Adoption of On-farm and Post-harvest Rice Quality Enhancing Technologies in Nigeria

This paper examines the rate and determinants of adoption of improved rice quality enhancing technologies among a randomly selected sample of 150 farmers and 18 rice processors from six rice producing areas of Niger State. Data were collected through interview schedule using questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and regression model were adopted to analyze data. Results show that adoption of quality enhancing technologies was low among the selected sample of these rice value chain actors. The adoption indices of on-farm and post-harvest quality enhancing practices were 0.46 and 0.37 respectively. Some socioeconomic attributes including: Age, level of education, contact with extension, access to credit and level of commercialization were statistically significant determining factors (P≤0.05) influencing adoption at farm level, while post-harvest technology adoption was determined by level of education, access to credit and membership of cooperatives. Promotion of quality enhanced technologies among these actors in the rice value chain is recommended

Biochemical response of ouda sheep to water contaminated with NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer

The study of was conducted to assess the biochemical response of sheep to water contaminated with NPK 15-15-15 inorganic fertilizer. Twenty (20) growing ouda rams between 10 and 13 months old with an average live weight of 20.01 ± 0.35 kg were used in the trial that lasted for 21 days. The animals were divided into five(5) groups of four ram each, balanced for weight and served drinking water contaminated with NPK 15-15-15 fertilizer at the level of 0ppm,100ppm,200ppm,300ppm and400ppm.The groups were designated fo (control), f1, f2, f3 and f4 respectively. Also, biochemical examinations of fasting blood glucose(FBGL), total serum protein(TSP), serum albumin(S.ALB), blood urea nitrogen(BUN), serumcreatinine(S.CREAT.), serum phosphate(S.PO4), aspartate amino transferase(AST), alanine amino trasferase(ALT) and alanine amino phosphatase(ALP) Were carried out at 0, 24, 48,72,120,168 and 336hours of the experiment following standard procedures. The result showed that all the parameters measured were significantly affected by water treatment. However the evidently higher (p>0.05) concentrations offasting blood glucose, total serum protein, serum albumin, blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, serum phosphate and the listed enzymes after forty eight hours of NPK 15-15-15 inorganic fertilizer administration could lead to pancreatic dysfunction, hepato-cellular damage, renal dysfunction, impairment and insufficiency especially in animals on F3(300ppm) and F4(400ppm). In conclusion the contamination of water with NPK 15-15-15 inorganic fertilizer beyond 200ppm could be detrimental to sheep health and ultimate performance

The effect of A5TB refiner on the fatigue strength of 6063AL alloy

The study focuses on the influence of aluminium titanium boron (A5TB) master alloy on the fatigue behaviour of 6063Al alloy. Cylindrical cast rods of 6063Al alloy containing different proportions of A5TB ranging from 0 - 0.11 wt.% were produced and were machined to conform to a standard fatigue specimen. The test specimens prepared were tested for fatigue strength at various stress levels, and results obtained were compared. The resistance to fatigue failure was observed to decrease as the stress level increased. It was also noted that irrespective of stress level, the optimum fatigue strength was obtained when the A5TB content was about 0.06 wt.%. It was found that 6063Al alloy to which A5TB master alloy have been added was most suitable for the design of components meant to operate under cyclic loading at low stresses below about 3.02 kN/m2.Keywords: Refiner, Fatigue, Aluminium Alloy, Cyclic Loading, Stress levelJournal of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology, Volume 1