Pest infection is a threat to crop farmers that has discouraged many from agricultural activities. The study assessed the maize farmers’ usage of neem biopesticides in control of pests infestation in Kwara state. The objectives of the study were to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the farmers, to determine the level of usage of Neem-biopesticide in pest control, to examine the effectiveness of Neem-biopesticide and to identify the constraints associated with the usage of Neem-biopesticide. The questionnaire was used to elicit information from one hundred and ninety-nine maize farmers. The data was analysed with both descriptive (frequency count, percentages, mean and ranks) and inferential (Pearson Product Moment Correlation) statistical tools. The findings revealed that majority of the farmers were male (67.3%), married (89.0%), with average age of 47 years, farm size of 4 hectares and household size of 5 persons. Furthermore, the result showed that out of the form of Neem biopesticides available, Neem leaves soaked in water (mean=1.98), Bark soaked in water (mean=1.97) and Neem seed cake (mean=1.84) were mainly used by farmers and ranked 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd respectively. The result showed that Neem leaves soaked in water, root soaked in water and Neem seed cake were considered more effective by the farmers and ranked 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd respectively. The constraint identified by the farmers associated with use of neem biopesticides were poor storage facility (mean=2.40), inadequate knowledge about formulation (mean=2.14) and poot shelf life of neem plant. The study concluded that maize farmers use neem-biopesticide to control pests on their farms. The study recommends that advance research by scientist should be done on neem-biopesticide so that it can be standardized.

Despite the significant of indigenous vegetables in human life and diet, many of these vegetables are becoming endangered. This study assessed the status of indigenous vegetables among vegetable farmers in Kwara state, Nigeria. The objectives of the study identified the vegetables the farmers knew, determine the status of vegetables by the farmers among others. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used to elicit information from 120 vegetable growers. The data used for the study was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The result of the study showed that majority of the respondents (65%) were female, 40.9 % were widow, 59.1% had non-formal education. Mean age of the farmers was 57 years and the mean household size was 6. The finding further shows that the farmers were familiar with many of the indigenous vegetables although the status of the vegetables varies from LR1nt (Okro, African spinach), LR1cd (water leaf, Jute leaves), R (Dandelion greens), NT (Parsley), DD (Lagos Spinach), Vu (Black nightshade), ExW (Afang Leaves) and Ex (Culantro). Moreover, the effects of endangered species of vegetables were scarcity in indigenous vegetables (x=4.95), reduction in medicinal resources (x=4.44) among others. Some of the causes identified for endangered vegetable include Habitat degradation (x=4.89), change in human diets (x=4.88), climate change (x=4.76) among other. The study concluded that some of the indigenous vegetables were rare, near threatened and vulnerable while a few others have gone into extinction. The study therefore recommended that agricultural stakeholders should educate, enlighten to train rural vegetable farmers on the importance of deliberate conservation so as to mitigate the high rate of endangered vegetable and ultimate extinction.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of storage on physical properties of three parboiled and milled rice varieties (Dogoyiri, Kampala and Yaturu) grown in the Sothern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria. Physical characteristics of rice varieties such as grain weight, grain dimensions, and grain hardness determine their handling before, during and after storage and processing. The preference for good quality rice by local growers and consumers has necessitated the need to examine the effect of storage on the physical characteristics of local rice varieties. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with three replications. There was an increase in grain length, particle size index and grain width for the tested rice varieties. Results showed that the Kampala rice variety had a significantly (p<0.05) different in mean grain density (0.90 g/cm³) from the other two varieties. The three rice varieties differed significantly in mean grain weight after 12 months storage period. The Dogoyiri rice variety at harvest differed significantly in grain length (7.94 mm) from the Kampala and Yaturu rice varieties. The difference between the rice varieties in physical properties maybe related to genetic factors. It can be concluded that physical properties are basic requirements in the proper storage and processing.

Degradation of potatoes is responsible for advancing generation, and yield loss vary due to the use of the seeds from different generations. Therefore, experiments were conducted at the research field and post graduate laboratory of Plant Pathology Department, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, during three successive seasons from 2014 to 2017 to assess the field performance of different generation of seed potatoes. Four different categories of seed potatoes, namely Minituber, Breeder seed, Foundation seed and Certified seed, were used to advance generations in the experiment. The results showed that Minituber produced an acceptable healthy tuber yield in 1^st and 2^nd year multication with zero plants infected by Potato Virus Y (PVY). In contrast, the other seed categories produced the maximum healthy tuber yield in 1^st year multination, which then declined in 2^nd and 3^rd year multination. The incidence of diseases such as PVY, potato leaf roll virus (PLRV), and Rhizoctonia Canker (Common Scab) gradually increased with the generation of seed potatoes in the case of Breeder, Foundation and Certified seed. Tuber yield reduced by 4.58 % and 5.64 % in 2^nd and 3^rd year multination for Foundation seed and by 9.11% and 12.63% for Certified seed, respectively. Breeder seeds increased tuber yield by 0.07% in 2^nd year multination but decreased by 5.23% in 3^rd year multination. Minituber increased tuber yield by 12% in 2^nd year and 3.95% both in 3^rd year multination. Therefore, to achieve a better seed potato yield, minitubers should be multiplied in the field for more than two consequent year, which other seed categories should not be expanded for more than one year. In terms of the benefit cost-ratio (BCR), the highest gross margin (Tk. 1243067 / ha) and BCR (5.29) were observed in advancing generation of minituber.

Border crops have been employed as a cultural strategy to reduce pest populations. This management technique for controlling insect pests involves the use of secondary plants within or around a major crop. A field study was conducted during Rabi season of 2021-22 at Spices Research Centre, BARI, Shibganj, Bogura, Bangladesh (geographic coordinates 25.0167° N, 89.3167° E) to investigate the effect of border crop on thrips management and the activity of natural enemy of onion. Among various treatments, it was ovserved that an onion crop bordered by two rows of maize, with two spray interventions (first spray with Azadirachtin at 1 ml per litre at 7 weeks after transplanting (WAT) and second spray with Diafenthiuron at 1 ml per litre at 9 WAT), resulted in a lower thrips population (3.98 thrips/plant) and a higher bulb yield (18.06 t/ha). This treatment was significantly superior to all other treatments and farmers traditional practice. The greatest reduction in thrips population (70.08%) compared to the untreated control was also observed in the crop bordered by two rows of maize with Azadirachtin and Diafenthiuron treatments. Therefore, it is recommeded to use onion crop bordered by two rows of maize with two spray interventions (first spray with Azadirachtin at 1 ml per litre at 7 WAT and second spray with Diafenthiuron at 1 ml per litre at 9 WAT) for effective thrips management in onion.

In this study, prototype production of soil supplements was conducted using Trichoderma isolates, and these supplements were evaluated through Komatsuna germination tests and physicochemical assessments. Furthermore, based on the results of the soil supplement prototypes using the aforementioned Trichoderma isolates, high-performance agricultural substrates were produced. During the prototype production, various conditions were investigated, including fungal concentration in the soil supplements and the mixing ratio with commercial substrates. Additionally, cultivation evaluations were conducted using Komatsuna and tomatoes with the high-performance agricultural substrates, revealing the effectiveness of the soil supplements on plant growth.

The field Experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Centre, Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Burirhat Rangpur, during the period of February 2020 to May 2020 to investigate the macro propagation of banana cv.‘Malbhog’ as influenced by different growing media and different concentrations of Benzyl Amino Purine (BAP). The treatments included different media, namely: M₀: Control-Soil, M₁: Rice husk, M₂: Saw dust, M₃: Cocodust, and four levels of BAP: S₀: Control-0ml/L, S₁: 20mg/L, S₂: 30mg/L, and S₃: 40mg/L concentrations. The results indicated that the days of first sucker emergence and the highest values of vegetative growth including the number of suckers, suckers height, number of leaves, sucker collar diameter (cm), number of roots and roots length were most influenced by the treatment of M₃ (Cocodust) and S₃(40 mg/L) of BAP. The combined applications of M₃S₃ produced the best result for the first time sucker emergence, number of sucker, sucker height and other vegetative growth and development. Therefore, it can be concluded that the combination of Cocodust as the growing media and a BAP concentration of 40 mg/L is suitable for the successful macro propagation of banana cv.‘Malbhog’.