This study, which took place around the Boumba-Bek National Park (BBNP) in Cameroon, was based on identifying and characterizing stakeholders in forest resources management, as well as determining the relationships be...This study, which took place around the Boumba-Bek National Park (BBNP) in Cameroon, was based on identifying and characterizing stakeholders in forest resources management, as well as determining the relationships between them, with the goal of encouraging collaborative forest resources management. Purposive sampling was adopted, in which focus group discussions, key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews, and snowball sampling were used for data collection. Focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 20 local associations involved in forest and wildlife management, Bantu traditional councils and the Baka community. Key informant interviews were conducted with local and international NGOs, forest exploitation and Sport hunting (Safari) enterprises and local public administrations that had working rapports with village communities around the BBNP. Information was generally sought on the role of stakeholders in forest management, in terms of use, protection, policy enforcement, challenges encountered in their activities and their relationships with other stakeholders. Actor linkage matrix was used to establish the relationships between different stakeholders. The identified stakeholder groups included the local community, State, international and local NGOs, economic operators (forest exploitation and sport hunting enterprises), and also the rules guiding their activities. Conflicts were rife between the community and the other stakeholders with regard to resource accessibility and use, whereas intra-community conflicts mostly resulted from cases of corruption and embezzlement linked to benefits sharing. Cases of collaboration among all the stakeholders were mostly related to anti-poaching patrols and setting of forest concession limits. There is a need to bring all stakeholders on the same platform, such as in a consultation workshop, to get their perceptions on building trust, conflict resolution and genuine collaboration in resources management.展开更多
Plant biofertilization involves introducing compounds containing living mi-croorganisms into the coating medium to sustainably enhance plant production and soil health. This is a complex process that undergoes multipl...Plant biofertilization involves introducing compounds containing living mi-croorganisms into the coating medium to sustainably enhance plant production and soil health. This is a complex process that undergoes multiple stages of development before yielding a final product. The final biofertilizer is used by legumes-protein-rich crops in symbiosis with rhizobia to enable biological nitrogen fixation increasing natural soil fertility. This study aims to determine the optimal formulation of a rhizobial biofertilizer to improve the performance of soybean (Glycine max L. cv. Docko). To this end, soybean seeds obtained from IRAD were coated with different formulations derived from locally sourced materials. Palm kernel oil was used as an adhesive in one group, while corn powder served as an adhesive in another. The coated seeds were then sown in the field. The results indicate that the combination of pigeon pea powder + sugarcane molasses, with palm kernel oil as an adhesive, produced the best nodulation (nitrogen fixation). This formulation also led to significant improvements in growth (+350%) and total nitrogen content (+1100%) compared to the bacterial broth inoculum control (B0) (P ≤ 0.01). These findings represent a significant advancement in improving nitrogen-fixing bacterial inoculants and enhancing soil fertility for the sustainable cultivation of soybeans in this tropical soil.展开更多
In order to contribute to a better understanding of the biodiversity of local chicken populations, this study focused on the description of the essential qualitative parameters in the phenotypic characterization of lo...In order to contribute to a better understanding of the biodiversity of local chicken populations, this study focused on the description of the essential qualitative parameters in the phenotypic characterization of local species. Conducted in 6 localities in the Far North Region of Cameroon (Doukoula, Yagoua, Guidiguis, Dziguilao, Maroua 3rd and Méri), a population of 240 local chickens, including 172 hens and 68 cocks were characterized in family farms. The choice of localities was made on the basis of their strong potential local chicken flocks in the region. To this end, each animal was the subject of a qualitative description based on the identification of the sex of the animal, the description of the colorations of the plumage and extremities, and the description of the types of format, plumage and crests. All observations were made with the naked eye and in daylight and then photographed. The main results show that the plumage colors are multiple and dominated by the White-Pied-Black (21.7%) and the Mille-fleur (20.8%);the wattles are dominated by the red (60%) and the pink (35.4%);the tarsi are dominated by the white (43.8%) and the black (32.08%);the white skin (92.5%) dominates over the pink skin (7.5%);the “Smooth-uniform” feather is dominant (97.08%), followed by the smooth-crested type (2.08%) and the fries type (0.82%);the medium size of the chickens is dominant (86.66%), followed by the dwarf size (9.58%) and the large size (3.75%). The results of this study demonstrate that there is a strong phenotypic diversity within the local chicken population. This diversity can serve as a basis for the development of selection, conservation and genetic potential improvement programs based on rational exploitation of the local chicken.展开更多
The Rio Grande variety of tomato is widely grown because of its high productivity during the cold and dry seasons, and its resistance to Verticillium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporium) and to stem canker (Alternaria...The Rio Grande variety of tomato is widely grown because of its high productivity during the cold and dry seasons, and its resistance to Verticillium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporium) and to stem canker (Alternaria). Grafting tomato onto compatible rootstocks resistant to these diseases offers a better potential to overcome soil-borne diseases, abiotic stresses, improve growth, yield and fruit quality. However, in Cameroon, there is little or no information on grafting between Rio Grande tomato and selected eggplant rootstocks. The objectives of this study were: 1) To determine the compatibility between Rio tomato grafting and a popular local eggplant (Nkeya) rootstock;2) To verify the effect of grafting on flowering time;3) To evaluate the effect of eggplant rootstocks on growth, fruit shelf life and fruit quality of Rio tomatoes. The trial was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Rio Grande (To) was the ungrafted treatment used as a control. To/Ko, To/To and To/Nk were the grafted treatments eventually transplanted to the field. Growth data were subjected to analysis of variance using SPSS software. Descriptive analyses were performed for the other parameters. The results revealed that, 1) The cleft grafting method used was successful with success rate varying between 90 and 100%;2) Grafting influenced flowering date (DAT, p = 0.05) as well as tomato growth parameters including stem height (H, 1.49 × 10<sup>-10</sup> p 0.00014) and collar diameter (SD, 4 × 10<sup>-1</sup><sup>4</sup> p 0.009). The To/To treatment was significantly different from the ungrafted cultivar To, which had no significant difference in stem diameter. A significant difference in plant height was also observed between the ungrafted treatment To and the To/Ko and To/Nk treatments. In addition, only the collar diameter of To/Nk was different from To. Also, there was no significant difference between To/To and To, but a significant difference between To/Ko and To/Nk compared to To. Conversely, grafting improved the lifespan of To/Ko. Ultimately, the grafting method used was successful, but further studies are needed to overcome the problem of graft incompatibility in order to improve the agronomic performance of grafted plants.展开更多
Men and women farmer participation and choice of variety could guide breeding and drive the adoption of different haricot bean varieties. Thus, understanding how gender influences participation and choice of bean cult...Men and women farmer participation and choice of variety could guide breeding and drive the adoption of different haricot bean varieties. Thus, understanding how gender influences participation and choice of bean cultivation and marketing is fundamental. The study sought to analyse how socio-cultural norms determine women and men, participation and choice of variety for cultivation and sale in Cameroon’s West region. A mixed-method was used in collecting data from men and women farmers in six subdivisions in the West region of Cameroon in 2019. Result reveals that women provide most of the labour on haricot bean production than men, who are more involved in selling to national and regional markets. Participation and role were driven by socio-cultural norms of what is expected of men and women in a society where women provide food and men income for household upkeep. Women preferred varieties that were less labour intensive and food taste for household consumption while men went for labour intensive as long as they were market-oriented and high yielding. Thus, breeders should develop varieties that are mostly preferred by women, which meet the market and household demand.展开更多
To evaluate the actual status of water quality and conclude on the mains source of pollution in the Nyong estuary River, seasonal and spatial variation of water quality parameters was interpreted by multivariate stati...To evaluate the actual status of water quality and conclude on the mains source of pollution in the Nyong estuary River, seasonal and spatial variation of water quality parameters was interpreted by multivariate statistical techniques (Principal Component analysis). Nine (09) environmental variables were monitored at four surface stations in the estuary for two seasonal cycles. The fieldwork was conducted from 2018 to 2019 during high tide and low <span style="letter-spacing:0.1pt;">tide for each survey. In situ physical parameters were measured for a total of 64 samples (32 samples for each tide). The laboratory works consisted of some physicochemical analyses and processing of these data by descriptive <span style="letter-spacing:0.1pt;">and multidimensional statistical analyses. Temperature, suspended particle matter, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate change significantly in the estuary with season (p < 0.05), while salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and ammonium do not vary significantly with season (p > 0.05). Principal Component analysis found temperature, salinity, pH, ammonium to be the most important parameters contributing to the fluctuations of surface water quality in the Nyong estuary during the dry seasons whereas suspended particle matter, nitrate, and phosphate are the most important parameters contributing to the fluctuation of surface water quality in the Nyong estuary during the rainy seasons. Based on spatial variation, the Principal Component analysis found that, suspended particle matter, nitrate and phosphate contribute to the fluctuation of surface water quality parameters upstream of the estuary while downstream salinity, pH, and ammonium contribute the most to the fluctuation of surface water quality. This study shows us the usefulness of multivariate statistical techniques used in assessing water quality data sets that would help us in un<span style="letter-spacing:0.1pt;">derstanding seasonal and spatial variations of water quality parameters to manage estuarine systems.展开更多
A field experiment was conducted in the Western Highlands of Cameroon to study the effects of Calliandra calothyrsus, sterilized compost, non-sterilized compost and mineral fertilizers （NPK 11：11：22） on physical c...A field experiment was conducted in the Western Highlands of Cameroon to study the effects of Calliandra calothyrsus, sterilized compost, non-sterilized compost and mineral fertilizers （NPK 11：11：22） on physical characteristics, yield components and late blight disease severity of potato （Solanum tuberosum）. A two factorial treatment combination made up of fertilization schemes and sanitary measures were laid out in a randomized complete block design （RCBD） with four replicates and 10 treatments. Data collected were subjected to a multivariate ANOVA and means separated with the Dunnett t-test with Calliandra calothyrsus considered as the main treatment. Mineral fertilizers and Calliandra calothyrsus significantly augmented stem diameter, plant height and plant vigor, total and marketable yields, despite the fact that late blight severity was high in the two treatments. The correlation matrix showed that total yield had significant and positive correlation with stem diameter （r = 0.74）, plant height （r = 0.61）, plant vigor （r = 0.61） and marketable yield （r = 0.99） and negative correlation （r = -37） with late blight severity. The increase observed is attributed to the nutrient contents of the treatments applied. Leafy prunings of C. calothyrsus increase soil organic matter which probably improves moisture retention and biological activity. The highest late blight severity recorded between the 45 and 60 coincides with active development of plant canopy which influences disease severity and create a canopy microclimate conducive to disease development. This study suggests that Calliandra calothyrsus has the potential of improving potato production provided appropriate fungicide is used.展开更多
This study of the impact of heart rot of <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Pericopsis elata</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> on logging yield was cond...This study of the impact of heart rot of <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Pericopsis elata</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> on logging yield was conducted in Libongo, in three logging concessions of the </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Société d'Exploitation Forestière et Agricole du Cameroun</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> (SEFAC). An inventory of 92 </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P. elata</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> stumps in four Annual Cutting Areas (AACs) divided among three Forest Management Units (FMUs) distinguished by Minimum Operating Diameter </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(MOD) revealed that 22 stumps were rotten. Decay was visible on stumps wit</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">h a diameter of more than 100 cm with a frequency of occurrence of 23.91%, a percentage of abandonment of 55.20% and a yield of 44.79%. The most important economic loss was revealed on 9 abandoned whole logs that cumu</span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">lated a volume of 145.547 m</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">3</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. The correlation between the diameter of the</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> stumps and that of the decay gives a coefficient or correlation rate r = 0.31. The MOD for </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P. elata</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> could be 80 cm and covers the biological risk class. The results indicate that </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P. elata</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> shows an increasing gradient of decay rate with increasing tree diameter, resulting in a loss of material for larger diameter trees, and consequently a decrease in material yield at processing.</span>展开更多
The overall objective of the present study is to evaluate the impact of the heap fermentation of cocoa on microbial dynamics and physicochemical parameters of the soil. The methodology was to heap fermentation broad b...The overall objective of the present study is to evaluate the impact of the heap fermentation of cocoa on microbial dynamics and physicochemical parameters of the soil. The methodology was to heap fermentation broad beans 600 cocoa pods moved to a place after the soil was taken for microbiological and physicochemical analyzes considered the control sample. In addition, cocoa lixiviate and soil were subjected to analyze. Chemical analysis of cocoa lixiviate revealed the absence of heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium. It appears from the analysis of soil than clays represent on average 46.67%, 8.03% for fine silt, heavy silt 5.69%, 15.39% fine sands and heavy sands 20.02%. Microbiological analysis revealed the abundance of total coliform up to 4.6× 103 CFU/g soil. The variations of the abundance of yeasts are 0.01 × 103 CFU/g soil obtained on day 2 at 12 o＇clock to 3.5 × 103 CFU/g soil observed on day 3 to 18 pm （0-3 cm deep）. However, further study on the assessment of biodiversity after the fermentation would determine its species richness.展开更多
This study was carried out in the forest reserve of Mbalmayo, Center Region of Cameroon, with the aim to analyze the dynamics of land use/land cover (LULC) changes over the past 30 years. The databases used were made ...This study was carried out in the forest reserve of Mbalmayo, Center Region of Cameroon, with the aim to analyze the dynamics of land use/land cover (LULC) changes over the past 30 years. The databases used were made up of 3 Landsat satellite images (5TM of 1990, 7ETM+ of 2005 and 8OLI of 2020). The satellite images were processed using ArcGIS and Erdas Imagine software. Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted to investigate the relationships between the local population and the forest reserve. The Mbalmayo forest reserve is consisted of seven main land cover namely: mature secondary forest, young secondary forest, savanna, fallows and crops, built, bare soil and water surface. The dynamics of the forest cover undergoes more significant changes between the years 1990-2005 with losses estimate at 4762 ha compared to the years 2005-2020 (2231 ha), with a marked decrease in the area of dense forests. This regression is much more important in dense forest vegetation. The forest cover lost 6993 ha (26.92%) of its surface, which corresponds to an average rate of deforestation of 233.1 ha/year. The survey revealed the need for NTFPs for the Mbalmayo reserve forest populations. Indeed, all respondents agreed that they use non-timber forest products from the forest, mainly for medication (37%), wood (34%) and food (24%). Therefore, it becomes urgent to redefine a management plan for the Mbalmayo forest reserve which will define how the forest must be managed in order to avoid the loss of large areas of forests disappearing each year under the human action, which exerts pressure on forest species, thus leading to their possible disappearance.展开更多
The cultivation of fruit trees generally requires a nursery phase during which the young seedlings are monitored and treated to improve their ability to adapt to the environment. This leads to the production of seedli...The cultivation of fruit trees generally requires a nursery phase during which the young seedlings are monitored and treated to improve their ability to adapt to the environment. This leads to the production of seedlings that are used to create orchards. It consists of four essential steps or operations: 1) The germination phase of the seeds in germinators for the production of rootstocks;2) Transplanting into pots or bags;3) Fertilisation in order to obtain seedlings of a satisfactory vigour (stem diameter) ready for grafting. The nursery phase requires a good understanding and mastery of plant regeneration and fertilisation techniques. In Cameroon, the demand for avocado (Persea americana) fruits is increasing, but the supply is not keeping up with this demand. After a summary monograph on the production practices of avocado seedlings in the Yaounde area, this work aims to optimise the aforementioned three steps in order to obtain seedlings of sufficient sizes for grafting. Three factors are considered in this study: 1) The substrate (Substrate), whose effects are evaluated by the germination rate (GR), the daily average germination (DAG) and the root volume of seedlings (RootV). 2) The transplanting date (TransD), determined by considering three dates including 40 (Trans40), 65 (Trans65) and 75 (Trans75) days after sowing, and 3) Fertilisation using biological fertilisers, evaluated by testing four fertilisation levels, Fert1 (10 gr of 20-10-10 plus 10 gr fowl droppings), Fert2 (Acaulospora tuberculata), Fert3 (Gigaspora margarita) and Fert4 (Mixed mycorrhizal strains of Gigaspora margarita and Acaulospora tuberculata). This third factor is evaluated by growth parameters including leaf area (LeafA), chlorophyll index (ChlorInd), gain in Plant height (GainPltH) and plant diameter (GainPltD). The trial took place in the First Seed company, a seed production unit located in the Simbock district of Yaounde for the field phase, and the Biological Control Laboratory of the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Nlolbisson, Yaounde. Two trials were conducted, the first with the objective of determining the best substrate with a completely randomized block design in 2 replications, three substrates/replication. The second trial was done with a factorial design (Split plot) with three replicates, the main factor being the Transplanting Date (TransD) and the second factor the biological fertilizer. Data were separated using least significant difference at 5% treshhold. Results indicate a highly significant effect of substrate on RootV (p = 5.00E-03). This effect translated by an increase of 49.42% and 19.53% of root volume on sawdust respectively to sand and soil. Sawdust (100%) and soil (98%) affect germination by 8 days reduction over sand and the germination rate on these two substrates is higher than the one on sand (92%). The early transplanting (TransD40) allows a better growth of the seedlings in terms of stem length and the collar diameter. The only observation variable that stands out for the early nursery stage fertilisation is leaf area, which shows significant differences between the 4 fertilisation formulae tested. The chlorophyll index and leaf area are also strongly correlated with the seedling growth parameters. Our results show that the early transplanting stage (40 days after planting) combined with a germination on white sawdust should be proposed to reduce the production cycle of grafted seedlings in association with early application of biofertilisers or organic fertilizer.展开更多
Anthropogenic activities have contributed to pollution of water bodies through deposition of diverse pollutants amongst which are heavy metals. These pollutants, which at times are above the maximum concentration leve...Anthropogenic activities have contributed to pollution of water bodies through deposition of diverse pollutants amongst which are heavy metals. These pollutants, which at times are above the maximum concentration levels recommended, are detrimental to the quality of the water, soil and crops (plant) with subsequent human health risks. The objective of the work was to evaluate the impacts of human-based activities on the heavy metal properties of surface water with focus on the Kumba River basin. Field observations, interviews, field measurements and laboratory analyses of different water samples enabled us to collect the different data. The results show four main human-based activities within the river basin (agriculture, livestock production, domestic waste disposal and carwash activities) that pollute surface water. Approximately 20.61 tons of nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural activities, 156.48 tons of animal wastes, 2517.5 tons of domestic wastes and 1.52 tons of detergent from carwash activities were deposited into the river each year. A highly significant difference at 1% was observed between the upstream and downstream heavy metal loads in four of the five heavy metals tested except for copper that was not significant. Lead concentrations were highest in all the activities with an average of 2.4 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> representing 57.81%, followed by zinc with 1.596 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> (38.45%) and manganese with 0.155 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> (3.74%) for the different anthropogenic activities thus indicating that these activities highly lead to pollution of the Kumba River water. The level of zinc and manganese was significantly influenced at ρ 005 by anthropogenic activities though generally the variations were in the order: carwash (3.196 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>) < domestic waste disposal (3.347 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>) < agriculture (4.172 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>) < livestock (4.886 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>) respectively and leading to a total of 14.04 tons of heavy metal pollutants deposited each day.展开更多
This study emphasizes the formulation of three types of cookies viz potato flour with date powder and bean milk (PDBM), potato flour with sugar and bean milk (PSBM), and potato flour, sugar, and eggs as control. After...This study emphasizes the formulation of three types of cookies viz potato flour with date powder and bean milk (PDBM), potato flour with sugar and bean milk (PSBM), and potato flour, sugar, and eggs as control. After the substitution, the highest protein content was observed in PDBM (1.78 ± 0.12)% followed by PSBM, (1.35 ± 0.01)% and the lowest was in the control (0.91 ± 0.55)%. Moreover, cookies fortified with date palm powder increased the carbohydrate and fat contents compared to the control and significantly increased the calorific value of PDBM. The formulated cookies were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in iron (39.95 ± 3.00) mg/100 g and zinc (13.65 ± 1.61) mg/100 g in PDBM compared to other cookies. The date palm powder incorporated in cookies significantly increases the darkening of biscuits during cooking. The organoleptic characteristics of PDBM and PSBM were rated overall best when specific parameters were tested. With the shortage of wheat and importation constraints, an alternative provides a great market opportunity for local products like potatoes and beans. In addition, fortifying food products as cookies eaten by all will contribute to a more food and nutrition-secured world.展开更多
The popularization of <i>Dioscorea dumetorum</i> (Dioscoreaceae), a nutritious yam species is still marginal due to constraints such as the low interest of research, poor cultural practices, insufficient a...The popularization of <i>Dioscorea dumetorum</i> (Dioscoreaceae), a nutritious yam species is still marginal due to constraints such as the low interest of research, poor cultural practices, insufficient and expensive seeds, pests, and diseases. The latter pushes producers to use about 50% of their harvest as seed for the next planting season. The lack of a specific fertilizer formulation for yam production on the oxysols of Cameroon is another constraint. This study was aimed at enhancing the availability of quality seeds through the characterization of five yam accessions. One experiment was performed to determine the effect of cultivar and origin of tuber sets on their germination rate. The <span>second concerned the evaluation of cultivars and soil treatment effects on ag</span>ronomic parameters of yam seedlings. Yam cultivars were subjected to nine fertilizer formulations as follows: T0: no fertilizer;T1: mycorrhizal fungi (MF) + 150 g manure + peanut waste;T2: 25 g chemical fertilizer (20.10.10);T3: MF + peanut waste;T4: 16 g chemical fertilizer (12.6.20);T5: 25 g (20.10.10) +100 g CaO + 150 g manure;T6: 100 g CaO + 150 g manure;T7: 20 g tropicote + 2 g DAP (Diammonium phosphate, a reference starter fertilizer coded N18P46) + 100 g CaO + 150 g manure;and T8: mycorrhiza. These treatments were tested in a factorial design. Results show that Ibo sweet 3 and Mabondji sweet white 1 yam accessions were less affected by anthracnose disease on the aerial parts. Guzang 1 showed the best germination rate and yield, making it appropriate for cultivation in the region. Soil treatments, T2, T5, T7 and T8 significantly increased the yield of yam cultivars. Mycorrhiza treatment alone gave a better response to seed weight, indicating the interest of this biofertilizer as a solution for good seedling production. These fertilizer treatments can be recommended to farmers for more seed production with optimum seed weight (300 g).展开更多
<span style="font-family:Verdana;">The</span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> use of organic manures, constitute an alternative to that of polluting artificial fert...<span style="font-family:Verdana;">The</span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> use of organic manures, constitute an alternative to that of polluting artificial fertilizers. In this study, the effect of various levels of hen droppings fertilization on the production of biomass, chemical composition and carrying capacity of </span><i><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">clandestinum</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></span></i> </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">were evaluated at the Research and Experimental Farm (REF) and at the Animal Nutrition and Feeding Laboratory of </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">the University of Dschang, between April and September 2016. A completely randomized block design comparing three nitrogen level of fertilization in hen droppings form (0;100 and 200 kg N/ha) on 4 m</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> plot of </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></i></span><i><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">clandestinum</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> were used. Each treatment was carried out in four replications for a total of 12 experimental plots. Then a sample of 500 g of forage has been collected in the center of each plot, then dried and used for the evaluation of the biomass and the</span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> chemical composition of <i></i></span><i><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">clandestinum</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></span></i>, </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">according to the level of fertilization and the cutting frequency. The results showed that the fertilization with the hen droppings positively influenced (p < 0.05) regenera</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">tion at the first cutting frequency and the highest value (47.12 cm) was obtained with of 200 kg N/ha rate of fertilization. The biomass of this fodder increased significantly (p < 0.05) with the level of fertilization with hen droppings. Besides, it decrease</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">s</span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> with the increasing cutting of frequency whatever the level of fertilization. Independently of the fertilization and the cutting frequency, the maximum biomass (6.22 t DM/ha) was obtained with the first cutting at the 200 kg N/ha of hen droppings fertilization. The fertilization influenced in variable way the chemical composition of </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></i></span><i><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">clandestinum</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></span></i></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. The dry matter and organic matter content decrease with the level of fertilization and the highest values (83.79% and 89.39% respectively for the DM and OM) were obtained on the control plot at the third and the first cutting. Moreover, the ash and crude protein contents increased significantly (p < 0.05) with the cutting frequency of cutting and the level of fertilization applied. The highest ash (19.34% DM) and CP (20.04% DM) contents were obtained with of 200 kg N/ha of hen droppings at the second cutting frequency.</span>展开更多
In Cameroon, most farmers rely on their perceptions for fertility evaluation and choice of agricultural land units. However, because of environmental change, this knowledge is mostly disregarded. The use of farmers＇ ...In Cameroon, most farmers rely on their perceptions for fertility evaluation and choice of agricultural land units. However, because of environmental change, this knowledge is mostly disregarded. The use of farmers＇ knowledge is important for the identification of relevant information for the choice of agricultural land units. The objective of this study was to compare farmers＇ perceptions of soil fertility with a conventional scientific approach in two locations of the forest margin zone of Center Cameroon. Through interviews and soil analysis, this study spelled and weighed the relationships between farmers＇ perceptions and soil fertility status. One hundred and twenty households＇ heads were interviewed and 30 soil samples collected. Farmers＇ perceptions were used to assess the topsoil fertility status across the studied areas, while a conventional scientific approach was used to quantify soil fertility status by the means of a soil fertility index （SFI）. Results showed that farmers, for soil differentiation, used color, texture, depth, drainage and vegetation. Soil＇ names delivered key messages for their location. Although the low overall SFI approximated by the conventional approach, farmers＇ perceptions could differentiate fertility levels between soils. This knowledge is relevant for the design of technical innovations in perceived fertility niches.展开更多
Rice as staple food is the most important and valuable cereal crop in Cameroon, particularly in rural areas where poor population cannot afford to cook and eat at their convenience. With the outbreak of Nerica varieti...Rice as staple food is the most important and valuable cereal crop in Cameroon, particularly in rural areas where poor population cannot afford to cook and eat at their convenience. With the outbreak of Nerica varieties, it is important to evaluate and compare their nutritional and mineral properties to those of the local ones prior to their vulgarisation. Therefore, some nutritional and mineral properties of 4 Nerica and a local seeds varieties used in this study were harvested from control (T0), chemical fertilizer (TE), mycorrhiza (TM) applied plants, or their mixture (TEM). These seeds originating from Wakwa and/or Yagoua experimental sites were assessed and compared in a split-plot design (4 × 5) × 3 between treatments (4) and varieties (5). The local DIR-95 variety had values close to those of Nerica varieties in all the parameters assessed. Protein contents ranged from 17.66% - 24.35%, and was higher than those reported in rice samples elsewhere. All the studied varieties were classified as high amylose rice, and therefore, their textures in cooked form should be less sticky and harder, which is convenient to the diet behavior of many consumers. The relative low Fe content in Nerica rice suggest that these varieties may be resistant to Fe accumulation in seeds. The P, N, Mg contents were found to be more elevated in seeds harvested from mycorrhiza or chemical fertilizer applied plants, with Nerica seeds variety FKR62-N as the best of all in nutrients mineral and nutritional compositions. These results confirm varietal and site influences on proximate and mineral contents in the studied rice varieties.展开更多
The Sudanian-Sahelian zone of the Far-North Cameroon faces an extreme climate challenge resulting in increased vulnerability to erosion, soil degradation, and the effects of climate change, impacting soil fertility an...The Sudanian-Sahelian zone of the Far-North Cameroon faces an extreme climate challenge resulting in increased vulnerability to erosion, soil degradation, and the effects of climate change, impacting soil fertility and agricultural yields. The objective of this study was to analyze agricultural practices, challenges related to climate change and soil degradation, as well as the solutions adopted by farmers to address these issues. To achieve this, 600 farmers from the six departments of the region were interviewed. The results highlight the significant impact of climatic conditions on soil health, agricultural activities, and food security. Farmers identified various indicators of soil degradation, including agricultural yields, bioindicator plants, plant growth, soil fauna, and root density. The main causes of soil degradation are associated with practices such as deforestation, intensive agriculture, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, overgrazing, and the effects of climate change. The impacts of this degradation are multiple, including soil fertility loss, reduced agricultural yields, deforestation, reduced biodiversity, income loss, water resource pollution, and food insecurity. In response to these challenges, farmers have adopted sustainable soil management practices, including crop rotation, intercropping, fallowing, the use of organic fertilizers, and the adoption of conservation agriculture. To effectively address these challenges, concerted collaboration between farmers, civil society organizations, and government authorities is imperative to develop sustainable and effective solutions against soil degradation in the region.展开更多
Agroforests are man-made ecosystems in which crops are associated with a main perennial species like Robusta Coffee Agroforests (RCAs), which is counted among the main modes of perennial crops production in Cameroon. ...Agroforests are man-made ecosystems in which crops are associated with a main perennial species like Robusta Coffee Agroforests (RCAs), which is counted among the main modes of perennial crops production in Cameroon. Despite the rich ecosystem services provided, the diversity of Associated Species (AS) found in these RCAs and the structure of the landscapes they form remain little known in Cameroon. The current study aimed to inventory AS and characterize the structure of RCAs in four sites (Ayos, Malantouen, Melong and Nkongsamba) belonging to three robusta coffee production basins in Cameroon. A systematic inventory with dendrometric measurements of the wood AS and coffee trees was carried out on 120 one-hectare plot unit, i.e. 30 plots per site. The results showed that 102 AS belonging to 83 genera and 41 families were identified in these RCAs. The RCAs of Ayos in the dense rainforest zone with bimodal rainfall pattern were the most diverse with 71 species, followed by those of Melong and Nkongsamba with respectively 39 and 33 species respectively in the dense rainforest zone with monomodal rainfall pattern, and Malantouen with 33 species in the high savannahs of the west. Structurally, average coffee tree and AS densities founded ranged from 1208 - 1456 plants/ha and 71 - 214 stems/ha and those of basal area from 7.29 - 17.40 m<sup>2</sup>/ha for coffee trees and 7.97 - 16.14 m<sup>2</sup>/ha for AS in function of site. Basis on the vertical stratification, the proportion of the 3 - 6 m stratum, which is mainly represented by introduced AS, varied from 38% - 62% depending on the site. The results of this study showed that RCAs contribute to the conservation of plant biodiversity, given the specific richness identified in these ecosystems.展开更多
Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] is an important legume in the midst of about 170 species of its genus because it is an important source of protein and other essential nutrients for humans and animals. Its product...Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] is an important legume in the midst of about 170 species of its genus because it is an important source of protein and other essential nutrients for humans and animals. Its production faces many constraints such as the cowpea brown blotch disease caused by Colletotrichum capsici which contributes in wet conditions of the field to losses ranging from 42% to 100%. This study was conducted to identify Colletotrichum capsici isolates responsible for cowpea brown blotch disease and to determine their diversity in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. Identification and isolation were made from cowpea organ samples on the Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium and, morphological and biometric characteristics such as: the colony color, the mycelium shape, the abundance of acervules, the presence or absence of saltations, the mycelial growth rate, the conidia length and width were used to assess the diversity. The results obtained indicate that 55 Colletotrichum capsici isolates have been identified in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. Statistical analysis showed that there is a significant difference between isolates. Isolates showed multiple colony colours and were brown coloured as presented by 36.36% of isolates, compact mycelium is found in 56.36% of isolates, 56.36% of isolates have abundant acervulis, and saltations were absent in 45.45% of C. capsici isolates. The mycelial growth rate is between 6.69 mm/d and 12.33 mm/d. The principal component analysis (PCA) made indicated that there are differences between the observed and measured characteristics. The Hierarchical Ascending Classification (HAC) was done and 10 morphotypes of C. capsici in the Sudano-Sahelian zone were identified.展开更多
文摘This study, which took place around the Boumba-Bek National Park (BBNP) in Cameroon, was based on identifying and characterizing stakeholders in forest resources management, as well as determining the relationships between them, with the goal of encouraging collaborative forest resources management. Purposive sampling was adopted, in which focus group discussions, key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews, and snowball sampling were used for data collection. Focus group discussions were conducted with a total of 20 local associations involved in forest and wildlife management, Bantu traditional councils and the Baka community. Key informant interviews were conducted with local and international NGOs, forest exploitation and Sport hunting (Safari) enterprises and local public administrations that had working rapports with village communities around the BBNP. Information was generally sought on the role of stakeholders in forest management, in terms of use, protection, policy enforcement, challenges encountered in their activities and their relationships with other stakeholders. Actor linkage matrix was used to establish the relationships between different stakeholders. The identified stakeholder groups included the local community, State, international and local NGOs, economic operators (forest exploitation and sport hunting enterprises), and also the rules guiding their activities. Conflicts were rife between the community and the other stakeholders with regard to resource accessibility and use, whereas intra-community conflicts mostly resulted from cases of corruption and embezzlement linked to benefits sharing. Cases of collaboration among all the stakeholders were mostly related to anti-poaching patrols and setting of forest concession limits. There is a need to bring all stakeholders on the same platform, such as in a consultation workshop, to get their perceptions on building trust, conflict resolution and genuine collaboration in resources management.
文摘Plant biofertilization involves introducing compounds containing living mi-croorganisms into the coating medium to sustainably enhance plant production and soil health. This is a complex process that undergoes multiple stages of development before yielding a final product. The final biofertilizer is used by legumes-protein-rich crops in symbiosis with rhizobia to enable biological nitrogen fixation increasing natural soil fertility. This study aims to determine the optimal formulation of a rhizobial biofertilizer to improve the performance of soybean (Glycine max L. cv. Docko). To this end, soybean seeds obtained from IRAD were coated with different formulations derived from locally sourced materials. Palm kernel oil was used as an adhesive in one group, while corn powder served as an adhesive in another. The coated seeds were then sown in the field. The results indicate that the combination of pigeon pea powder + sugarcane molasses, with palm kernel oil as an adhesive, produced the best nodulation (nitrogen fixation). This formulation also led to significant improvements in growth (+350%) and total nitrogen content (+1100%) compared to the bacterial broth inoculum control (B0) (P ≤ 0.01). These findings represent a significant advancement in improving nitrogen-fixing bacterial inoculants and enhancing soil fertility for the sustainable cultivation of soybeans in this tropical soil.
文摘In order to contribute to a better understanding of the biodiversity of local chicken populations, this study focused on the description of the essential qualitative parameters in the phenotypic characterization of local species. Conducted in 6 localities in the Far North Region of Cameroon (Doukoula, Yagoua, Guidiguis, Dziguilao, Maroua 3rd and Méri), a population of 240 local chickens, including 172 hens and 68 cocks were characterized in family farms. The choice of localities was made on the basis of their strong potential local chicken flocks in the region. To this end, each animal was the subject of a qualitative description based on the identification of the sex of the animal, the description of the colorations of the plumage and extremities, and the description of the types of format, plumage and crests. All observations were made with the naked eye and in daylight and then photographed. The main results show that the plumage colors are multiple and dominated by the White-Pied-Black (21.7%) and the Mille-fleur (20.8%);the wattles are dominated by the red (60%) and the pink (35.4%);the tarsi are dominated by the white (43.8%) and the black (32.08%);the white skin (92.5%) dominates over the pink skin (7.5%);the “Smooth-uniform” feather is dominant (97.08%), followed by the smooth-crested type (2.08%) and the fries type (0.82%);the medium size of the chickens is dominant (86.66%), followed by the dwarf size (9.58%) and the large size (3.75%). The results of this study demonstrate that there is a strong phenotypic diversity within the local chicken population. This diversity can serve as a basis for the development of selection, conservation and genetic potential improvement programs based on rational exploitation of the local chicken.
文摘The Rio Grande variety of tomato is widely grown because of its high productivity during the cold and dry seasons, and its resistance to Verticillium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporium) and to stem canker (Alternaria). Grafting tomato onto compatible rootstocks resistant to these diseases offers a better potential to overcome soil-borne diseases, abiotic stresses, improve growth, yield and fruit quality. However, in Cameroon, there is little or no information on grafting between Rio Grande tomato and selected eggplant rootstocks. The objectives of this study were: 1) To determine the compatibility between Rio tomato grafting and a popular local eggplant (Nkeya) rootstock;2) To verify the effect of grafting on flowering time;3) To evaluate the effect of eggplant rootstocks on growth, fruit shelf life and fruit quality of Rio tomatoes. The trial was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Rio Grande (To) was the ungrafted treatment used as a control. To/Ko, To/To and To/Nk were the grafted treatments eventually transplanted to the field. Growth data were subjected to analysis of variance using SPSS software. Descriptive analyses were performed for the other parameters. The results revealed that, 1) The cleft grafting method used was successful with success rate varying between 90 and 100%;2) Grafting influenced flowering date (DAT, p = 0.05) as well as tomato growth parameters including stem height (H, 1.49 × 10<sup>-10</sup> p 0.00014) and collar diameter (SD, 4 × 10<sup>-1</sup><sup>4</sup> p 0.009). The To/To treatment was significantly different from the ungrafted cultivar To, which had no significant difference in stem diameter. A significant difference in plant height was also observed between the ungrafted treatment To and the To/Ko and To/Nk treatments. In addition, only the collar diameter of To/Nk was different from To. Also, there was no significant difference between To/To and To, but a significant difference between To/Ko and To/Nk compared to To. Conversely, grafting improved the lifespan of To/Ko. Ultimately, the grafting method used was successful, but further studies are needed to overcome the problem of graft incompatibility in order to improve the agronomic performance of grafted plants.
文摘Men and women farmer participation and choice of variety could guide breeding and drive the adoption of different haricot bean varieties. Thus, understanding how gender influences participation and choice of bean cultivation and marketing is fundamental. The study sought to analyse how socio-cultural norms determine women and men, participation and choice of variety for cultivation and sale in Cameroon’s West region. A mixed-method was used in collecting data from men and women farmers in six subdivisions in the West region of Cameroon in 2019. Result reveals that women provide most of the labour on haricot bean production than men, who are more involved in selling to national and regional markets. Participation and role were driven by socio-cultural norms of what is expected of men and women in a society where women provide food and men income for household upkeep. Women preferred varieties that were less labour intensive and food taste for household consumption while men went for labour intensive as long as they were market-oriented and high yielding. Thus, breeders should develop varieties that are mostly preferred by women, which meet the market and household demand.
文摘To evaluate the actual status of water quality and conclude on the mains source of pollution in the Nyong estuary River, seasonal and spatial variation of water quality parameters was interpreted by multivariate statistical techniques (Principal Component analysis). Nine (09) environmental variables were monitored at four surface stations in the estuary for two seasonal cycles. The fieldwork was conducted from 2018 to 2019 during high tide and low <span style="letter-spacing:0.1pt;">tide for each survey. In situ physical parameters were measured for a total of 64 samples (32 samples for each tide). The laboratory works consisted of some physicochemical analyses and processing of these data by descriptive <span style="letter-spacing:0.1pt;">and multidimensional statistical analyses. Temperature, suspended particle matter, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate change significantly in the estuary with season (p < 0.05), while salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and ammonium do not vary significantly with season (p > 0.05). Principal Component analysis found temperature, salinity, pH, ammonium to be the most important parameters contributing to the fluctuations of surface water quality in the Nyong estuary during the dry seasons whereas suspended particle matter, nitrate, and phosphate are the most important parameters contributing to the fluctuation of surface water quality in the Nyong estuary during the rainy seasons. Based on spatial variation, the Principal Component analysis found that, suspended particle matter, nitrate and phosphate contribute to the fluctuation of surface water quality parameters upstream of the estuary while downstream salinity, pH, and ammonium contribute the most to the fluctuation of surface water quality. This study shows us the usefulness of multivariate statistical techniques used in assessing water quality data sets that would help us in un<span style="letter-spacing:0.1pt;">derstanding seasonal and spatial variations of water quality parameters to manage estuarine systems.
文摘A field experiment was conducted in the Western Highlands of Cameroon to study the effects of Calliandra calothyrsus, sterilized compost, non-sterilized compost and mineral fertilizers （NPK 11：11：22） on physical characteristics, yield components and late blight disease severity of potato （Solanum tuberosum）. A two factorial treatment combination made up of fertilization schemes and sanitary measures were laid out in a randomized complete block design （RCBD） with four replicates and 10 treatments. Data collected were subjected to a multivariate ANOVA and means separated with the Dunnett t-test with Calliandra calothyrsus considered as the main treatment. Mineral fertilizers and Calliandra calothyrsus significantly augmented stem diameter, plant height and plant vigor, total and marketable yields, despite the fact that late blight severity was high in the two treatments. The correlation matrix showed that total yield had significant and positive correlation with stem diameter （r = 0.74）, plant height （r = 0.61）, plant vigor （r = 0.61） and marketable yield （r = 0.99） and negative correlation （r = -37） with late blight severity. The increase observed is attributed to the nutrient contents of the treatments applied. Leafy prunings of C. calothyrsus increase soil organic matter which probably improves moisture retention and biological activity. The highest late blight severity recorded between the 45 and 60 coincides with active development of plant canopy which influences disease severity and create a canopy microclimate conducive to disease development. This study suggests that Calliandra calothyrsus has the potential of improving potato production provided appropriate fungicide is used.
文摘This study of the impact of heart rot of <i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Pericopsis elata</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> on logging yield was conducted in Libongo, in three logging concessions of the </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">Société d'Exploitation Forestière et Agricole du Cameroun</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> (SEFAC). An inventory of 92 </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P. elata</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> stumps in four Annual Cutting Areas (AACs) divided among three Forest Management Units (FMUs) distinguished by Minimum Operating Diameter </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(MOD) revealed that 22 stumps were rotten. Decay was visible on stumps wit</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">h a diameter of more than 100 cm with a frequency of occurrence of 23.91%, a percentage of abandonment of 55.20% and a yield of 44.79%. The most important economic loss was revealed on 9 abandoned whole logs that cumu</span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">lated a volume of 145.547 m</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">3</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. The correlation between the diameter of the</span></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> stumps and that of the decay gives a coefficient or correlation rate r = 0.31. The MOD for </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P. elata</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> could be 80 cm and covers the biological risk class. The results indicate that </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P. elata</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> shows an increasing gradient of decay rate with increasing tree diameter, resulting in a loss of material for larger diameter trees, and consequently a decrease in material yield at processing.</span>
文摘The overall objective of the present study is to evaluate the impact of the heap fermentation of cocoa on microbial dynamics and physicochemical parameters of the soil. The methodology was to heap fermentation broad beans 600 cocoa pods moved to a place after the soil was taken for microbiological and physicochemical analyzes considered the control sample. In addition, cocoa lixiviate and soil were subjected to analyze. Chemical analysis of cocoa lixiviate revealed the absence of heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium. It appears from the analysis of soil than clays represent on average 46.67%, 8.03% for fine silt, heavy silt 5.69%, 15.39% fine sands and heavy sands 20.02%. Microbiological analysis revealed the abundance of total coliform up to 4.6× 103 CFU/g soil. The variations of the abundance of yeasts are 0.01 × 103 CFU/g soil obtained on day 2 at 12 o＇clock to 3.5 × 103 CFU/g soil observed on day 3 to 18 pm （0-3 cm deep）. However, further study on the assessment of biodiversity after the fermentation would determine its species richness.
文摘This study was carried out in the forest reserve of Mbalmayo, Center Region of Cameroon, with the aim to analyze the dynamics of land use/land cover (LULC) changes over the past 30 years. The databases used were made up of 3 Landsat satellite images (5TM of 1990, 7ETM+ of 2005 and 8OLI of 2020). The satellite images were processed using ArcGIS and Erdas Imagine software. Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted to investigate the relationships between the local population and the forest reserve. The Mbalmayo forest reserve is consisted of seven main land cover namely: mature secondary forest, young secondary forest, savanna, fallows and crops, built, bare soil and water surface. The dynamics of the forest cover undergoes more significant changes between the years 1990-2005 with losses estimate at 4762 ha compared to the years 2005-2020 (2231 ha), with a marked decrease in the area of dense forests. This regression is much more important in dense forest vegetation. The forest cover lost 6993 ha (26.92%) of its surface, which corresponds to an average rate of deforestation of 233.1 ha/year. The survey revealed the need for NTFPs for the Mbalmayo reserve forest populations. Indeed, all respondents agreed that they use non-timber forest products from the forest, mainly for medication (37%), wood (34%) and food (24%). Therefore, it becomes urgent to redefine a management plan for the Mbalmayo forest reserve which will define how the forest must be managed in order to avoid the loss of large areas of forests disappearing each year under the human action, which exerts pressure on forest species, thus leading to their possible disappearance.
文摘The cultivation of fruit trees generally requires a nursery phase during which the young seedlings are monitored and treated to improve their ability to adapt to the environment. This leads to the production of seedlings that are used to create orchards. It consists of four essential steps or operations: 1) The germination phase of the seeds in germinators for the production of rootstocks;2) Transplanting into pots or bags;3) Fertilisation in order to obtain seedlings of a satisfactory vigour (stem diameter) ready for grafting. The nursery phase requires a good understanding and mastery of plant regeneration and fertilisation techniques. In Cameroon, the demand for avocado (Persea americana) fruits is increasing, but the supply is not keeping up with this demand. After a summary monograph on the production practices of avocado seedlings in the Yaounde area, this work aims to optimise the aforementioned three steps in order to obtain seedlings of sufficient sizes for grafting. Three factors are considered in this study: 1) The substrate (Substrate), whose effects are evaluated by the germination rate (GR), the daily average germination (DAG) and the root volume of seedlings (RootV). 2) The transplanting date (TransD), determined by considering three dates including 40 (Trans40), 65 (Trans65) and 75 (Trans75) days after sowing, and 3) Fertilisation using biological fertilisers, evaluated by testing four fertilisation levels, Fert1 (10 gr of 20-10-10 plus 10 gr fowl droppings), Fert2 (Acaulospora tuberculata), Fert3 (Gigaspora margarita) and Fert4 (Mixed mycorrhizal strains of Gigaspora margarita and Acaulospora tuberculata). This third factor is evaluated by growth parameters including leaf area (LeafA), chlorophyll index (ChlorInd), gain in Plant height (GainPltH) and plant diameter (GainPltD). The trial took place in the First Seed company, a seed production unit located in the Simbock district of Yaounde for the field phase, and the Biological Control Laboratory of the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Nlolbisson, Yaounde. Two trials were conducted, the first with the objective of determining the best substrate with a completely randomized block design in 2 replications, three substrates/replication. The second trial was done with a factorial design (Split plot) with three replicates, the main factor being the Transplanting Date (TransD) and the second factor the biological fertilizer. Data were separated using least significant difference at 5% treshhold. Results indicate a highly significant effect of substrate on RootV (p = 5.00E-03). This effect translated by an increase of 49.42% and 19.53% of root volume on sawdust respectively to sand and soil. Sawdust (100%) and soil (98%) affect germination by 8 days reduction over sand and the germination rate on these two substrates is higher than the one on sand (92%). The early transplanting (TransD40) allows a better growth of the seedlings in terms of stem length and the collar diameter. The only observation variable that stands out for the early nursery stage fertilisation is leaf area, which shows significant differences between the 4 fertilisation formulae tested. The chlorophyll index and leaf area are also strongly correlated with the seedling growth parameters. Our results show that the early transplanting stage (40 days after planting) combined with a germination on white sawdust should be proposed to reduce the production cycle of grafted seedlings in association with early application of biofertilisers or organic fertilizer.
文摘Anthropogenic activities have contributed to pollution of water bodies through deposition of diverse pollutants amongst which are heavy metals. These pollutants, which at times are above the maximum concentration levels recommended, are detrimental to the quality of the water, soil and crops (plant) with subsequent human health risks. The objective of the work was to evaluate the impacts of human-based activities on the heavy metal properties of surface water with focus on the Kumba River basin. Field observations, interviews, field measurements and laboratory analyses of different water samples enabled us to collect the different data. The results show four main human-based activities within the river basin (agriculture, livestock production, domestic waste disposal and carwash activities) that pollute surface water. Approximately 20.61 tons of nitrogen and phosphorus from agricultural activities, 156.48 tons of animal wastes, 2517.5 tons of domestic wastes and 1.52 tons of detergent from carwash activities were deposited into the river each year. A highly significant difference at 1% was observed between the upstream and downstream heavy metal loads in four of the five heavy metals tested except for copper that was not significant. Lead concentrations were highest in all the activities with an average of 2.4 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> representing 57.81%, followed by zinc with 1.596 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> (38.45%) and manganese with 0.155 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> (3.74%) for the different anthropogenic activities thus indicating that these activities highly lead to pollution of the Kumba River water. The level of zinc and manganese was significantly influenced at ρ 005 by anthropogenic activities though generally the variations were in the order: carwash (3.196 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>) < domestic waste disposal (3.347 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>) < agriculture (4.172 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>) < livestock (4.886 mg∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>) respectively and leading to a total of 14.04 tons of heavy metal pollutants deposited each day.
文摘This study emphasizes the formulation of three types of cookies viz potato flour with date powder and bean milk (PDBM), potato flour with sugar and bean milk (PSBM), and potato flour, sugar, and eggs as control. After the substitution, the highest protein content was observed in PDBM (1.78 ± 0.12)% followed by PSBM, (1.35 ± 0.01)% and the lowest was in the control (0.91 ± 0.55)%. Moreover, cookies fortified with date palm powder increased the carbohydrate and fat contents compared to the control and significantly increased the calorific value of PDBM. The formulated cookies were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in iron (39.95 ± 3.00) mg/100 g and zinc (13.65 ± 1.61) mg/100 g in PDBM compared to other cookies. The date palm powder incorporated in cookies significantly increases the darkening of biscuits during cooking. The organoleptic characteristics of PDBM and PSBM were rated overall best when specific parameters were tested. With the shortage of wheat and importation constraints, an alternative provides a great market opportunity for local products like potatoes and beans. In addition, fortifying food products as cookies eaten by all will contribute to a more food and nutrition-secured world.
文摘The popularization of <i>Dioscorea dumetorum</i> (Dioscoreaceae), a nutritious yam species is still marginal due to constraints such as the low interest of research, poor cultural practices, insufficient and expensive seeds, pests, and diseases. The latter pushes producers to use about 50% of their harvest as seed for the next planting season. The lack of a specific fertilizer formulation for yam production on the oxysols of Cameroon is another constraint. This study was aimed at enhancing the availability of quality seeds through the characterization of five yam accessions. One experiment was performed to determine the effect of cultivar and origin of tuber sets on their germination rate. The <span>second concerned the evaluation of cultivars and soil treatment effects on ag</span>ronomic parameters of yam seedlings. Yam cultivars were subjected to nine fertilizer formulations as follows: T0: no fertilizer;T1: mycorrhizal fungi (MF) + 150 g manure + peanut waste;T2: 25 g chemical fertilizer (20.10.10);T3: MF + peanut waste;T4: 16 g chemical fertilizer (12.6.20);T5: 25 g (20.10.10) +100 g CaO + 150 g manure;T6: 100 g CaO + 150 g manure;T7: 20 g tropicote + 2 g DAP (Diammonium phosphate, a reference starter fertilizer coded N18P46) + 100 g CaO + 150 g manure;and T8: mycorrhiza. These treatments were tested in a factorial design. Results show that Ibo sweet 3 and Mabondji sweet white 1 yam accessions were less affected by anthracnose disease on the aerial parts. Guzang 1 showed the best germination rate and yield, making it appropriate for cultivation in the region. Soil treatments, T2, T5, T7 and T8 significantly increased the yield of yam cultivars. Mycorrhiza treatment alone gave a better response to seed weight, indicating the interest of this biofertilizer as a solution for good seedling production. These fertilizer treatments can be recommended to farmers for more seed production with optimum seed weight (300 g).
文摘<span style="font-family:Verdana;">The</span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> use of organic manures, constitute an alternative to that of polluting artificial fertilizers. In this study, the effect of various levels of hen droppings fertilization on the production of biomass, chemical composition and carrying capacity of </span><i><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">clandestinum</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></span></i> </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">were evaluated at the Research and Experimental Farm (REF) and at the Animal Nutrition and Feeding Laboratory of </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">the University of Dschang, between April and September 2016. A completely randomized block design comparing three nitrogen level of fertilization in hen droppings form (0;100 and 200 kg N/ha) on 4 m</span><sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;">2</span></sup><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> plot of </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></i></span><i><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">clandestinum</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> were used. Each treatment was carried out in four replications for a total of 12 experimental plots. Then a sample of 500 g of forage has been collected in the center of each plot, then dried and used for the evaluation of the biomass and the</span><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> chemical composition of <i></i></span><i><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">clandestinum</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></span></i>, </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">according to the level of fertilization and the cutting frequency. The results showed that the fertilization with the hen droppings positively influenced (p < 0.05) regenera</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">tion at the first cutting frequency and the highest value (47.12 cm) was obtained with of 200 kg N/ha rate of fertilization. The biomass of this fodder increased significantly (p < 0.05) with the level of fertilization with hen droppings. Besides, it decrease</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">s</span><span style="font-family:;" "=""><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> with the increasing cutting of frequency whatever the level of fertilization. Independently of the fertilization and the cutting frequency, the maximum biomass (6.22 t DM/ha) was obtained with the first cutting at the 200 kg N/ha of hen droppings fertilization. The fertilization influenced in variable way the chemical composition of </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></i></span><i><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">clandestinum</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></span></span></i></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">. The dry matter and organic matter content decrease with the level of fertilization and the highest values (83.79% and 89.39% respectively for the DM and OM) were obtained on the control plot at the third and the first cutting. Moreover, the ash and crude protein contents increased significantly (p < 0.05) with the cutting frequency of cutting and the level of fertilization applied. The highest ash (19.34% DM) and CP (20.04% DM) contents were obtained with of 200 kg N/ha of hen droppings at the second cutting frequency.</span>
文摘In Cameroon, most farmers rely on their perceptions for fertility evaluation and choice of agricultural land units. However, because of environmental change, this knowledge is mostly disregarded. The use of farmers＇ knowledge is important for the identification of relevant information for the choice of agricultural land units. The objective of this study was to compare farmers＇ perceptions of soil fertility with a conventional scientific approach in two locations of the forest margin zone of Center Cameroon. Through interviews and soil analysis, this study spelled and weighed the relationships between farmers＇ perceptions and soil fertility status. One hundred and twenty households＇ heads were interviewed and 30 soil samples collected. Farmers＇ perceptions were used to assess the topsoil fertility status across the studied areas, while a conventional scientific approach was used to quantify soil fertility status by the means of a soil fertility index （SFI）. Results showed that farmers, for soil differentiation, used color, texture, depth, drainage and vegetation. Soil＇ names delivered key messages for their location. Although the low overall SFI approximated by the conventional approach, farmers＇ perceptions could differentiate fertility levels between soils. This knowledge is relevant for the design of technical innovations in perceived fertility niches.
文摘Rice as staple food is the most important and valuable cereal crop in Cameroon, particularly in rural areas where poor population cannot afford to cook and eat at their convenience. With the outbreak of Nerica varieties, it is important to evaluate and compare their nutritional and mineral properties to those of the local ones prior to their vulgarisation. Therefore, some nutritional and mineral properties of 4 Nerica and a local seeds varieties used in this study were harvested from control (T0), chemical fertilizer (TE), mycorrhiza (TM) applied plants, or their mixture (TEM). These seeds originating from Wakwa and/or Yagoua experimental sites were assessed and compared in a split-plot design (4 × 5) × 3 between treatments (4) and varieties (5). The local DIR-95 variety had values close to those of Nerica varieties in all the parameters assessed. Protein contents ranged from 17.66% - 24.35%, and was higher than those reported in rice samples elsewhere. All the studied varieties were classified as high amylose rice, and therefore, their textures in cooked form should be less sticky and harder, which is convenient to the diet behavior of many consumers. The relative low Fe content in Nerica rice suggest that these varieties may be resistant to Fe accumulation in seeds. The P, N, Mg contents were found to be more elevated in seeds harvested from mycorrhiza or chemical fertilizer applied plants, with Nerica seeds variety FKR62-N as the best of all in nutrients mineral and nutritional compositions. These results confirm varietal and site influences on proximate and mineral contents in the studied rice varieties.
文摘The Sudanian-Sahelian zone of the Far-North Cameroon faces an extreme climate challenge resulting in increased vulnerability to erosion, soil degradation, and the effects of climate change, impacting soil fertility and agricultural yields. The objective of this study was to analyze agricultural practices, challenges related to climate change and soil degradation, as well as the solutions adopted by farmers to address these issues. To achieve this, 600 farmers from the six departments of the region were interviewed. The results highlight the significant impact of climatic conditions on soil health, agricultural activities, and food security. Farmers identified various indicators of soil degradation, including agricultural yields, bioindicator plants, plant growth, soil fauna, and root density. The main causes of soil degradation are associated with practices such as deforestation, intensive agriculture, the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, overgrazing, and the effects of climate change. The impacts of this degradation are multiple, including soil fertility loss, reduced agricultural yields, deforestation, reduced biodiversity, income loss, water resource pollution, and food insecurity. In response to these challenges, farmers have adopted sustainable soil management practices, including crop rotation, intercropping, fallowing, the use of organic fertilizers, and the adoption of conservation agriculture. To effectively address these challenges, concerted collaboration between farmers, civil society organizations, and government authorities is imperative to develop sustainable and effective solutions against soil degradation in the region.
文摘Agroforests are man-made ecosystems in which crops are associated with a main perennial species like Robusta Coffee Agroforests (RCAs), which is counted among the main modes of perennial crops production in Cameroon. Despite the rich ecosystem services provided, the diversity of Associated Species (AS) found in these RCAs and the structure of the landscapes they form remain little known in Cameroon. The current study aimed to inventory AS and characterize the structure of RCAs in four sites (Ayos, Malantouen, Melong and Nkongsamba) belonging to three robusta coffee production basins in Cameroon. A systematic inventory with dendrometric measurements of the wood AS and coffee trees was carried out on 120 one-hectare plot unit, i.e. 30 plots per site. The results showed that 102 AS belonging to 83 genera and 41 families were identified in these RCAs. The RCAs of Ayos in the dense rainforest zone with bimodal rainfall pattern were the most diverse with 71 species, followed by those of Melong and Nkongsamba with respectively 39 and 33 species respectively in the dense rainforest zone with monomodal rainfall pattern, and Malantouen with 33 species in the high savannahs of the west. Structurally, average coffee tree and AS densities founded ranged from 1208 - 1456 plants/ha and 71 - 214 stems/ha and those of basal area from 7.29 - 17.40 m<sup>2</sup>/ha for coffee trees and 7.97 - 16.14 m<sup>2</sup>/ha for AS in function of site. Basis on the vertical stratification, the proportion of the 3 - 6 m stratum, which is mainly represented by introduced AS, varied from 38% - 62% depending on the site. The results of this study showed that RCAs contribute to the conservation of plant biodiversity, given the specific richness identified in these ecosystems.
文摘Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp] is an important legume in the midst of about 170 species of its genus because it is an important source of protein and other essential nutrients for humans and animals. Its production faces many constraints such as the cowpea brown blotch disease caused by Colletotrichum capsici which contributes in wet conditions of the field to losses ranging from 42% to 100%. This study was conducted to identify Colletotrichum capsici isolates responsible for cowpea brown blotch disease and to determine their diversity in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. Identification and isolation were made from cowpea organ samples on the Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium and, morphological and biometric characteristics such as: the colony color, the mycelium shape, the abundance of acervules, the presence or absence of saltations, the mycelial growth rate, the conidia length and width were used to assess the diversity. The results obtained indicate that 55 Colletotrichum capsici isolates have been identified in the Sudano-Sahelian zone of Cameroon. Statistical analysis showed that there is a significant difference between isolates. Isolates showed multiple colony colours and were brown coloured as presented by 36.36% of isolates, compact mycelium is found in 56.36% of isolates, 56.36% of isolates have abundant acervulis, and saltations were absent in 45.45% of C. capsici isolates. The mycelial growth rate is between 6.69 mm/d and 12.33 mm/d. The principal component analysis (PCA) made indicated that there are differences between the observed and measured characteristics. The Hierarchical Ascending Classification (HAC) was done and 10 morphotypes of C. capsici in the Sudano-Sahelian zone were identified.
