Not All Bad Apples Spoil the Bunch: Order Effects on the Evaluation of Groups

When group members are encountered in a random sequential order, people expect the first (vs. middle or last) member to be more diagnostic of the group. Therefore, they weigh the performance of the first (vs. middle or last) more heavily in their predictions and decisions about the whole group

Study of the Root System of Local and Improved Sorghum Cultivars Grown in Mali

Roots play a fundamental role in plant growth by supplying water and mineral to the stem and leaves. These underground organs are much less known than the aerial organs mainly due to the difficult access to the root systems in soil. In spite of this, only a few studies were conducted on roots. Given the importance of roots for plant growth, a better understanding of their functioning may help solve some issues such as water stress that can affect the performance of the crops. A total of 100 sorghum cultivars collected in the Sahelian zone of Mali an area receiving an annual rainfall of 200 to 600 mm, were used in a root characterization study. The plant materials were composed of 4 races and 5 intermediates sorghum races. Seeds of the entries were planted directly in PVC tubes of 1m containing soil and arranged in completely randomized design with three replications; in one planting date. Each tube was planted in a dugout ground to 50 cm deep. The tubes were distant of 0.50 m within each row and 0.75 m between rows. The trial was watered from the tap every two days until harvest. The results showed high variability among the varieties studied for root length and root density, with a root length reaching over 1.00m. The study did not identify any pattern in the root systems of the four races and their five intermediates races. However, there was a positive correlation between root length and density indicating an increase in root length correspond to an increased root density. The diversity found in the root system could be a basis for improving root architecture in breeding populations and the evaluation of the behaviour of the sorghum varieties with different root systems in water stress conditions

Exploitation agricole a l’ere des herbicides dans le Canton Zabouo (Issia): vers une agriculture durable?

Cette étude réalisée en 2014 met en exergue l’utilisation des herbicides dans les activités de production agricole. Dans un contexte de gestion durable des environnements de production agricole, elle tente de révéler les mutations dans le comportement agricole des paysans et l’impact des herbicides sur les terres de production agricole. Ainsi, l’objectif général de cette étude vise à identifier les problèmes agroécologiques liés à l’utilisation des herbicides dans le Canton Zabouo. Pour ce faire, les objectifs spécifiques ont porté sur les facteurs d’attachement des agriculteurs aux herbicides, le rôle des herbicides dans mise en place des jachères agricoles et leur temps de reconstitution et enfin, l’action des herbicides dans la dégradation des terres de production agricole. L’étude a été donc réalisée auprès des agriculteurs du terroir des villages de Gazibouo et Zakroguhé grâce à un guide d’entretien et aux observations directes. Les résultats montrent que les herbicides facilitent le travail agricole et fertilisent les sols, leur adoption par les paysans a favorisé la perte d’importantes superficies de jachère et de leur temps de reconstitution notamment les bas-fonds. Aussi, le retardement de la repousse végétale occasionne l’érosion ou le lessivage de la couche fertile du sol, la disparition de certaines flores nécessaires à l’équilibre de l’écosystème des milieux agraires.Mots clés: Exploitation agricole - herbicide - agriculture durable - agroécologieEnglish Title: Farm at the era of the weedkillers in Canton Zabouo (Issia): towards a durable agriculture?English AbstractThis study carried out in 2014 met forward the use of the weedkillers in the activities of agricultural production. In a durable context of management of the environments of agricultural production, it tries to reveal the changes in the agricultural behavior of the peasants and the impact of the weedkillers on the grounds of agricultural production. Thus, the general objective of this study aims at identifying the problems agroecologic involved in the use of the weedkillers in the Zabouo Canton. ¶With this intention, the specific objectives related to the factors of attachment of the farmers to the weedkillers, the role of the weedkillers in installation of the agricultural fallow and their time of reconstitution and finally, the action of the weedkillers in the degradation of the grounds of agricultural production. The study was thus carried out near the farmers of the soil of the villages of Gazibouo and Zakroguhé thanks to a guide of maintenance and with the direct observations. The results show that the weedkillers facilitate the agricultural work and fertilize the grounds, their adoption by the peasants supported the loss of significant surfaces of fallow and their time of reconstitution in particular the hollows. Also, the delayed-action of pushes back vegetable causes the erosion or the scrubbing of the fertile layer of the ground, the disappearance of certain flora necessary to the balance of the ecosystem of the agrarian mediums.Keywords: Farm - weedkiller - durable agriculture - agroecolog

The First-Member Heuristic: Group Members Labeled “First” Influence Judgment and Treatment of Groups

People often make judgments about a group (e.g., immigrants from a specific country) based on information about a single group member. Seven studies (N = 1,929) tested the hypothesis that people will expect the performance of an arbitrarily ordered group to match that of the group member in the first position of a sequence more closely than that of group members in other positions. This greater perceived diagnosticity of the first member will in turn affect how people treat the group. This pattern of judgment and treatment of groups, labeled the “firstmember heuristic,” generalized across various performance contexts (e.g., gymnastic outine, relay race, job performance), and regardless of whether the focal member performed poorly or well (Studies 1-3). Consistent with the notion that first members are deemed most informative, participants were most likely to turn to the member in the first (vs. other) position to learn about the group (Study 4). Further, through their disproportionate influence on the expected performance of other group members, first members’ performances also influenced participants’ support of policies that would benefit or hurt a group (Study 5) and their likelihood to join a group (Study 6). Finally, perceived group homogeneity moderated the first-member heuristic, such that it attenuated for nonhomogeneous groups (Study 7)

Contamination des Laits Importés au Mali par l’Aflatoxine M1

Au Mali l’insuffisance de données scientifiques sur la contamination du lait par les aflatoxines a motivé la conduite de la présente étude. Les aflatoxines sont des métabolites secondaires synthétisés par des souches d'As. flavus, Asp. Parasiticus et Asp. Nomius. Aspergillus flavus produit principalement l’Aflatoxine B1 et B2.  AFM1 est retrouvée dans le lait des mammifères lorsque ceux-ci ont ingéré des aliments contaminés par l’Aflatoxine B1. L’hépatotoxité est la caractéristique majeure de l’aflatoxine B1.  AFM1 est reclassée par l'Agence Internationale pour la Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé pour être dans le groupe 1 au lieu du groupe 2 considéré moins toxique. Contribuer à la connaissance de la qualité sanitaire du lait importé au Mali et conduire une évaluation des risques liés à l’Aflatoxine M1. Etude transversale et descriptive par sondage aléatoire simple. Un total de 150 échantillons de laits a été récolté dans le District de Bamako en 2015.La détermination des teneurs du lait en Aflatoxine M1 a été effectuée par Immunoafinité /HPLC INF selon la norme ISO 14501au CARSO-Laboratoire Santé Environnement Hygiène de Lyon en 2016.Les résultats ont montré que tous les 150 échantillons analysés sont contaminés par l’Aflatoxine M1 avec des taux allant de 30 à100 ng/Kg.Cepandant les taux de contamination étaient inférieures à la norme requise par le Codex Alimentarius qui est de l’ordre de 500ng/Kg. Les acteurs impliqués dans la sécurité sanitaire des aliments aux Mali sont interpellés pour prise de disposition

Cattle ticks population and prevalence of Babesia spp amongst it vector: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in a zone of Ivory Coast

The aim of this survey is to evaluate prevalence of Babesia spp in Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and the importance of ticks species existing in Bingerville area. In this cross sectional study, thirty six cattlefrom 6 farms have been sampled in Bingerville area (Ivory coast Southeast). From 511 ticks collected, 102 Ambyomma spp (19.97%) and 409 Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (80.03%) were identified. Then, theprevalence of Babesia spp parasites amongst Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus was focused. With 120 engorged females of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, 24 pools of 5 ticks each were done. The Giemsastain test had shown prevalences of 8.33% and 1.73% of Babesia spp respectively in pool and individual levels

Determination of ochratoxin A levels in ivorian cocoa beans intended for exportation

The objective of this study is to monitor levels of ochratoxin A (OTA) in terms of the marketability of Ivorian cocoa beans stored at the ports of Abidjan and San Pedro. Thus, 270 samples of cocoa beans wereanalyzed. Merchantability and OTA levels were determined respectively according to the Ivorian Coffee and Cocoa stock exchange standards and the European Community regulation related to the analytical methods forthe control of mycotoxins levels in foodstuffs. As regards merchantability, a significant difference at 5% risk was revealed between the values of moisture, graining and grades. Arithmetic means for humidity wererespectively 6.7% and 6.5% for samples from the ports of Abidjan and San Pedro. The number of beans per 100 g of cocoa beans was 94 and 97 respectively for samples from ports of Abidjan and San Pedro. The classification in grades in terms of marketability indicates that respectively 87% and 89% of batches collected at ports of Abidjan and San Pedro can be marketed. Pertaining to OTA, no significant difference at 5% risk hasbeen revealed between the concentrations found in samples from both ports and between different grades. OTA concentrations obtained averaged out at respectively 0.87 ìg/kg and 0.94 ìg/kg of cocoa beans for Abidjan and San Pedro. Merchantability criteria and OTA levels in cocoa beans were loosely linked in view of flimsy values of squared correlation coefficients