SOIL CHARCTERIZATION AND MAIZE (Zea mays L.) EVAPOTRANSPIRATION (ETc) IN OMU-ARAN HUMID GEOLOGICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA

Development of crop coefficient (Kc) can enhance crop water requirement estimates at specific crop growth stages. However, local Kc data are lacking for maize in Omu-aran. Therefore, this research was aimed at quantifying water use and specific Kc values at different growth stages for maize (Zea mays L.) inOmu-Aran,a sub-humid agro-geological zone of Nigeria. A 60cm diameter and 45cm high drainage lysimeter was designed, constructed from a 2.5 mm thick plastic drum, and installed. CROPWAT 8.0 model was later used to develop the Kc and ETc(crop evapotranspiration) using the local weather data of the study site. Soil physical and chemical properties, moisture content, bulk density, and porosity of the site were determined. Weather parameters such average monthly temperature, wind speed, rainfall and relative humidity etc. were collected from an automatic meteorological station located around the research site. Also, irrigation requirements and scheduling for the crop were determined from the model. The average ETc values were 14.6, 43.75, 60.38, and 38.67.0 mm during the initial, development, mid-season and late-season stages, respectively, and the total ETc was 561.8 mm, while the average Kc values for maize were 0.30, 0.73, 1.29 and 0.91 for the initial, development, mid-season, and late-season stages, respectively. The values obtained are suitable for a successful design and implementation of irrigation programme for maize in the study area and this will eventually mean higher productivity and economic development

Development and Performance Evaluation of an Indigenous Fish Feed Palletizing Machine

Fish feed pelleting machine was designed and fabricated using locally sourced materials. Design calculations were carried out to determine the specications of essential parameters for the development of the machine and the performance of the machine was evaluated. Some of the parameters evaluated include pelletizer efciency, throughput capacity and percentage oat of the pellets. Results showed that the mean pelletizer efciency was highest (72.35±6.46) in feed materials at 18% moisture content and lowest (18.45±1.70) in feed materials with 10% moisture content. Percentage pellet oat was highest (78.67±3.06) in feed materials with 18% moisture content, while the lowest percentage oat was recorded in feed materials with 10% moisture content. However, the throughput capacity was highest (4.13±0.31) in feed with 25% moisture content followed by feeds with 18% moisture with a value of 3.80(±0.36). the lowest throughput capacity of value 2.43(±0.15) was recorded in feed materials with 10% moisture content. Findings from the research are useful in the design of pelletizer with optimum capacity to produce pellets, through the use of appropriate moisture condition for feed materials

SOIL CHARCTERIZATION AND MAIZE (Zea mays L.)EVAPOTRANSPIRATION (ETc)IN OMU-ARAN HUMID GEOLOGICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA

Development of crop coefficient (Kc) can enhance crop water requirement estimates at specific crop growth stages. However, local Kc data are lacking for maize in Omu-aran. Therefore, this research was aimed at quantifying water use and specific Kc values at different growth stages for maize (Zea mays L.) inOmuAran,a sub-humid agro-geological zone of Nigeria. A 60cm diameter and 45cm high drainage lysimeter was designed, constructed from a 2.5 mm thick plastic drum, and installed. CROPWAT 8.0 model was later used to develop the Kc and ETc(crop evapotranspiration) using the local weather data of the study site. Soil physical and chemical properties, moisture content, bulk density, and porosity of the site were determined. Weather parameters such average monthly temperature, wind speed, rainfall and relative humidity etc. were collected from an automatic meteorological station located around the research site. Also, irrigation requirements and scheduling for the crop were determined from the model. The average ETc values were 14.6, 43.75, 60.38, and 38.67.0 mm during the initial, development, mid-season and late-season stages, respectively, and the total ETc was 561.8 mm, while the average Kc values for maize were 0.30, 0.73, 1.29 and 0.91 for the initial, development, mid-season, and late-season stages, respectively. The values obtained are suitable for a successful design and implementation of irrigation programme for maize in the study area and this will eventually mean higher productivity and economic development

Development and Performance Evaluation of an Indigenous Fish Feed Palletizing Machine

Fish feed pelleting machine was designed and fabricated using locally sourced materials. Design calculations were carried out to determine the specications of essential parameters for the development of the machine and the performance of the machine was evaluated. Some of the parameters evaluated include pelletizer efciency, throughput capacity and percentage oat of the pellets. Results showed that the mean pelletizer efciency was highest (72.35±6.46) in feed materials at 18% moisture content and lowest (18.45±1.70) in feed materials with 10% moisture content. Percentage pellet oat was highest (78.67±3.06) in feed materials with 18% moisture content, while the lowest percentage oat was recorded in feed materials with 10% moisture content. However, the throughput capacity was highest (4.13±0.31) in feed with 25% moisture content followed by feeds with 18% moisture with a value of 3.80(±0.36). the lowest throughput capacity of value 2.43(±0.15) was recorded in feed materials with 10% moisture content. Findings from the research are useful in the design of pelletizer with optimum capacity to produce pellets, through the use of appropriate moisture condition for feed materials

Influence of tree age and variety on allometric characteristics and water use of Mangifera indica L. growing in plantation

Data on water relations and growth characteristics of mango trees needed for productive plantation management are currently lacking in West Africa. Relationships between allometric properties and water use in mango trees were examined. In addition, the effects on allometric characteristics and xylem sap flow were investigated in a mixed varieties plantation. Tree age explained more than 92% of the variation in stem diameter, over 96% of the variation in height, over 92% of the variation in crown diameter, and more than 97% of the variation in leaf area index of the 60 mango trees sampled. Water use increased from 1.01?kg?d?1 to 156.7?kg?d?1 from the 2- to the 33-year-old trees for a typical bright day. Sap flow was highly correlated with age under different sky conditions. A power function relating daily sap flow to age yielded an ? 2 of 0.98 for bright days and 0.87 when combined with rainy day data. The water use and growth parameters of the three cultivars were generally not significantly different. This paper has implications for mango productivity and for orchard water management in potentially dry areas of West Africa.Water ManagementCivil Engineering and Geoscience

Growth-stage-specific crop coefficient and consumptive use of Capsicum chinense using hydraulic weighing lysimeter

This research was conducted to determine growth stage-specific crop coefficient (Kc) and Consumptive Use (CU), for Capsicum chinense (Ata rodo) grown under irrigation in Omu-Aran, North central Nigeria. Daily CU and growth stagespecific crop coefficient Kc for Capsicum chinense was measured using a developed and calibrated hydraulic weighing lysimeter over 2 consecutive dry seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17). The values of CU and growth stage-specific Kc obtained were compared to that estimated using CROPWAT 8.0 and with existing Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Kc values for bell pepper. The Kc values determined over the growing seasons varied from 0.32 to 0.7, 1.02 to 1.45 and 0.76 to 0.9 representing Kc initial, Kc mid-season and Kc late season (Kcini, Kcmid and Kcend), respectively. These Kc varied significantly (P < 0.05) from FAO established Kc values. The observed Kc was validated using relevant statistical methods. The seasonal CU of Capsicum chinense was 580.01 ± 54 mm, while the reference evapotranspiration increased from 3.26mmday−1 in October to 4.19mmday−1 in February. The crop factor increased from0.7 in October to attain its peak of 1.45 in January, but decreased to 0.9 during crop senescence in February. Likewise, the daily crop water need was 2.28mmday−1 in October but reached its peak of 5.82mmday−1 in January and thereafter decreased to 3.77mmday−1 in February. Mean monthly water need of Capsicum chinense pepper was 68.36mmmonth−1 in October. The water need of crop rose to its peak of 166.32mmmonth−1 in December, and thereafter declined to 113.13mmmonth−1 in February It is inferred that the application of growth stage-specific Kc will assist in irrigationmanagement and would serve as useful guide for precise water applications for areas around Omu-Aran as it differs from region to region