Rice grain yield as affected by grain-producing cover crops in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of biomass and grain cover crops, yield components, and grain yield of rice in Mozambique. The study was conducted in two sites located in the province of Cabo Delgado, in Mozambique.

Fertilizers with coated urea in upland rice production and nitrogen apparent recovery.

Urea is the most used N fertilizer for upland rice, however, a great percentage of N loss can occur with the use of this fertilizer. The use of products that provide reduction of N loss for urea fertilizers can contribute to increase N use efficiency. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of N rates applied in the form of coated urea in the content and accumulation of N in dry biomass, apparent recovery of nitrogen and grain yield of upland rice. The experimental design was a randomized complete blocks arranged in a 4 x 3 + 1 factorial scheme. The treatments consisted of four sources of N fertilizer [1. Common urea; 2. Polymer-coated urea for slow release of N (PCU); 3. urea with the urease inhibitor N-(n-Butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT); and 4. urea coated with copper sulfate and boric acid as urease inhibitors (UCCB)], with three fertilization rates (30, 60 and 90 kg ha-1 of N). In addition, we included a control treatment without N application. Coated urea did not provide increases in rice grain yield in relation to common urea. The increasing amount of N resulted in significant increases in rice grain yield (from 3217 to 5548 kg ha-1, 2010/11, and from 3392 to 4560 kg ha-1, 2011/12). The apparent nitrogen recovery rate decreased with the increase in N applied doses.

The Use of Agricultural and Logging Waste as Litter Materials in Broiler Rearing

A research has been conducted to study the use of agricultural and logging waste as litter materials in broiler rearing. Experimental method was used with completely randomized design. The treatments were the use of agricultural and logging waste as litter materials (L) consisting of L1 = rice hulls, L2 = rice straw, L3 = wood draff and L4 = saw dust. Parameters observed were litter moisture, production index and income over feed and litter cost (IOFLC). The experiment used 96 chickens, which were divided, into 24 cages. Statistical analysis showed that the use of agricultural and logging waste significantly (P<0,01) affected the litter moisture, production index and IOFLC. It could be concluded that rice straw, small plane wood and saw dust could be used as litter materials in broiler rearing. (Animal Production 5(1): 42-49 (2003) Key words: Agricultural, Logging, Waste, Litter, Broiler