Moroccan Journal of Agricultural Sciences

Iron and zinc content in grain and stover of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) grown under water-deficit conditions at various stages of development

2026-05-31T13:24:43+02:00

Globally, many people face the problem of hidden hunger related to Fe and Zn deficiencies. Improving the level of these micronutrients in crops such as pearl millet that is widely cultivated and consumed in many tropical areas can be one way to mitigate the menace. Influence of water stress (deficit) on the Fe and Zn content of pearl millet was studied at various developmental stages of the crop. The study was conducted under greenhouse conditions at Dutsinma in Katsina State. The experiment consisted of six treatments representing water stress at: A = leaf stage during the first 13 Days After Emergence (13 DAE), B = panicle initiation stage (14-27 DAE), C = boot stage (28-41 DAE), D = milk stage (42-55 DAE), E = dough stage (56-70 DAE) and F = control treatment (full irrigation regime). Experimental design was the Completely Randomized Design (CRD) replicated 3 times. Crop and soil data were collected according to standard procedures. Results indicated that water stress at various stages of growth significantly improved Fe and Zn contents of grain and stover. At dough stage, the grain Fe and Zn contents were significantly increased by at least 49.3%, while stover Fe and Zn contents significantly increased by 55.6% and 70.3% respectively during the boot stage. It was recommended to avoid early planting of pearl millet so that the quality of the grains can be improved in terms of Fe and Zn. There is need for more research practices that can improve crops nutritional quality in relation to micronutrients.

Keywords: Iron, Zinc, Pearl Millet, Water deficit

Influence of ridge height, vine orientation and cuttings on growth and yield of sweet potato (Ipomoea Batatas L.) in Dutse, Sudan Savanna zone of Nigeria

2026-05-31T14:18:16+02:00

A field study was conducted in Dutse, Sudan Savannah of Nigeria during the 2023 and 2024 rainy seasons to evaluate the effects of ridge height, vine orientation, and vine cuttings on growth and yield of sweet potato. The experiment consisted of five ridge heights (0, 30, 40, 50, and 60 cm), three vine orientations (45°, 90°, and 180°), and three vine cuttings (apical, middle, and base). Results showed that 60 cm ridge height and apical vine cuttings significantly improved growth and yield. Apical vine cuttings outperformed middle and base cuttings in vine length, number of leaves, leaf area, and root yield. Vine orientation had no significant effect on growth and yield. The interaction between ridge height and vine cutting showed 30 cm ridge and apex had higher chlorophyll content, while 50 cm ridge and apex had higher root fresh weight. The study recommends using 60 cm ridge height, apical vine cuttings, and 45° or 90° planting orientation for improved sweet potato yield.

Keywords: Ridge Height, Vine Cutting, Vine Orientation

Comparative evaluation of soil moisture measurement methods under crop rotation across three irrigated locations in Kano and Jigawa States, Nigeria

2026-05-31T21:43:56+02:00

Accurate soil moisture measurement is essential for efficient irrigation management and sustainable crop production. This study evaluated the performance of Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) and a portable moisture meter relative to gravimetric method across three irrigated locations (BUK, HVIP and KRIP) during the rainy and cold dry seasons. Soil moisture data were collected under crop rotation systems, and method performance was assessed using descriptive statistics, root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R²). Results revealed clear seasonal and spatial variability in soil moisture. Gravimetric mean moisture content ranged from 13.9% to 23.7% during the cold dry season and from 16.7% to 21.7% during the rainy season across locations. TDR generally exhibited stronger agreement with gravimetric measurements, with R² values ranging from 0.299 to 0.844 and comparatively lower RMSE values. In contrast, the portable moisture meter showed greater variability, with weaker correlations at certain locations (R² as low as 0.042) and higher prediction errors. The findings indicate that TDR provides more reliable soil moisture estimates under the studied conditions, although sensor performance varied by location and season. Site-specific calibration is therefore recommended to improve the accuracy of electronic soil moisture monitoring tools for irrigation management.

Keywords: Soil water monitoring, Time Domain Reflectometry, Portable moisture meter, Irrigating scheduling, Gravimetric method, Sensor calibration, Seasonal variability, Irrigated agriculture

Effect of climate-smart agricultural practices on food security among smallholder millet farmers in Jigawa State, Nigeria

2026-06-01T13:52:53+02:00

Food insecurity continues to challenge rural households despite the adoption of various adaptation strategies. Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices (CSAP) have emerged as viable tools to mitigate climate impacts and improve food security among smallholder farmers. This study assessed the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder millet farmers, examined the effect of CSAPs on household food security, and identified challenges faced by farmers in Jigawa State, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 262 respondents across the four Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) zones. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. Results showed that the majority (71.8%) of farmers were medium users of CSAPs, while 25.6% were high users. About 46.2% of households were food secure, while 53.8% were food insecure. Binary logistic regression indicated that cover cropping, improved disease-resistant varieties, farm size, and extension visits significantly influenced food security, while ridging and early planting had negative effects. Challenges identified included inadequate access to inputs, credit, irrigation, and extension services. The study recommends increased access to improved inputs, strengthening of extension services, and policy interventions to improve food security.

Keywords: Climate-Smart Agriculture, Millet, Food Security, Smallholder Farmers, Jigawa State

Moroccan spice and herbs market: trade, production practices, and global competitiveness

2026-05-31T21:29:18+02:00

The world spices and herbs market has experienced consistent growth over the last decades, where Asia occupied 81% of the production and the European Union (EU) held the distinction of being the world's largest importer and consumer of these commodities. In Morocco, spice and herbs market is characterized by a rich history and cultural traditions, providing income for rural populations and securing a place in the international market, by ranking 12^th in the world for the export of aromatic and medicinal plants. This review gives a special attention to the status of the Moroccan spice and herbs production and market, exploring the evolution of its imports and exports and highlighting the main methods of valorization used in the country such as drying and distillation of essential oils. However, this market faces many challenges that retard its growth and development. Accordingly, a SWOT analysis was conducted to point out the strength and weakness of this market as well as emphasizing the country’s potential for improvement. This review suggests that focusing on sustainable practices, added value, and better quality products could promote this sector and generate a significant economic benefits.

Keywords: Spices, herbs, Morocco, production, market, SWOT analysis

Trajectories of land-use and land cover changes in forest reserves of Ondo State, Nigeria

2026-05-31T23:43:15+02:00

Land-use and land-cover (LULC) change detection has been integrated into sustainable forest management practices to support decision-making. Therefore, we quantified and mapped LULC in Akure-Ofosu, Ala, and Ifon forest reserves between 1995 and 2025. Image classification was performed using supervised maximum-likelihood classification in ArcGIS to identify cover categories. Accuracy and Kappa statistics were higher than 85% and 75%, for all land-use types and years, indicating a reliable classification. In Akure-Ofosu, dense forest declined from 35,750 ha in 1995 to 16,857 ha in 2025, while less dense forest, agricultural land, and bare land increased to 5,457 ha, 10,881 ha, and 479 ha by 2025. In the Ala Forest reserve, dense forest declined from 8,378 ha in 1995 to 6661 ha in 2025. Less dense forest plummeted to 3894 ha, while agricultural areas increased to 7378 ha over the same period. In Ifon forest reserve, dense forest decreased from 15, 799 ha in 1995 to 6296 ha in 2025, less dense forest, agricultural areas increased from 7197 ha to 9709 ha, and 4078 ha to 9968 ha. Our findings showed that the forests have been heavily degraded and provide valuable information that is a useful guide for conservation efforts.

Keywords: Forest retraction, change detection, supervised classification, ArcGIS, forest conservation

Current perspectives on potato late blight (Phytophthora infestans) and its sustainable management strategies

2026-05-31T13:50:49+02:00

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) has been a main food crop in many parts of the world including Europe for centuries. Currently, potato is placed as the third major consumed human food crop globally following wheat and rice, it plays a significant role in nutrient supply of most nations in the world. Despite the support of potato to the world food security, its production faced a serious constraint that is detrimental to both the crop and the consumers. This production constraint includes diseases, among which is potato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans (Irish famine pathogen), the most disturbing disease that causes great concern to the growers, home gardeners and scientist all over the world. Difficulty in controlling this disease is attributable to long survivability of the pathogen and its existence in diverse pathogenic races. Using a single method alone, is completely ineffective in managing potato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans. This paper has examined the integrated disease management strategy to control the menace of this devastating fungus and other oomycetes. In order to achieve a sustainable disease management, the use of integrated approach is highly recommended. This review will provide farmers with various methods to be integrated as management package for potato late blight and related diseases.

Keywords: Integrated disease management, use of host resistance cultivars, oomycetes, cultural practices, fungicide, Irish potato

Bio-pesticidal efficacy of selected botanicals extracts and mixtures against Spodoptera frugiperda infestation on maize under field condition

2026-05-31T23:55:18+02:00

A two-location field trial was conducted to study the bio-pesticidal efficacy of methanolic seed extracts from three botanicals, Khaya senegalensis, Hyptis suaveolens and Azadirachta indica and their mixtures, in controlling infestation of the FALL armyworm, S. frugiperda, in maize. Field trials were conducted at two locations under a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replicates. Treatments include individual extracts (2.5% w/v), mixtures (50:50), a synthetic insecticide check (Emamectin benzoate 5.0 % WDG), and an untreated control. Combined analysis across locations showed that all botanical treated and synthetic check plots had significantly reduced larval counts, foliar damage incidence and severity compared to the control. Moreover, treated plots exhibited significantly higher cob weight, 1000 grain weight, and overall grain yield, resulting in enhanced yield protection. Among the treatments, the Hyptis + Neem mixture provided the highest yield protection (26.5%) compared to the standard check (25.4%). These findings suggest that methanolic botanical extracts, particularly in combination, represent a promising component for integrated pest management (IPM) strategies against S. frugiperda in maize cultivation.

Keywords: Maize, Spodoptera frugiperda, botanicals extracts, Field trial, IPM