Organomineral fertilizer is used to improve and ameliorate the supply of nutrients in soils. Right and adequate application of fertilizers are determinants of its nutrient supply efficiency, which in turn enhances the vegetative growth and yield of cucumber. Field experiments were conducted at the Research Farm of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, to assess the effects of variety and rate of organomineral fertilizer on cucumber growth and yield. Trials were conducted from June to August 2019 and repeated from September to November 2019. The cultivars were Poinsett, Greengo, and Monalisa. The rates of organomineral fertilizer were 0, 2.5, or 5.0 tons. ha⁻¹. The treatments were replicated three times. Cucumber vegetative characters, yield, and yield components were studied. ‘Greengo’ produced the most leaves, followed by ‘Monalisa’; ‘Poinsett’ produced the least. Application of 5.0 tons. ha⁻¹ organomineral fertilizer produced the longest vines and fruits. ‘Greengo’ had the earliest days to 50% flowering, followed by ‘Monalisa’; ‘Poinsett’ had the most days to 50% flowering. Plants treated with an application of 5.0 tons. ha⁻¹ organomineral fertilizer attained 50% flowering in 29 days, but in 30 days with an application of 2.5 tons. ha⁻¹ organomineral fertilizer; the control treatment attained 50% flowering in 33 days. Application of 5.0 tons. ha⁻¹ organomineral fertilizer produced the longest fruits, thicker fruit diameter, and highest fruit yield compared with 2.5 and 0 tons. ha⁻¹ of organomineral fertilizer treatments. The Greengo variety with application of 5.0 tons. ha⁻¹ of organomineral fertilizer is recommended for optimum growth and yield in south western Nigeria.

By carrying out a laboratory experiment, the influence of priming methods, including ZnSO4, BSN, and hydropriming was evaluated on the seed germination of hybrid AS71 corn. Then, the main and interaction effects of the priming methods, planting dates, and weed interference levels were surveyed on the vegetative growth traits, yield, and yield components of corn in a field experiment. Based on the lab experiment, although the maximum germination percentage (100%) was observed in the treated plots by hydropriming 22 h after treatment (HAT), the greatest seedling vigor index (122.99) was recorded with treated seeds by ZnSO4 (0.03 mg L–1) at 8 HAT. The greatest emergence index was observed in the treated plots by hydropriming on both planting dates of June 1 and 11. The interaction of planting dates and weed interference levels revealed that the highest emergence index (14%–17%) occurred in the weed-free plots on both planting dates. BSN recorded the greatest corn 1000-grain weight that was significantly higher than the control plots by 28%. Furthermore, BSN enhanced the corn grain yield compared with the control plots by 63% and 24.9% on the planting dates of June 1 and 11, respectively. BSN, as a nutri-priming approach, by displaying the highest positive effects in boosting the corn grain yield in both weedy and weed-free plots as well as both planting dates, could be a recommendable option for growers to improve the crop yield production.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of potassium concentrations applied via fertigation on the growth, yield and chemical composition of eggplant ‘Ciça’ in a distroferric red Latosol. The treatments were composed of five concentrations of K₂O (0, 36, 72, 108 and 144 kg ha^-1 supplied via fertigation), using potassium chloride as a source, divided into six applications. The irrigation system was of the drip type and irrigation management was done via a “Class A” evaporometer tank. Harvest started at 62 days after transplanting (DAT) and lasted for five months. The variables evaluated were: plant height, number of leaves, fresh fruit mass, number of fruits per plant, yield per plant, productivity and classification of the fruits according to their length and diameter. At 85 DAT, fruit were collected for characterization as to the percentage of lipids, proteins and fibers. Although the potassium fertigation in cover provided a reduction in the production and productivity, the concentrations of 36 kg ha^-1 and 72 kg ha^-1 of K₂O applied via fertigation, increased the physical-chemical characteristics of the fruits.

The performance of five cauliflower cultivars in conventional and alternative phytosanitary management—without the use of synthetic pesticides—was evaluated. Two experiments were conducted at Epagri, Ituporanga Experimental Station in February 2018 and 2019. A randomized block design with four repetitions was adopted, with twenty plants of each cultivar as plots. The seedlings were transplanted on millet and mucuna straw at a spacing of 0.5 m × 0.8 m. We evaluated agronomic yield, inflorescence quality, pest damage and plant diseases, especially bacterial and fungal rots. The cauliflower hybrids Vera, Verona and Serena stood out in productivity and quality, being the most indicated for sowing in off-season crops, in the Alto Vale do Itajaí region. The most productive cultivars were less damaged by bacterial diseases and defoliating caterpillars and without interference of whitefly infestation on yield. The results also reveal that it is possible to control pests and diseases with phytosanitary products of lower toxicity, i.e., with lower residues of synthetic pesticides.

In the current work, it was investigated to the K X-ray fluorescence efficiency and chemical effect on vacancy transfer probability for some tin compounds. We used Br₂Tin, TinI₂, SeTin, TinF₂, TinSO₄, TinCl₂, TinO and TinS compounds for experimental study. The target samples were irradiated with ²⁴¹Am annular radioactive source at the intensity of 5 Ci which emits gamma rays at wavelength of 0.2028 nm. The characteristic x-rays emitted because of the excitation are collected by a high-resolution HPGe semiconductor detector. It has been determined that the experimental calculations of the tin (Sn) element are compatible with the theoretical calculation. In addition, we have calculated the experimental intensity ratios, fluorescence yields and total vacancy transfer probabilitiesfor other Sn compounds. 

This study investigated the variability of climate parameters and food crop yields in Nigeria. Data were sourced from secondary sources and analyzed using correlation and multivariate regression. Findings revealed that pineapple was more sensitive to climate variability (76.17%), while maize and groundnut yields were more stable with low sensitivity (0.98 and 1.17%). Yields for crops like pineapple (0.31 kg/ha) were more sensitive to temperature, while maize, beans, groundnut, and vegetable yields were less sensitive to temperature with yields ranging from 0.15 kg/ha, 0.21 kg/ha, 0.18 kg/ha, and 0.12 kg/ha respectively. On the other hand, maize, beans, groundnut, and vegetable yields were more sensitive to rainfall ranging from 0.19kg/ha, 0.15kg/ha, 0.22 kg/ha, and 0.18 kg/ha respectively compared to pineapple yields which decreased with increase rainfall (−0.25 kg/ha). The results further showed that for every degree increase in temperature, maize, pineapple, and beans yields decreased by 0.48, 0.01, and 2.00 units at a 5 % level of significance, while vegetable yield decreased by 0.25 units and an effect was observed. Also, for every unit increase in rainfall, maize, pineapple, groundnut, and vegetable yields decreased by 3815.40, 404.40, 11,398.12, and 2342.32 units respectively at a 5% level, with an observed effect for maize yield. For robustness, these results were confirmed by the generalized additive and the Bayesian linear regression models. This study has been able to quantify the impact of temperature on food crop yields in the African context and employed a novel analytical approach combining the correlation matrix and multivariate linear regression to examine climate-crop yield relationships. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on climate-induced risks to food security in Nigeria and provides valuable insights for policymakers, farmers, government, and stakeholders to develop effective strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on food crop yields through the integration of climate-smart agricultural practices like agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and drought-tolerant varieties into national agricultural policies and programs and invest in climate information dissemination channels to help consider climate variability in agricultural planning and decision-making, thereby enhancing food security in the country.