Preliminary studies of the dual role of cotton-seed cake as fish feed and fish pond fertilizer in aquaculture

Many locally available fish feeds have been tried in fish culture. These include guinea corn, soya bean, groundnut cake and rice bran. Cotton seed cake has been successfully used as a fishpond organic fertilizer at Ado-Ekiti Government fish farm. Three fishponds stocked respectively with common carps, Heterotis, Tilapia spp., Clarias lazera and Heterobranchus were fed with cotton seed cake. Carps, Tilapia and Heterotis increased rapidly in weight and length while the catifishes did not gro

EXTENSION'S RESPONSIBILITY IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS EDUCATION

Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

AN ASSESSMENT OF URBAN AGRICULTURAL LAND USE CHANGES USING GEOSPATIAL INFORMATION SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY OF JOS-BUKURU

The urban agricultural land use change of Jos-Bukuru between 1961 and 2002 is assessed. The aim is to generate relevant, accurate and timely data that would enhance the quality of decisions and actions in an attempt to ensure the survival, expansion and the sustainability of urban agricultural land use. A geospatial information system approach was adopted in the mapping and assessment of urban agricultural land use change in the study area Topographic map of Jos-Bukuru urban at the scale of 1:50000, Landsat TM image of 1986 and 2002 with spatial resolution of 30m, among others. Data conversion, digitizing, editing, analysis was carried out using ILWIS 3.2 and Arc-View 3.2 software. The study reveals among others that agricultural land use increased substantially between 1961 and 1986. However, between 1986 and 2002, about 63% of agricultural land was lost. Out of this, about 68% was lost to urban development. The percentage increase in urban in urban expansion was 3.5% from 1961 to 1986 and 3.8% from 1986 to 2002. While the percentage in urban agricultural land use between 1986 and 2002 was 3.9%. Overall, while urban spatial expansion is increasing agricultural land use is decreasing. The study recommends among others that urban agricultural land use should be made a legitimate in urban expansion planning; specific agricultural practices should be zoned to specific locations within the city; and, that urban farming should be incorporated into the poverty alleviation programme of the Federal governmentLand Economics/Use,

ENVIRONMENT, HUMAN HEALTH AND SAFETY PERSPECTIVES TO PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN AGRICULTURE

Agriculture, unlike industrial activity which has always resulted in pollution, has been environmentally benign for most of its history until after the Second World War when the system disintegrated. Then, crop residues were incorporated into the soil or fed to livestock, the manure returned to the land in amounts that could be absolved and utilized. Mechanized farming, however, is reliant on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Hence, crop residues and livestock excreta, which were once recycled have become wastes and their disposal a continuing problem for the farmer. With the present national policy on agriculture, there is the need for private sector participation especially in the area of environmental health and safety for economic and environmental sustainability.Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Health Economics and Policy,

Growth, mortality and recruitment of Nile perch Lates niloticus (L. Centropomidae) in the Nyanza Gulf of Lake Victoria: an evaluation update

A reassessment of the estimates of growth, mortality and recruitment patterns of Nile Perch, Lates niloticus was made based on data from commercial landings collected during the Catch Assessment Survey Programme. Two sets of length frequency data, one each from beach seining and hook and line fisheries, were analyzed. Values of L8 = 169 and 230 (cm TL) and K= 0.18 yr-1 and 0.195 yr-1 were obtained. The total mortality estimates from the catch curve analysis were Z = 0.72 yr-1 and 0.94 yr-1, respectively, with a natural mortality M of about 0.35 for a mean environmental temperature of 27oC. The highest peak for recruitment was in November, December and January with a minor one in June, indicating recruitment of two cohorts per year. These results are discussed and compared to previously available information on L. niloticus in Lake Victoria

An appraisal of the current status of the fisheries of Eleiyele Reservoir by its fisheries cooperatives

In a study undertaken to evaluate the status of the fisheries of Eleiyele Reservoir (Nigeria) between 1995 and 1997, thermal stratification was observed to breakdown between December and March. Of the physico-chemical variables, transparency was positively correlated (p<0.05) with primary productivity, conductivity and dissolved oxygen concentration. Primary productivity ranged between 0.38mgC/m super(2)/d and 3.OmgC/ m super(2)/d, being lowest in April. BOD values ranged between 1.3mg-2.2mgO/l indicative of clean unpolluted water. Nine fish species belonging to the families Cichlidae, Centropomidae and Mochokidae were identified. Cichlids were the most abundant with Hemichromis species being predominant. Fishing was only carried out in the reservoir during the dry season months of November to April. Fish landing data for the reservoir, obtained from the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural resources, Oyo State, in conjunction with comparative data from the Cooperative fishermen was low. It demonstrated a decreasing trend from January to April and during the period between 1985 and 1996, when compared with data collected in 1985 and 1986 from a previous similar study. Reasons for the low fish yield from the reservoir are discussed and compared with other Nigerian reservoir

Non-paraxial Talbot effect in one-dimensional gratings with period comparable to the wavelength

The Talbot effect is a diffractive phenomenon which was found since its inception in the Gaussian optics, but when the period of the object is comparable with the wavelength is considered entering its non-paraxial regime. There, it has attracted interest for its applications related to the design of objects and their restorative effects posing in damaged gratings on this scale. In this contribution a study of this phenomenon at level non-paraxial (metaxial) is presented by using scalar diffraction theory in plane waves representation for periodic transversal fields. To this end, a one-dimensional amplitude grating of period p is used which is illuminated by a monochromatic plane wave of wavelength λ where p ranges between 1,5 λ and 4,2 λ.Fil: Arrieta, E.. Universidad Popular del Cesar; ColombiaFil: Bolognini, Nestor Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Centro de Investigaciones Ópticas; ArgentinaFil: Torres, C.O.. Universidad Popular del Cesar; Colombi

Growth, mortality and recruitment of Nile perch Lates niloticus (L. Centropomidae) in the Nyanza Gulf of Lake Victoria: an evaluation update

A reassessment of the estimates of growth, mortality and recruitment patterns of Nile Perch, Lates niloticus was made based on data from commercial landings collected during the Catch Assessment Survey Programme. Two sets of length frequency data, one each from beach seining and hook and line fisheries, were analyzed. Values of L8 = 169 and 230 (cm TL) and K= 0.18 yr-1 and 0.195 yr-1 were obtained. The total mortality estimates from the catch curve analysis were Z = 0.72 yr-1 and 0.94 yr-1, respectively, with a natural mortality M of about 0.35 for a mean environmental temperature of 27oC. The highest peak for recruitment was in November, December and January with a minor one in June, indicating recruitment of two cohorts per year. These results are discussed and compared to previously available information on L. niloticus in Lake Victoria.Growth, Mortality, Recruitment, Kenya, Victoria L., Nyanza Gulf, Lates niloticus

Utilization patterns of urban green infrastructure in southern Ethiopia

Urban green infrastructure provides multi-functional socio-economic and environmental benefits and promotes physical, relaxation, and the social activities of the urban residents. This paper analyses the pattern of utilization of urban green infrastructure in Southern Ethiopia. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, key informant interview and focus group discussion. The collected data also analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. The majority (78%) of the respondents visit green corridors in Hawassa. 68% of respondents visit parks in Wolayita Sodo, while, 62% of the respondents visited home garden in Bodity town. There is an overall significant (0.000) variation in the utilization of green infrastructures among urban centres. Based on Post-Hoc Test there is a statistically significant (p = 0.017) difference in the utilisation of green infrastructure in between Hawassa city and Wolayita Sodo as well as between Hawassa and Bodity town (p = 0.000), but there was no significant (p = 0.113) difference between Wolayita Sodo and Bodity town. Majority (34.6%, 31.6% and 32.4%) of respondents visit Lakeshore, Junior Park, and Bodity Stadium in Hawassa, Wolayita Sodo and Bodity town respectively. Green corridors in Hawassa, urban parks in Wolayita Sodo and Bodity Stadium in Bodity town was the most frequently visited GI types. Recreational, physical and social activities were the main reasons for visiting urban green infrastructure in the study area. The pattern of utilization of green infrastructure types varies significantly among the three urban centres. Urban planners, designers, and ecologists, therefore, need to focus on urban green infrastructure planning, strategies to promote the utilization of green infrastructure in the urban environment sustainably.Keywords: Pattern of Utilization, Urban Green infrastructure, Visitors, Green /park

Iodine and pregnancy – a UK cross-sectional survey of dietary intake, knowledge and awareness

Iodine is a key component of the thyroid hormones, which are critical for healthy growth, development and metabolism. The UK population is now classified as mildly iodine-insufficient. Adequate levels of iodine during pregnancy are essential for fetal neurodevelopment, and mild iodine deficiency is linked to developmental impairments. In the absence of prophylaxis in the UK, awareness of nutritional recommendations during pregnancy would empower mothers to make the right dietary choices leading to adequate iodine intake. The present study aimed to: estimate mothers' dietary iodine intake in pregnancy (using a FFQ); assess awareness of the importance of iodine in pregnancy with an understanding of existing pregnancy dietary and lifestyle recommendations with relevance for iodine; examine the level of confidence in meeting adequate iodine intake. A cross-sectional survey was conducted and questionnaires were distributed between August 2011 and February 2012 on local (Glasgow) and national levels (online electronic questionnaire); 1026 women, UK-resident and pregnant or mother to a child aged up to 36 months participated in the study. While self-reported awareness about general nutritional recommendations during pregnancy was high (96 %), awareness of iodine-specific recommendations was very low (12 %), as well as the level of confidence of how to achieve adequate iodine intake (28 %). Median pregnancy iodine intake, without supplements, calculated from the FFQ, was 190 μg/d (interquartile range 144–256μg/d), which was lower than that of the WHO's recommended intake for pregnant women (250 μg/d). Current dietary recommendations in pregnancy, and their dissemination, are found not to equip women to meet the requirements for iodine intake