http://196.220.128.81:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/189 2026-04-27T00:00:24Z http://196.220.128.81:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/5858 WATER USE,GROWTH AND YIELD OF AMARANTHUS CAUDATUS (Quinoa) UNDER IRRIGATED CONDITION ADEOSUN, Emmanuel Oluwatoyin Soil water is a major hinting factor to crop production particularly under dry season condition. Field experiments were conducted in the early and late season periods of year 2000 at the experimental farm of the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure (F.U.T.A.). The aim was to evaluate the growth and yield of amaranthus under irrigated condition and to determine water use pattern of the crop with a view to developing a good water management strategy. The treatments were: irrigation at full pan evaporation (T4), Irrigation at 3/4 pan evaporation (T3) and irrigation at ½ pan evaporation (T2). Soil moisture content was measured weekly at l0 cm, 20cm and 30cm soil depth using gravimetric methods. Biomass yield was determined weekly throughout the growing season until maturity. Other agronomic measurements include plant height, root depth and leaf area index (LAI). Meteorological data were taken at the experimental site. It was observed that treatment T4 had the best result in terms of plant height, LAI, and total biomass yield of 1.95 ton/ha during second planting season. crop water use (determined by water balance method) differed among treatments and the amount corresponded to the magnitude of total water applied. The highest amount of crop water use (ET) was 4.1 mm/day and 7.9 mm/day during the two seasons and was observed at 14 DAE at the 4th WAE, the treatment T4 gave the highest value of water use efficiency (WUE) of 0.5 kg/ha-mm of water. This was observed during the second planting season. However, on considering the overall result, it is proposed that amaranths will yield maximum result when water is applied at the rate of 3/4 pan evaporating during emergence, at full evaporation during the maximum vegetative cover and at 1/2 pan evaporation during the maturity stage. Irrigation at full evaporation improved crop performance by increasing agronomic attributes such as plant height, leaf area and biomass yield. Crop water use (ET) differed among treatments and it reflected an influence of irrigation water application and hence soil moisture availability for crop growth and yield. The highest water use (4.1 mm/day and 7.9 rnm/day) was observed at 14 DAE during the first and second planting seasons. The highest WUE (0.5 kg/ha mm of water) was obtained form irrigation at full pan evaporation at the 4th WAE during the second planting season. It could be concluded that to obtain maximum yield, amaranths should be supplied with water at 3/4 of pan evaporation during the emergence, at full pan evaporation during the maximum vegetative cover and at 1/2 pan evaporation during the maturity stage of the crop. The results obtained in this study would be useful in water stress studies, which can be used for irrigation scheduling and yield prediction 84p.:ill.;30cm 2001-11-01T00:00:00Z http://196.220.128.81:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/5857 VARIABILITY OF FLOW REGIMES OF OGBESE AND OWENA RIVERS IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA OMOTAYO, Kayode Foluso The scarce water resources of Southwestern Nigeria could be better managed, if reliable forecast of river discharge through rainfall variability data over a long period are available. The study was aimed at carrying out analysis of rainfall data, river data of Ogbese and Owena rivers measured at Ago Aduloju and Owena respectively, on short and long term modeling forecast; using river discharge and stage of those two rivers. The data were analysed to obtain a general river discharge pattern that can be adapted for effective agricultural production planning as an index to increase food production in the study area. The data was modelled using the Box-Jenkins forecasting procedure for short and long term forecasting which was analysed using Microsoft Excel version 5.0 software package. The result obtained for short term modeling forecast for river Owena shows a correlation coefficient of 0.65 at 0 ≤ r2 ≤ 1.0 for the month of January to July and 0.8 to 1.0 for the month of August to December. The long-term model forecast for the same river gave a correlation coefficient of 0.8. The second river, Ogbese on short-term model had a correlation coefficient of 0.9 and 0.75 for long-term model forecast, for the same period of the year. The average value of river discharge obtained from modeled value compared with forecasted value for river Owena shows 91.62 m3/s against 126.10 m3/s, while for river Ogbese, 324.36 m3/s against 3.07.44 m3/s, respectively. This conservative estimate means that at any time in the forecasted year ahead, above 126.10 m3/s and 307.44 m3/s in water volume will be available for Rivers Owena and Ogbese, at their respective gauging stations. The crop grown in the study area was analysed, it was seen that the forecasted values for the two rivers (Ogbese and Owena) could be channelled or used in irrigation planningfor increased agricultural production through dry-season farming in the catchment area 69p.:ill.;30cm 2001-09-01T00:00:00Z http://196.220.128.81:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/5856 TRENDS AND CYCLES OF RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE IN NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR WATER RESOURCES AND AGRICULTURE ALLI, ADEKUNLE ADEDEJI Trends and cycles of rainfall and temperature in Nigeria since 1960 were studied on annual, seasonal and monthly bases and implications for water resources and agriculture were discussed. Data used for this study were collected from the Nigerian Meteorological Service, Oshodi Lagos. Rainfall and temperature data were available between 1960 and 2006 (47 years) for twenty stations in Nigeria. Mann-Kendall test was used to evaluate trends while Auto correlation spectral analysis was used to detect cycles, respectively. The result showed that dominant peaks in rainfall and temperature return at various rates. For instance, Abeokuta, Akure, Enugu, Iseyin and Maiduguri stations were decreasing in trends of annual temperature at the rate of 0.080 °c /mo/yr, 0.040 °C/mo/yr, 0.030 °C/mo/yr, 0.110 °C/mo/yr and 0.120 °C/mm/yr respectively with return periods between 1-2 years and 7-10 years. Akure, Benin, Calabar, Maiduguri and Vola stations were decreasing in trends of annual rainfall at rate of 1.084 mm/mo/yr, 0.03 mm/mo/yr, 1.80 mm/mo/yr, 0.75 mmlmo/yr, and 0.12 mmlmo/yr respectively with return periods between 1-2 years and 7-10 years. However, annual temperature showed increasing trends in 15 out of 20 stations studied. The return period ranged between 1-2years to 13 15 years. Similarly, rainfall trends increased in about 75 % of the locations with return period of dominant peaks varying between 1-2years and 15years. Abuja station recorded the highest peak in rainfall trends in the month of October at the rate of 4.7 mm/mo/yr with return period of 1-2years while Benin station recorded the highest peak in trends of temperature in the month of September at the rate of 3.390 °C/mo/yr with return period of 1-2years. This result indicates different spatial effects on ecosystem and agriculture. Some of the implications of this trend on agriculture and water resources vary from one station to another, depending on the trends and magnitude of return period of both rainfall and temperature. For instance, Bauchi and Minna cities are expected to experience serious desertification and high level of depletion of underground water due to the continuous monotonic increase in trend of annual temperature and zero change in trend of rainfall. Agricultural activities are expected to thrive in stations like Ibadan, Gusau, Osogbo and others that have moderate increase in trends of rainfall and temperature 2009-12-01T00:00:00Z http://196.220.128.81:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/5855 THE USE OF PALM OIL SLUDGE AS BINDER IN THE PRODUCTION OF SAWDUST BRIQUETTES KOLE, OSEROMI MOSES This study is on the use of palm oil sludge as binder in the production of sawdust briquettes. The specific objectives of the research are to establish the optimum proportion of palm oil sludge as binders, determine the quality parameters of the briquettes and evaluate the effects of varying proportions of palm oil sludge in briquetting. This research also exploited the dual potentiality of palm oil sludge as binder and combustible material. Palm oil sludge was collected from palm oil processing industry in Okitipupa. The sawdust samples were collected from Ciab sawmill in Akure. Sawdust samples were obtained from two different wood species: Araba (Ceiba Pentandra and Apa (Afzelia Africana). The Palm oil sludge was dried and milled. Sawdust mixtures were produced by mixing sawdust and dried palm oil sludge in percentage ratio. Three sawdust samples at 10.1, 14 and 17.8% moisture levels were each mixed with palm oil sludge to get mixtures containing 10, 20,30.40 and 50% sludge proportion by weight. Samples without palm oil sludge were also prepared. Briquettes were made at pressures of 13.5, 18.7 and 25.0MPa hold times 5,10 and 20 seconds and temperatures of 32.5 and 60°C. For each briquette sample, the quality parameters were determined such as handling durability, densities (compressed and relaxed), ash content, comparative rate of weight loss during combustion and moisture content. The relaxed density was found to be highest for sawdust mixture at 14% moisture content. The relationship between applied pressures and compressed density of briquette was established as being exponential. The ash content of briquettes increased as sludge proportion increased. The handling durability of the briquette increased with increasing sludge proportion between 20-50% by weight. Araba sawdust produced more durable briquettes than Apa. From the research, the optimum proportion of palm oil sludge as binder was established to be 30% by weight, moisture of 14% hold time of 20s and pressure of 25.0Mpa 88p.:ill.;30cm 2007-12-01T00:00:00Z