 cm depth from different farmers’ fields and analyzed for soil moisture content, pH, organic carbon, nitrogen phosphorus and potassium. The trials for the second objective were conducted in two consecutive years (2009/2010 and 2010/2011) at Hombolo Research Station in Dodoma region. Treatments consisted of farmyard manure (5.9 tons/ha), chicken manure (2.5 tons/ha), urea (50 kg N/ha) and triple superphosphate (TSP) (40 kg P/ha) which were evaluated on sorghum (variety Macia) in a field naturally infested with Striga asiatica (L.) Kuntze). The 5.9 tons/ha farmyard manure and 2.5 tons/ha chicken manure tested were each equivalent to 50 kg N/ha. A randomized complete block design with four replications was used. The trials for the third objective were carried out in 2010/2011 at Hombolo and Melela locations in Dodoma and Morogoro regions respectively. A factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design was set up in fields naturally infested with Striga asiatica. The treatments which comprised farmyard manure at rates equivalent to 0, 25, 50, 60 kg N/ha and urea at rates of 0, 25, 50 and 60 kg N/ha were replicated three times. Results from the surveys showed that the recommended agronomic practices for the control of Striga have not yet found large scale application on farmers’ fields. The majority of farmers indicated that Striga infestation in the area was increasing and they were not able to control in their fields. Two species of Striga (Striga siatica and Striga forbesii) were observed in the farmers’ fields, although Striga asiatica was the dominant species. Potassium was highly positively related to the number of capsules/SYr/ga plant. This study also showed that fertilizer xvi applications indeed affected Striga reproduction negatively. Plants supplied with chicken manure, urea and TSP had significantly fewer number of capsules per plant than farmyard manure treated and control (without fertilizer application) plants. Combination pf urea at 50 kg N/ha or 60 kg N/ha with all rates of farmyard manure significantly reduced the number of capsules /Striga plant. Generally, fertilizer applications improved sorghum grain yield with chicken manure giving significantly the highest grain yield. Combined application of urea and farmyard manure increased sorghum grain yield compared to the application of either urea or farmyard manure alone. Economic analyses showed that the marginal rates of return from applying urea alone at 25, 50 and 60 kg N/ha were 31, 54 and 48% respectively. Combination of urea at 60 kg N/ha and FYM at 60 kg N/ha equivalent had the highest marginal rate of return (70%). Farmyard manure alone at 25, 50 and 60 kg N/ha equivalent rates had lower rates of returns than the non-treated control. Chicken manure and combined farmyard manure with urea can be used to improve sorghum production in semiarid arid areas of Tanzania. Low quantities of FYM and high soil K may promote Striga infestation as they are associated with increased Striga reproduction. Even though fertilizers play a significant role in Striga reproduction, calculations of seed production per capsule indicated that considerable amounts of seeds were still added to the soil. Therefore, the use of fertilizers alone is not enough to reduce the seed inputs and seed bank. This calls for an integrated approach in which cultural, chemical and crop resistance strategies are deployed.
Pre-sowing treatments to improve seed germination And seedling growth of commiphora swynnertonii (burrt.) and synadenium glaucescens (pax.)
(Academic Journals, 2023) Madege Richard, Raphael; Babu, Saidi; Mabiki, Faith Philemon; Mtui, Hosea; Kudra, Abdul
Medicinal and pesticidal plant propagation is hampered by poor seed germination due to seed dormancy. This study aimed to enhance seed germination and seedling growth using various pre- sowing treatments. A triplicated two-factor experiment in a Randomized Complete Block design was used. Soaking in water at 25°C for 24 h (T1), soaking in 60°C hot water for 10 min (T2), 10 ppm Potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ) treatment for 24 h (T3), 20 ppm Potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ) treatment for 24 h (T4), Treating seeds with Gibberellin (GA 3 ) solution at 250 ppm (T5), GA 3 Treating seeds with Gibberellin (GA 3 ) solution at 500 ppm for 72 (T6), Treating seeds with Gibberellin (GA 3 ) solution at 1000 ppm for 72 h (T7), and seeds without any pre-treatment were sown and used as control (T o ) on seed germination and seedling growth of two MPP species. The ability of a pre-sowing treatment to break seed dormancy was significantly dependent (p = 0.002) on the plant species. The effects due to interaction between pre- sowing seed treatment and plant species on seedling growth parameters (height, branches/shoot, leaves/shoot/, leaf area, fresh and dry weight) were significant (p < 0.05). These results provide the basis for the sustainable use of MPPs through propagation and conservation.