The Effect Of Water Application Timings On Agro-Morphological Traits Of Roma Tomato VF Cultivar Grown Under Plastic Bottle Drip Water Irrigation System In Nyagatare District, Rwanda

The present study was aimed to assess the effect of water application timings on agro-morphological traits of Roma Tomato Vf cultivar grown under plastic bottle drip water irrigation system in Nyagatare District, Rwanda. Four treatments were used for the experiment, replicated four (4) times and arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each replication plot contains 4 experiment units and 64 experiment units for entire experiment field of 4 plots.  The results showed that for all treatments; the overall average mean plant height recorded was found to be 100.30±25.57 cm, 11±4.34 branches, 7±5.102 flowers and 48±10.462 fruits. The highest yield of 69.125 Kg/m2 and WUE of 1.040 Kg/m2/mm were recorded by T4 (Morning – Day – Evening) while the T3 (Evening) recorded the lowest yield of 65.03169.125 Kg/m2 and WUE of 0.979 Kg/m2/mm. It is therefore concluded that the use of plastic bottles under greenhouse structures in applying trickle irrigation and plastic bottles is efficiently and effectively productive and water saving for Roma tomato plant cultivation because of no water loss due to environmental factors including wind speed. It is recommended that the emitter placement around the plant (sparing between dripper and plant) should be varied to study its effects on root development, physiological plant and tomato yield components that will ultimately affect plant yield and water use efficienc

The Effect Of Water Application Timings On Yield, Water Use Efficiency And Profitability Of Roma Tomato VF Cultivar Grown Under Plastic Bottle Drip Water Irrigation System In Nyagatare District, Rwanda

The present study was aimed to assess the effect of water application timings on yield, water use efficiency and profitability of Roma tomato Vf cultivar grown under plastic bottle drip water irrigation system. Four treatments were used for the experiment, replicated four (4) times and arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each replication plot contains 4 experiment units and 64 experiment units for entire experiment field of 4 plots.  The results showed that the total benefit for the first year is 2,135,250.00 Rwf and the incremental benefit for the first year was -2,882,800.00 Rwf. The study findings showed that the net present value (NPV) was positive 51,821.63 at 30 per cent discount rate and has negative value at a discount rate of 31% with the NPV of (6,098.46), which indicates the financial soundness of the investment on Roma tomato production under greenhouse. The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) was found higher than the cost of capital which was 30.89% hence the Roma tomato production project under greenhouse is worthwhile to undertake. The Benefit cost ratio of the tomato production under greenhouse subjected to plastic bottle irrigation system was 1.0 greater than 1.  So, it is concluded that tomato farming under greenhouse subjected to plastic bottle irrigation system is highly profitable, that is 1.01 times the investment. The profitability index calculated was 2.83.  The PI is greater than 1 which shows that the Roma tomato production under plastic bottle drip irrigation system is always a profitable project. Based on the findings achieved in this study, where we examined the cost and profitability of greenhouse cultivation under plastic bottle drip irrigation system, we conclude that greenhouse farming yielded better results in terms of economic indicators

Effect Of Mulching On Soil Physico-Chemical Properties Of Soil Under Semiarid Of Rain Fed Fersiallitic Soil Condition In Eastern Of Rwanda

Mulches provide essential soil environment and economic benefits. Unfortunately, this study has not been done much under different local conditions. This study was carried out to determine the effect of various mulches application on some soil physico-chemical properties of fersiallitic soil in semiarid ecosystem, eastern of Rwanda. A control (no mulch) was also included in the experiment. The findings for soil indicated the higher organic matter for rice straw than control, the highest PH of 7.6 for rice straw and 6.0 for control, there was a positive variation in EC across the depth from control to mulched land. The highest and the lowest values for soil moisture content obtained were 39.25% under rice straw and 25.01% for the control respectively and the obtained results showed that straws and grass conserved moisture at root zone level; there was a change in soil BD, porosity for mulched land from control. For moisture conservation rice and beans straw may be recommended.

The the impact of dairy cooperatives on milk producers’ revenues of Ihuza Aborozi ba Kijyambere Bafatanyinje (IAKIB) in Gicumbi district of Rwanda. Application of propensity score matching (PSM)

Dairy cooperatives should have a significant impact in the future in terms of regenerating rural life. The pressing need in the Cooperative sector in the era of liberalized environments is to seize every opportunity available for the country. Diary co-operatives mainly from cattle production played a vital role in our country’s economy in the previous era and will do so in years to come. This study aims to assess the impact of dairy cooperatives on milk producers’ revenues in the Gicumbi district of Rwanda. The total sample involved in this research was 974, from four cow milk producers, namely Bukure MCC-Cooperative d’Elevage Moderne de Bukure (COOPEMOBU), Koperative Zamuka Mworozi (KOZAMGI) and Borozi Twisungane Kabuga-Nyamiyaga and Giramata, which form the cooperative union of Ihuza Aborozi ba Kijyambere Bafatanyinje (IAKIB). The total sample size to be taken from three cooperatives and other recorded local farmers supplying their milk to the nearest Milk Collection Centres, as preselected, is 260 milk producers, including 187 participants and 73 non-participants of dairy cooperatives. The study used a descriptive survey design, encompassing three cooperatives and other dairy producers not members of cooperatives from Gicumbi district. Descriptive statistics, t-test, Standard Deviation, means, frequency and percentages, as well as a Propensity Score Matching model were used to analyse the results of the study. The study findings show that the average total gross revenue was 551,113 Rwandan francs for these farmers, while the mean difference between dairy cooperative participants and non-participants ranged from 50,146 Rwandan francs to 168,145 Rwandan francs as program impact. This is an indication that participants in dairy cooperatives gain more compared to their factual group. The study recommends that small holder dairy producers should be supported to enable them to produce surplus milk for markets and reduce local milking cow numbers by replacing them with crossbred cows. It is recommended that governments should also strengthen milk processing cooperatives and improve their infrastructure facilities to reduce the transportation cost for small-scale dairy producers

Geospatial Analysis for Heavy Metals and Water Quality Assessment in Bugesera Agricultural Wetlands of Rwanda

Agricultural wetlands are crucial ecosystems for provision of food, water purification, soil retention, nutrients cycling, to name few. However, they are more exposed to heavy metals deposition generating ecological concerns. Therefore, spatially explicit study for water quality and heavy metals’ contents in wetlands to reveal metal contamination sources are key steps for sustainable utilization of water resources in irrigated wetlands. Water samples were collected from surface water alongside the Gashora river. Three sampling sites (Karugenge, Karumuna and Muzi) were selected as the show high occurrence of flooding in wetland. A Global Positioning System (GPS) was used to obtain positional data where surface water samples were collected. A point (vector) database was developed for the attributes of soil, water, and associated parameters. The Photometric, calcination, titration and atomic adsorption spectrometer machines were used to detect the heavy metals. The application of GIS analysis through interpolation using Kriging was used to generate the predictive maps. Principal Components Analysis techniques was used to correlate water quality parameters for similarities and dissimilarities through cluster analysis. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA 13.0 and ArcGIS 10.5 was used to generate prediction maps. The study findings on water quality analysis shows that the ranges of heavy metals were Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cd and Cr concentration were 3.9–23; 10–22; 2–11; 10.6 –20.6; -7– 210; 0.63– 0.81; 110–160; 0.37–12; 0.15– 0.78; and 0.23–4.4ppm while for water quality analysis, the ranges for pH, EC, TDS, TH, SAR, MAR, KR and SSP concentration were 7–7.8; 190–300; 130–200; 55 –150; 26– 110; 47– 73; 8.2–72 and 35–60 respectively. The greatest heavy metals show maximum values compared to Rwanda national and international permissible limits for irrigation. Thus, there is a need of water treatment to reduce the harmfulness effect to plant and human being

Crop Evapotranspiration, Irrigation Water Requirement and Irrigation Scheduling of Soybeans under Sprinkler Irrigation system at Nasho Sector, Rwanda

The study aimed to estimate the Crop Water Requirement of Soybean plant under sprinkler irrigation system at Nasho Sector, Rwanda. Experimentally, the study covered the total area of 30mx60m to give 1800m2. It means that each plot contained 10m width versus 60m height with one installed movable sprinkler. While for water collection from nozzles, catch cans were used to collect the discharge rate. After pumping water to sprinklers, the research should pass 15min and record the discharge rate in each experimental plot for 3 catch cans in each sub plots to make 3plots*3 catch cans* 3sub plots and give 27 water samples for whole experimental site. The Cropwat 8 computer packages was used to compute Reference evapotranspiration, Crop water Requirement and irrigation scheduling in sprinkler irrigation installed for soybeans production. The study findings showed that the mean ETo of soybean was found to be 4.79 mm/day. For crop water requirement, it was found that the total of rain fall was 785.2mm while the effective rain fall was found to be 678.8mm for the period of twelve months. For irrigation scheduling, It was found that the total Crop evapotranspiration of soybean was 678.4mm/dec while effective rainfall need per soybean production was found to be 134.9 mm/dec and the Irrigation water requirement per soybean under sprinkler irrigation system was found to be 547mm/dec. It is concluded that that the total amount of water stored in soybean root zone is less than the total needed water and soy beans can suffer from water deficit. For crop water requirement, it was also found that the total of rain fall was higher than effective rain fall stored in root zone for the period of twelve months and these implies higher Crop water need and as results Maximum potential yield for most irrigated soybeans crops in the study area has increased substantially during the irrigated area with sprinkler system. In addition, there is an economic gains in soybean productivity that are attributed to improved plant management, modern irrigation practices associated to better agronomic management practices than those used in the past. It is also recommended that different riser heights may also be studied to observe their effect on the measures of sprinkler irrigation system performance, to cater for the cultivation of other crops

Estimation Of Water Requirement Of Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill

Crop water requirements of Roma tomato that planted on different spacing for four treatment and its replications in Nyagatare district Kinihira village have been computed with CROPWAT 8.0 using the meteorological parameters. The water requirement was computed using evapotranspiration (ET0), effective rainfall, Net Irrigation demand, the Gross Irrigation demand and irrigation interval for crops grown in different treatment of different spacing have been computed. Based on the rainfall data, effective rainfall and soil characteristics of the experiment site, it was shown that the total net irrigation requirement of tomato in experiment site as presented in CROPWAT 8.0 is 286.2mm and the total gross irrigation requirement is 408.8mm.The total water loss during irrigation is obtained by taking the total gross irrigation requirement minus the total net irrigation requirement and found to be122.6mm. As per CROPWAT 8.0, Tomato water requirement in whole growing stages is 620.3mm .This total water required by tomato at experimental site was supplied to crop by rainfall as effective rainfall (211.5mm) and the remaining portion (408.8mm) was supplied to crop through irrigation. A wide spectrum of scenarios has been discussed in the paper along with the guidelines for future management of water resources