Asian Journal of Research in Agriculture and Forestry

Patterns, Intensity, and Determinants of Modern Rice-farming Technology Adoption in Rajshahi, Bangladesh

2026-09-18T13:39:19+00:00

Rice farming in drought-prone north-western Bangladesh is experiencing an uneven transition from mature mechanisation in land preparation and post-harvest operations to selective adoption of advanced labour- and water-saving technologies. This study examines the patterns, intensity, and determinants of modern rice-farming technology adoption in Rajshahi District using primary household survey data from 250 rice-farming households across nine upazilas, collected between January and April 2024. Adoption intensity was measured as a count of six advanced technologies: combine harvesting, mechanical rice transplanting, direct seeding/seed sowing, laser land levelling, power weeding, and alternate wetting and drying (AWD). Descriptive statistics, cluster-robust Poisson regression, a binary logit robustness model, and technology-specific logit models were applied. Mature mechanisation was widespread, whereas advanced adoption remained limited: the mean advanced-technology count was 0.66 out of six, and 45.6% of households used at least one advanced technology. Farm size, labour scarcity, water scarcity, machinery training, extension contact, machinery knowledge, custom-hiring availability, perceived usefulness, and technology compatibility were positively associated with adoption intensity, while greater distance to machinery services and perceived cost barriers were negatively associated. Combine use was most strongly associated with farm size, labour scarcity, and service proximity, whereas AWD use among Boro growers was associated with water scarcity, irrigation cost, and extension contact. The findings suggest distinct service-access and knowledge-and-water-management pathways for technology adoption in the Barind environment.

Preliminary Growth Performance of Promising Eucalyptus Clones in Eastern Gangetic Plains of Uttar Pradesh, India

2026-09-21T05:23:32+00:00

Preliminary field evaluation was conducted in the Trans-Ganga region of Prayagraj district, Uttar Pradesh, to assess early growth among 40 elite Eucalyptus camaldulensis clones relative to a seedling control. The trial was established in three replications under uniform silvicultural management, and annual increments in height and girth at breast height were assessed. Marked variation was observed among the tested clones after one year. Annual height increment ranged from 2.9 m in Clone 122 to 5.9 m in Clone 714, whereas the seedling control recorded 1.9 m. Clone 714 had the highest height increment, followed by Clones 703 and 711 at 5.5 m each. Annual girth increment ranged from 5.0 cm in Clone 108 to 11.9 cm in Clone 703, compared with 3.2 cm in the control. Clone 703 had the highest girth increment, followed by Clones 711 and 714 at 11.6 and 11.4 cm, respectively. When both growth traits were considered, Clones 714, 703, 711, and 283 showed comparatively strong early performance under the experimental conditions. The findings demonstrate considerable variation in initial growth among the tested genetic materials and identify clones that warrant continued evaluation. Longer-duration and multi-location trials are required before firm recommendations are made for wider commercial, farm-forestry, or agroforestry deployment in the Eastern Gangetic Plains.

Stump-Diameter Modelling of Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) for Selected Timber Species in Erukot Division of the Cross River National Park, Nigeria

2026-09-23T12:02:50+00:00

Regression models were developed and validated to relate stump diameter to diameter at breast height (DBH) for selected timber species in Erukot Forest, Oban Division of the Cross River National Park, Nigeria, and were subsequently applied to tree-volume estimation. The assessment covered three economically important species: Poga oleosa, Staudtia stipitata and Pycnanthus angolensis. Twenty sample plots were established through systematic line-transect sampling. Stumps of felled trees were identified and measured for stump height and stump diameter, whereas DBH was measured with a girthing tape. Relationships between stump diameter and DBH, and between DBH and tree volume, were analysed with regression models in SPSS Version 20. Model performance was assessed using the coefficient of determination, root mean square error, F-ratio, adjusted measures of fit and the Durbin-Watson statistic; Student's t-test and percentage bias were used for validation. Measurements were obtained from 31 P. angolensis, 26 P. oleosa and 27 S. stipitata trees. Their respective mean stump heights were 0.46, 0.49 and 0.43 m; mean stump diameters were 55.1, 47.9 and 45.3 cm; and mean DBH values were 40.3, 33.6 and 28.7 cm. The fitted equations indicated species-specific associations between stump diameter and DBH. Under comparable forest conditions, these relationships may provide a practical means of reconstructing the dimensions and volume of felled trees.

Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Agricultural Intensification in Himachal Pradesh, India: A District-level Analysis of Cropping and Irrigation Intensity, 1990–91 to 2020–21

2026-09-23T12:10:51+00:00

Aims: To examine the spatio-temporal variation in cropping intensity and irrigation intensity across the 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh, India, during 1990–91, 2005–06, and 2020–21.

Study Design: District-level quantitative analysis using secondary agricultural statistics, GIS-based spatial analysis, temporal comparison, and Pearson correlation.

Place and Duration of Study: Himachal Pradesh, India, using agricultural statistics for 1990–91, 2005–06, and 2020–21.

Methodology: District-level data on Net Area Sown (NSA), Gross Cropped Area (GCA), Net Irrigated Area (NIA), and Gross Irrigated Area (GIA) were obtained from the Annual Season and Crop Reports of Himachal Pradesh. Cropping intensity and irrigation intensity were calculated as GCA/NSA × 100 and GIA/NIA × 100, respectively. Choropleth maps were prepared in GIS, and Pearson correlation was used to examine the relationship between the two indicators.

Results: At the state level, cropping intensity increased from 168.77% in 1990–91 to 175.00% in 2005–06 before declining slightly to 172.58% in 2020–21, giving a net increase of 3.81 percentage points. Irrigation intensity increased from 167.70% to 179.03% and 179.19%, a net increase of 11.50 percentage points. Una recorded the largest increase in cropping intensity, while Chamba recorded the largest increase in irrigation intensity. Cropping intensity and irrigation intensity were strongly and positively correlated in 1990–91 (r = 0.755, P = .005) and 2020–21 (r = 0.748, P = .005), but the relationship was moderate and not statistically significant in 2005–06 (r = 0.535, P = .073). The correlation between changes in the two indicators was positive but not statistically significant (r = 0.476, P = .118).

Conclusion: Agricultural intensification in Himachal Pradesh has followed a differentiated district-level trajectory. Irrigation intensity is an important component associated with agricultural intensification, but changes in irrigation intensity do not necessarily correspond proportionally to changes in cropping intensity.

Assessing the Effect of Urban Expansion on Forest Degradation in Huye District, Rwanda

2026-09-28T10:44:56+00:00

Urban expansion is among the principal drivers of land-use and land-cover (LULC) change in tropical secondary cities, converting forest and agricultural land into built-up area and eroding the ecosystem services on which surrounding populations depend. This study applied a mixed quantitative-geospatial and socio-institutional design to assess the effect of urban expansion on forest degradation in Huye District, a secondary city in Rwanda's Southern Province, over 2000–2025. Supervised classification of multi-temporal Landsat imagery (2000, 2015 and 2025; 30 m resolution) in ArcGIS 10.8 produced five LULC classes; post-classification change detection quantified area transitions, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) characterised changes in forest density and vigour. A household survey of 150 respondents, proportionally allocated across five urbanising sectors following Yamane's formula, together with 22 purposively selected key-informant interviews, supplied socio-economic and institutional context; Pearson correlation analysis in RStudio examined the association between built-up expansion and forest cover. The combined residential and urban-zone share increased from 39.15% in 2000 to 40.69% in 2025, while forest cover fell from 654.85 ha to 601 ha (-8.22%), a net loss of 53.85 ha. Across the three classified reference years (2000, 2015 and 2025), built-up share and forest-cover share were strongly inversely associated (r = -1.00, p = 0.002, n = 3). Change-detection matrices identified residential-to-urban-zone (27.2%) and forest-to-agriculture (19.3%) as the dominant land-cover transitions. Respondents attributed forest degradation primarily to settlement expansion (36.6%) and charcoal production (31.7%), and urban growth itself to population growth (39%) and rural-urban migration (26.8%); a majority (71.4%) considered enforcement of forest-protection regulations effective, though 14.3% reported persistent gaps. These patterns parallel evidence from Masaka Sector and other Rwandan secondary cities, indicating a broader national trajectory of urbanisation-driven forest loss that is nonetheless comparatively moderate in Huye. Because the correlation analysis rests on only three temporal observations, it should be read as a strong descriptive association rather than a fully powered inferential test; we recommend annual or near-annual multi-temporal imagery in future monitoring to enable more robust trend modelling. Strengthened land-use zoning enforcement, reforestation, and expanded access to alternative domestic energy sources are recommended to reconcile continued urban growth with forest conservation in Huye District.

Drivers of Land Degradation and Ecological Restoration Governance in the Bamboutos Mountains, Cameroon: The Case of the Nduh Nkemlepè River Watershed

2026-10-03T12:20:27+00:00

Land degradation is currently one of the major environmental challenges in mountain ecosystems of sub-Saharan Africa. In the Bamboutos Mountains, the Nduh Nkemlepè River watershed is experiencing increasing pressures associated with the intensification of human activities and the effects of climate change. This study analyses the main drivers of land degradation, the drivers of forest-cover change, and the governance mechanisms related to restoration implemented in the watershed. Data were collected through socioeconomic surveys of households, interviews with institutional stakeholders, and participatory stakeholder analysis. The results show that agriculture (78.4%) and livestock farming (66.0%) constitute the main local economic activities and major drivers of land degradation. Urbanisation (61.9%), agriculture (55.7%), and livestock farming (42.3%) were identified as the main direct drivers of forest-cover change. The governance analysis reveals weaknesses in institutional frameworks despite the existence of relatively favourable policy and legal provisions. Participation and consultation mechanisms remain moderate, while the implementation of restoration activities varies across stakeholder categories. The study recommends strengthening institutional capacities, improving community participation, and establishing sustainable monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure the success of ecological restoration initiatives.

Assessing Land use Dynamics and Sustainable Management Options in and around the Mount Manengouba Herpetological Sanctuary, Cameroon

2026-10-03T12:33:35+00:00

Montane ecosystems are increasingly threatened by land-use and land-cover changes driven by agricultural expansion, resource extraction, demographic pressure, and other human activities, with important implications for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem functioning. The Mount Manengouba Herpetological Sanctuary (MMHS) represents an important biodiversity landscape in Cameroon, but its surrounding areas are increasingly exposed to anthropogenic pressures. This study assessed the spatio-temporal dynamics of land use and land cover (LULC) in and around the MMHS between 1979 and 2018, examined the major drivers of vegetation-cover change, and identified sustainable management options for reducing landscape degradation. Multi-temporal Landsat satellite imagery, comprising Landsat 3 MSS (1979), Landsat 7 ETM+ (2001), and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS (2018), was processed using image pre-processing, false-colour composite interpretation, supervised Maximum Likelihood classification, post-classification filtering, and field-based accuracy assessment using 78 GPS ground-truth points complemented by Google Earth imagery. Land-cover transitions were quantified using a transition matrix, while semi-structured interviews, household surveys, and direct field observations were used to identify the socioeconomic drivers of landscape change. The results revealed substantial transformation characterised by agricultural expansion, forest degradation, fragmentation, and partial natural regeneration. Agricultural plantations increased from 44.33% in 1979 to 53.52% in 2001 before declining slightly to 47.25% in 2018, while primary forest increased from 10.08% to 12.52% over the study period. In contrast, secondary forest declined from 21.78% in 1979 to 9.85% in 2018, demonstrating its high vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbance. Transition analysis showed substantial exchanges between forest and cultivated land, including the conversion of 2,252 ha of secondary forest to cultivated fields between 1979 and 2001, although localised regeneration also occurred. Agriculture was the leading driver of vegetation-cover reduction (40.98%), followed by firewood collection (31.69%), NTFP harvesting (23.50%), and grazing (3.83%). Although natural regeneration and fallowing contributed to partial forest recovery, these processes remained insufficient to offset long-term habitat degradation and fragmentation. The study concludes that continued anthropogenic pressure is reshaping the MMHS into an increasingly heterogeneous and ecologically fragile landscape. The study recommends strengthening agroforestry and ecological intensification, promoting participatory forest restoration and community-based conservation, reducing dependence on forest resources through alternative energy sources, and implementing integrated land-use planning and long-term LULC monitoring to reconcile biodiversity conservation with local livelihood needs.

Growth, Productivity and Profitability of Tomato in Aonla Based Multistoried Agroforestry System

2026-10-05T08:54:06+00:00

Exploration of fruit tree-vegetable-based agroforestry systems is pivotal for combating climate change, meeting nutritional demands, ensuring food security, and improving economic profitability. From December 2020 to April 2021, an experiment was carried out in a 21-year-old aonla orchard at Gazipur Agricultural University (GAU) to assess tomato yield attributes and yield together with the economic return from winter vegetables within an aonla-based agroforestry system. A Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used with four replications. The treatments comprised four system combinations: T1: Aonla + Carambola + Lemon + Dragon fruit + Tomato; T2: Aonla + Dragon fruit + Tomato; T3: Dragon fruit + Tomato; and T4: Tomato in the open field (Control). T1 produced comparatively better vegetative growth and LER, whereas T4 recorded the highest SPAD value. The number of leaflets plant^-1, fruit length, fruit diameter, total number of fruits plant^-1, total fruit weight plant^-1, individual fruit weight, and yield were highest in T4. Overall, the findings showed that tomato production within the multistoried agroforestry arrangement was profitable, indicating that the aonla-based multistoried system could serve as a model for raising total production, using land more intensively, and generating high income.

Optimizing Planting Times for Sugarcane-maize Intercropping Systems to Maximize Productivity and Economic Returns

2026-10-10T13:42:44+00:00

Aims: To determine the optimum relative planting time for intercropping sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) that minimises interspecific competition and maximises yield, land-use efficiency, and economic returns.

Study Design: A randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was used. Nine treatments (T0 to T8) included staggered planting dates for sugarcane and maize, as well as sole sugarcane and sole maize.

Place and Duration: The experiment was conducted at the Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute (BSRI) farm from November 2024 to December 2025.

Methodology: Sugarcane and maize were planted in unit plots measuring 7 m × 6 m. A row spacing of 100 cm and a plant spacing of 15 cm were maintained. Maize was planted in a single continuous row between two sugarcane rows. Recommended fertiliser doses were applied to the crops. Data on cane height, stalk girth, number of millable canes, Brix%, maize grain yield, sugarcane yield, Land Equivalent Ratio (LER), Sugarcane Equivalent Yield (SEY), and cost-return indices were recorded and analysed statistically.

Results: Planting time significantly (p < 0.001–0.01) affected all parameters except Brix%. The maximum cane height (3.20 m) and cane yield (87.56 t ha⁻¹) were obtained in T0 (sole sugarcane). Sole maize (T8) produced the highest maize yield (11.47 t ha⁻¹). Among the intercropping treatments, the highest maize yield (7.30 t ha⁻¹) was observed in T5 (maize + sugarcane at 20 DAS of maize). All intercropping treatments had LER values > 1.00, with T5 recording the highest value (1.38). T5 also produced the highest net return (TK 327,495.83 ha⁻¹) and a BCR of 2.08, similar to T0, while providing an additional net profit of TK 42,952.91 ha⁻¹ over T0.

Conclusion: Synchronising sugarcane planting with maize sown 20 days earlier (T5) optimised time-differentiated resource sharing, resulting in high land-use efficiency and the greatest economic return among the intercropping treatments evaluated.