Efficacy of Trichoderma harzianum, Poultry manure and Yeast on the Growth and Yield of Soybean Grown on Nematode Infested Soil

Field experiments were carried out during 2010 and 2011 planting seasons in order to assess the effect of Trichoderma harzianum, cured poultry manure and palm wine yeast, singly and in combination, on the growth and yield of soybean, variety TGx 536-02D, grown on nematodes infested soil. The treatments were control, T. harzianum T22 isolate, cured poultry manure, palm wine yeast, T. hazianumT22 isolate + cured poultry manure, T. hazianumT22 isolate + palm wine yeast, cured poultry manure + palm wine yeast and T. hazianumT22 isolate + cured poultry manure + palm wine yeast. Control experiment did not receive cured poultry manure, palm wine yeast or T. hazianumT22 isolate. In each trial, there were 8 treatments replicated 5 times fitted into randomized complete block design. The results indicated that application of T.hazianumT22 isolate, cured poultry manure, palm wine yeast, T. hazianum + cured poultry manure, T. hazianum + palm wine yeast, cured poultry manure + palm wine yeast and T. hazianumT22 isolate + cured poultry manure + palm wine yeast significantly (p<0.05) increased the growth and yield of soybean, and also significantly (p<0.05) reduced the soil population dynamics of nematode pests of soybean. Prominent nematode genera were Meloidogyne, Xiphinema and Helicotylenchus. Control plants that were not treated with palm wine yeast, T. harzianum T22 isolate and cured poultry manure had significantly (p<0.05) reduced the growth and yield of soybean,and had increased soil nematode population. Data collected on both trials were analyzed using analysis of variance and significant differences among treatments were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test at probability level of 5%. Keywords: Trichoderma harzianum; poultry manure; yeast; soybean; control; nematode

Adaptation Practices Among Arable Crop Farmers Against Perceived Effects of Climate Change in Rural Southwestern Nigeria

The way farmers perceived their environment dictates how they practice agriculture and by extension, type of adaptation measure to undertake in mitigating the effects of climate change on their crops. Therefore, the study examined the adaptation practices being employed by farmers to mitigate the perceived effects of climate change on selected arable crops in Rural Southwestern Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: identify sources of agricultural information; determine awareness of climate change by arable crop farmers; determine the perceived effects of climate parameters on selected arable crops; and identify adaptation measures employed to mitigate the perceived effects of climate change on arable crops in the study area. The only hypothesis was that there was no significant relationship between adaptation measures employed by farmers and perceived effects of climate change on selected arable crops. Multistage sampling technique was used in selecting 350 arable crop farmers. The results revealed that 97.4% of the respondents were aware that climate was changing and that arable crops were almost uniformly affected unfavourably by rainfall while 98.8% never insured their farms against climate change. The odd ratio of logistic regression revealed that planting different crops (7.23); employing tillage methods such as ridging, terracing, use of compost (2.74); use of mulching (0.42) and farming combined with non-farming activities (2.51) were significantly related to perceived effects of climate change on selected arable crops, all at p ≤ 0.05 level. It was recommended that farmers should adopt planting of their arable crops sequentially. Extension services must be invigorated to persuade farmers to use early maturing and drought resistance planting materials