Fruit quality is a key factor – beginning with the producer, continuing through the supply chain, and ending with the consumer. It is described by multiple indicators and varies during the growth and ripening of the fruit. This study focused on two main aspects of Cogshall mango (Mangifera indica L.) quality: (i) the physical properties of the fruit with fresh mass (FM), pulp dry matter content (DMC), and pulp coloration; and (ii) the chemical properties with pulp sugar content and pulp acidity. These indicators were monitored on on-tree fruit, from about 60 days after bloom until full maturity. The same indicators were also monitored on fruit stored in cold storage rooms during ripening. The effects of leaf-to-fruit ratio (manageable by pruning or fruit thinning), maturity stage of fruit at harvest (manageable by harvest date), and storage temperature on the kinetics of quality traits of on-tree and stored fruit were assessed. In addition, a change-point analysis was applied to the sweetness index kinetics (used as a proxy of fruit ripening) to study fruit ripening induction. The leaf-to-fruit ratio mainly influenced fruit growth in terms of FM and pulp DMC, whereas it had less impact on the evolution of fruit chemical properties. The maturity stage of the fruit at harvest was a key factor in determining the potential quality at the ripe stage. Ripening occurs naturally at the mature green stage for on-tree fruit, but ripening at an earlier stage can be induced by harvesting the fruit. During the ripening phase, a low leaf-to-fruit ratio and a cold storage temperature tended to slow down the daily rate of sweetness increase. The use of cold temperatures during storage slowed down starch degradation and sucrose accumulation, while almost stopping the variation in fruit coloration and acidity.

A technology for improving the productivity of short fallows using herbaceous legumes as cover crops was evaluated with farmers in the forest and savannah transition zones of Ghana. Legumes were relayed in maize 5–8 weeks after planting maize, depending on the legume species. An economic analysis of the technology compared with natural fallow over two cropping seasons (2001–2002) showed that the legume fallows were more profitable under the scenarios tested. Farmer assessment of the biological performance of the technology revealed the benefits of weed suppression and soil moisture conservation potential of the legume biomass as well as an improvement in the yield of the succeeding maize crop. However, farmers realized that planting legumes at close spacing and weeding before and after relaying are essential in the development of an appreciable biomass cover. The technology is suitable for farmers of all strata, in several major ecological zones of Ghana, and for planting on land with poorly secured tenure. However, at least two years of tenancy is required for the landless to derive some benefits from the legume fallow.

The possibility of producing herbage of higher quality than that of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) in a continental climate with cold winters, hot summers and low precipitation was investigated, with and without irrigation, at Taigu, Shanxi, China. Tall fescue was compared with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) and perennial ryegrass × meadow fescue in field swards, managed by cutting, during the year of sowing and in the three subsequent years. Perennial ryegrass yielded well in the year of sowing, but was low yielding subsequently; perennial ryegrass × meadow fescue yielded well in the year of sowing and in the following year. Both of these grasses had high rates of leaf appearance and extension and a high proportion of cell content in the dry matter. Tall fescue yielded well, but was low in proportion of cell content.

Two groups of mature Marwari wethers were raced at 5 and to miles/hr respectively, for 30 minutes. Rectal temperature, respiratory frequency and pulse rate were measured initially, again immediately after the exercise, and subsequently four times at 20 minute interval. The rise in rectal temperature, respiratory rate and pulse rate in the animals raced at 10 miles/hr was 2·1°F, 86 and 22 counts/min. respectively. The corresponding values in the animals raced at 5 miles/hr were 0·9°F, 72 and 19 counts/min. The rise in rectal temperature due to stress was proportional to the degree of exercise. The magnitude of increase in the respiratory rate tended to be the same under both the treatments, and the trend in pulse rate was similar to that of respiratory rate.

Seeds of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) with a moisture content of 7.2% were heat treated at 60°C for 15 or 20 h, and their performances compared with that of untreated seeds. Radicle emergence of treated seeds was only slightly lower than that of the control when germinated at 25°C. To ascertain the effect of the treatments on hypocotyl growth (emergence) per se, radicle emergence was synchronized in all treatments and emergence from deep plantings in sand determined. Small differences in emergence were observed when seeds were germinated at 25°C, but seed treatment resulted in large reductions in emergence at 15°C. This demonstrates that the hypocotyls developing from heat-treated, germinated seeds are less able to withstand low germination temperatures, which could be an important factor in emergence failure. Levels of free abscisic acid (ABA) were higher at 15°C than at 25°C, with hypocotyls of treated seeds containing more free ABA and its breakdown products than the control at the lower temperature.

Soil, water and leaf analyses were carried out on samples from irrigated orchards in the Jordan Valley. Analysis of the soil for available phosphorus and potassium gave meaningful results. Analysis of the irrigation water showed that a high sodium and chloride content caused an increase of these ions in the soil, which led to undesirable effects such as chlorosis. Irrigation water class C3–S1 should only be used if there is an annual precipitation of about 300 mm. Leaf analysis showed changes in the composition of leaves with age, but only potassium varied significantly between varieties. Standards of leaf, soil and water composition are suggested for the growing of citrus.

Propagules of five tall fescue genotypes, planted monthly, from April to December, made the greatest growth in April and September and the least in December. Despite the diverse geographic origin of the genotypes, there was no indication of interaction between genotypes and daylength. Propagules grew more vigorously when cut just above the basal leaf sheath then when cut to two or three inches in length. The complete removal of roots, which would facilitate planting, did not reduce growth and appeared to enhance the development of new roots. Propagules consisting of two or three culms grew more vigorously than those consisting of a single culm. Accordingly, if propagules were fragile or if survival was poor, two-culm propagules would become established more readily. Genotypes differed in growth rate even when planting weights were kept uniform. Results of this study could be used to reduce the time and cost of vegetative propagation of tall fescue.

Farmer surveys have consistently shown maize storage losses to be of primary concern to farmers in the western highlands of Cameroon. Past attempts at evaluating these losses, however, have proved to be unsatisfactory, mainly because of failure to consider qualitative, as well as quantitative, losses or to take account of consumption patterns (that is, timing and end use). A simulation model is presented that overcomes these deficiencies while providing a reliable estimate of the economic value of storage losses to the farmer, albeit at the cost of requiring fairly exacting data. The model is used to estimate the value of storage losses to farmers in the North West Province of Cameroon.

The effects of intercropping roselle with blackgram, cowpea, soyabean, groundnut and sesame under single, double and triple row planting patterns and at three different intercrop sowing dates were studied from 1983 to 1985. The fibre yield of roselle was reduced by intercropping. The reduction was least with groundnut and greatest with cowpea but was compensated for by the yield of the intercrops. Double and triple row planting systems favoured the productivity of both roselle and the intercrops, increasing the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) of the cropping system. The best yields of roselle were obtained when the intercrops were sown 15 days after the roselle.

Sisal was grown in double rows with broad-interrow covers of Pueraria phaseoloides, controlled volunteer vegetation or clean weeding. Clean weeding gave the best yield over one cycle, but Pueraria cover was best in the second cycle. Pueraria was better than volunteer vegetation in all trials, with the greatest margin on soils low in nitrogen, or where there were pernicious weeds. On an exhausted soil, sisal with a Pueraria cover responded to fertilizer nitrogen applied in the early or late part of the cycle. Manuring sisal growing with a volunteer vegetation cover with 50 tons sisal waste/ha. improved growth to the same extent as replacing the cover with one of Pueraria. In the absence of manures, yields declined from cycle to cycle with all the covers. At the level of manuring which maintained yields with a volunteer vegetation cover, yields declined slightly with clean cultivation, and improved considerably with a Pueraria cover.

The fixation of nitrogen in root nodules of Mucuna untilis was studied, and its transfer to other parts of the plant. Fixation reached a maximum of 6 mg. per day per plant, and the rate of transfer of nitrogen from the nodules increased gradually until it almost equalled the rate of fixation. Older plants seem to be more efficient fixers of nitrogen than younger ones.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is perhaps the most important grain legume in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) smallholder systems for food security and household income. Although a wide choice of varieties is available, smallholder farmers in western Kenya realize yields that are low and variable since they operate in risky production environments. Significant seasonal variations exist in rainfall and severity of pests and diseases. This situation is worsened by the low and declining soil fertility, coupled with low capacity of farmers to purchase production inputs such as fertilizers, fungicides and insecticides, and land scarcity. The objective of this study was to investigate whether growing multiple-bean varieties instead of a single variety can enable farmers enhance yield stability over seasons and ensure food security. Five common bean varieties were evaluated in multiple farms for 11 seasons at Kapkerer in Nandi County, western Kenya. Data were collected on grain yield, days to 50% flowering and major diseases. In addition, daily rainfall was recorded throughout the growing seasons. The five varieties were combined in all possible ways to create 31 single- and multiple-bean production strategies. The strategies were evaluated for grain yield performance and yield stability over seasons to determine the risk of not attaining a particular yield target. Results indicated that cropping multiple-bean varieties can be an effective way for reducing production risks in heterogeneous smallholder systems. Yield stability can be greatly enhanced across diverse environments, leading to improved food security, especially for the resource-poor smallholder farmers operating in risk-prone environments. Although the results show that some of the single-bean variety strategies were high yielding, their yield stability was generally lower than those of multiple strategies. Resource-poor risk averse farmers can greatly increase the probability of exceeding their yield targets by cropping multiple-bean varieties with relatively low yields but high grain yield stability. Trading-off high grain yield for yield stability might be an important strategy for minimizing bean production risks.