On-farm evaluation of effectiveness of improved postharvest handling of maize in reducing grain losses, mold infection and aflatoxin contamination in rural Uganda

Postharvest losses remain a challenge among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The uses of hermetic storage containers  (hermetic bags and metallic silos), tarpaulin sheet (plastic sheet) and raised racks reduce postharvest deterioration of grain. This study evaluated the effectiveness of selected improved drying and storage postharvest technologies and practices in reducing maize grain postharvest losses among smallholder farmers in Kamuli and Apac districts, Uganda. The assessed improved storage technologies were hermetic bags and metallic silos against woven polypropylene bags (common farmer practice). For drying, use of tarpaulins and raised racks were assessed against drying on bare ground (common farmer practice). Grain quality and quantity were determined at harvest as well as during drying and six months of storage using Longe 10H variety. Mean quantitative losses, mold infection and aflatoxin level of maize at harvest were 13.72 ± 5.44%, 59.01 ± 17.97% and 1.21 ± 0.7 ppb, respectively for traditional practice. Improved drying and storage technologies resulted in significantly lower (p≤0.05) losses, mold infection and aflatoxin level than the common  farmer practices. Drying on bare ground (3.04 ± 1.50%) resulted in 1.94 times and 7.07 times higher quantitative losses than drying on  tarpaulins (1.56 ± 1.09%) and raised racks (0.43 ± 0.58%). By the sixth month of storage, polypropylene bag storage resulted in 3.7 times and 84 times higher quantitative losses (23.7 ± 5.11%) than hermetic bags (6.33 ± 5.41%) and metallic silos (0.28 ± 0.22%), respectively. Polypropylene bag storage also resulted in 4.4 times and 6 times higher aflatoxin levels (45.82 ± 20.88 ppb) than hermetic bags and metallic silos, respectively. The interaction effects of type of drying technology and storage technology used on aflatoxin levels at the end of the storage period was significant. The highest mold infection and aflatoxin levels were observed when drying was done on bare ground and storage was in polypropylene bags and by the sixth month of storage, mold infection was 90.54 ± 5.48% and average aflatoxin content was 53.47 ± 22.79 ppb. Storage in metallic silos was the most effective in controlling mold infection and aflatoxin contamination, regardless of drying practice, while storage in polypropylene bags was the least effective. From the results, improved drying and storage technologies and practices were found to reduce postharvest maize losses, mold infection and aflatoxin level by over 50%. Use of raised drying racks and storage in metallic silos was found to be the most effective combination in maintaining maizequality and reducing postharvest losses. Key words: Aflatoxins, maize quality, mold infection, grain storage, postharvest losse

Interdisciplinary perspectives on the intersections of roads, sustainable development, and disaster resilience

Natural hazard-influenced disasters, sustainable development, and roads are closely intertwined. Governments and funding agencies worldwide are increasingly focused on delivering disaster-resilient road infrastructure. However, the multifaceted, ubiquitous, and contested nature of road networks means that making them resilient to disasters is a complex task. Efforts to build resilient roads generate trade-offs against other policy goals like climate resilience and sustainable development and always carry political implications. In this paper, we synthesise discussions that took place during a one-day hybrid workshop with 50 practitioners, policymakers, and physical and social scientists with expertise in roads, development and disaster resilience to explore the intersections between roads, development and disaster resilience. Two key themes emerge: (i) the political ecology of the resilience of road networks and (ii) the key players and politics surrounding road construction and maintenance. We go on to present working definitions of disaster resilience for these two themes to help shape future interdisciplinary research on road disaster resilience: (i) Through political ecology, road disaster resilience is understood within the context of uneven power dynamics and the political work done by applying a resilience lens to the research objects in question; and (ii) through key players and politics, road disaster resilience can be achieved through the effective management and coordination of financers, knowledge holders, and those with ownership over the road. In synthesising key themes, we ultimately develop the concept of “roads-in-relation” as a framing device that crosscuts these key themes for future interdisciplinary 42 road disaster resilience researc

Statistical design and analysis in trials of proportionate interventions: a systematic review

Background: In proportionate or adaptive interventions, the dose or intensity can be adjusted based on individual need at predefined decision stages during the delivery of the intervention. The development of such interventions may require an evaluation of the effectiveness of the individual stages in addition to the whole intervention. However, evaluating individual stages of an intervention has various challenges, particularly the statistical design and analysis. This review aimed to identify the use of trials of proportionate interventions and how they are being designed and analysed in current practice. Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Web of Science and PsycINFO for articles published between 2010 and 2015 inclusive. We considered trials of proportionate interventions in all fields of research. For each trial, its aims, design and analysis were extracted. The data synthesis was conducted using summary statistics and a narrative format. Results: Our review identified 44 proportionate intervention trials, comprising 28 trial results, 13 protocols and three secondary analyses. These were mostly described as stepped care (n=37) and mainly focussed on mental health research (n=30). The other studies were aimed at finding an optimal adaptive treatment strategy (n=7) in a variety of therapeutic areas. Further terminology used included adaptive intervention, staged intervention, sequentially multiple assignment trial or a two-phase design. The median number of decision stages in the interventions was two and only one study explicitly evaluated the effect of the individual stages. Conclusions: Trials of proportionate staged interventions are being used predominantly within the mental health field. However, few studies consider the different stages of the interventions, either at the design or the analysis phase, and how they may interact with one another. There is a need for further guidance on the design, analyses and reporting across trials of proportionate interventions

Effect of Potting Mixture on Growth and Development of Grafted Saplings of Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) in Ramechhap, Nepal

The present investigation on “Effect of different potting media on growth characteristics of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) saplings” was conducted in Ramechhap, Nepal, in 2023. The experiment aimed to find out the most suitable combination of potting media for optimal growth of sweet orange sapling. The experiment was laid out according to one factor Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three experimental units. Seven different combinations of potting media treatments: T1 (surface soil: Farm yard manure (FYM)), T2 (surface soil: vermicompost), T3 (forest soil: sand: FYM), T4 (surface soil: sand: vermicompost), T5 (forest soil: vermicompost), T6 (surface soil: sand) and T7 (cocopeat: surface soil) were taken in the ratio of 1:1 by volume. Based on the results obtained from the present investigation, it was observed that the maximum increase in plant height 28.98 centimeters (cm), leaf area (16.83cm2), number of primary branches (3.14), number of leaves (15.20) and survival percentage (85.25%) was observed in treatment combinations of forest soil with vermicompost. The maximum stem diameter (2.51cm) was recorded in media combination T3 (forest soil: sand: FYM). The study concluded that most effective mixture of potting media for enhanced growth of sweet orange saplings was found to be T5 (Vermicompost: forest soil) (1:1) followed by T2 (surface soil: vermicompost) (1:1) and least growth was seen in T7 (cocopeat: surface soil) (1:1)

Knowledge, prevention and control practices regarding heat stroke

The research study focused on knowledge, prevention and control practices of the respondents of District I Makati City regarding heat stroke. Demographic variables includes age, gender, educational attainment occipationa, and socio-economic status. Methodology\u3e This research study utilized the correlational research design to determined the relationship among the variables which are knowledge, prevention and control practices regarding heat stroke. There are 420 respondents who participated in the study. The researches used a self-made questionnaire to obtain the needed date from the respondents. The date were measured and analyzed with the used of frequency, percentage, mean, ANOVA, and Pearson\u27s product moment correlation coefficient

Marketing and advertising practices of Turkish entrepreneurs in transition economies: Evidence from Georgia

Marketing and advertising, Entrepreneurship, Consumer behavior, Transition economies, Republic of Georgia, Turkish entrepreneurs,