The Journal of Agriculture and Development

●The Journal of Agriculture and Development (JAD) is a peer reviewed journal publishing novel and significant research in a wide range of topics such as Agribusiness and Economics, Agricultural Mechanics, Agronomy and Forestry Sciences, Animal Sciences, Aquaculture and Fisheries, Biotechnology, Environmental and Natural Resources, Food Science and Technology, and Veterinary Medicine. The JAD is an open access journal that includes primary research, review articles, short communications, and special invited papers. We also publish special issues which focus on the current emerging topics in agricultural sciences.

●The JAD (the formerly named Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology) is published in 6 issues per year (4 issues in Vietnamese with English abstracts and 2 issues in English). The journal has published over 19 volumes since 2002. From 06/2018, the Journal started to publish online issues in two languages (English and Vietnamese).

●Period of publication: Issue 1 (FEB), Issue 2 (APR), Issue 3 (JUN, English), Issue 4 (AUG), Issue 5 (OCT), Issue 6 (DEC, English)

●The Journal's number of articles per issue ranges from 6 to 12.

●Publisher: Nong Lam University, HCMC (NLU)

Isolating a group of fungi from soil with the ability to control root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) damage in vegetables

Van T. Tran, Quyen T. N. Vo, Toan Q. Dinh, Khanh T. V. Nguyen, Linh T. N. Nguyen, Thang D. Nguyen, & Don D. Le
Electronic version: 30 Dec 2024 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.SI2.04.2024
Abstract | PDF (2.6M)

Abstract

Vegetable cultivation is essential to Vietnam’s agricultural development strategy. Meloidogyne spp. has caused a root-knot disease which is dangerous due to decreased plant vitality, yield, and quality. This research aimed to select fungal strains controlling Meloidogynes spp., which causes root knots in vegetable plants. As a result, strains of the fungi Paecilomyces sp., Mariannaea sp., and Penicillium sp. effectively inactivated second-stage juveniles (J2) after 72 h of inoculum. Specifically, Paecilomyces sp. was immobilized in 64.5% of the nematodes, Mariannaea sp. was 72%, and Penicillium sp. was 70%, compared to only 13.5% in the control group without fungal inoculation. In a net house experiment investigating the influence of fungal strains on J2 in Malabar spinach (Basella alba L.), the Mariannae sp. strain inoculated on plants at a density of 107 cfu/mL produced the best results in terms of root length (25.3 cm) and root weight (0.4 g) compared to the control uninoculation (18.5 cm; 0.3 g) and the control with only the nematode (11.2 cm; 0.2 g). Additionally, the Mariannaea sp. strain significantly reduced the number of juvenile nematodes per 50 g of soil (15.7 J2) compared to the control (160 J2) in Malabar spinach (Basella alba L.) in a net house.

Enhancing agricultural classification models through data augmentation and advanced deep learning techniques

Tien Dang, & Long D. Phan
Electronic version: 30 Dec 2024 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.SI2.03.2024
Abstract | PDF (172.6K)

Abstract

In the field of agricultural data analysis, achieving high quality classification modeling remains a significant challenge due to the inherent variability and complexity of agricultural datasets. This study investigated cutting-edge approaches to enhance model performance through data augmentation techniques and the application of advanced deep learning models to artificially enlarge the training dataset, thereby improving model generalizability and robustness. Additionally, the study evaluated the efficacy of state-of-the-art models (i.e., ViT-Ti/16, CaiT-XXS-24, XCiT-T12, Resnet26, ConvNeXt-T) for agricultural data analysis. The experimental results revealed a marked improvement in terms of accuracy and F1-Score when applied data augmentation into the training session. This underscored the potential of these techniques to significantly advance the field of agricultural informatics. Briefly, the findings contributed to the development of more reliable and high performance models for agricultural practices.

Current situation of beef cattle production on household farms in some districts of Lam Dong province

Hai T. Nguyen, Lanh V. Nguyen, Van T. Nguyen, Anh T. N. Dang, Nhan T. M. Nguyen, & Thinh P. Pham
Electronic version: 30 Dec 2024 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.SI2.08.2024
Abstract | PDF (400.1K)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the current situation of beef cattle production in households in some districts of Lam Dong province. Ninety household beef cattle farms (HBCFs) were chosen from Cat Tien, Don Duong and Duc Trong districts (10 households/commune and 3 communes/district) to perform the survey using pre-printed questionnaires and direct interviews on a cross-section study model and the Participatory Rural Appraisal method. Results showed that beef cattle husbandry householders have an extensive experience in beef farming with 36.7% having 11 - 15 years of experience (P < 0.01), although their educational levels were low, with 31.1% at the primary level (P < 0.01). There were 7.3 cattle/household in the total number of herd and and a beef cattle group of 4.7 cattle. Most households operated a husbandry scale from 1 - 5 cattle/household comprising 60.00% of the total herd (P < 0.01) and 69.32% of the beef cattle group (P < 0.01). High-yielding breeds dominated the current beef production systems in HBCFs, in which BBB cross-breeds accounted for 57.95% and 76.84% of households and total cattle, respectively; Charolais cross-breed accounted for 25.00 and 12.6%, respectively (P < 0.01). There was a high level (92.22%) of husbandry and management method as tied stall form (P < 0.01). Additionally, 76,14% of HBCFs applied fattening procedure for beef cattle before selling to abattoirs (P < 0.01), but artificial insemination application in HBCFs was just 48.86% (P = 0.763). The average daily gain of the beef herd for whole husbandry and fattening periods reached 580.3 and 696.4 g/day, respectively. Briefly, these results suggest that there are some limitations in beef cattle production on household farms for developing sustainably high-yielding beef cattle farming in Lam Dong. Therefore, there should be more application of scientific advancements to improve the present situation.

Construction of multiplex RT-PCR to determine the expression of ZO-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin genes in pig’s intestine

Nhu T. Q. Nguyen, Tram T. Q. Le, Nguyen V. Dang, Mi T. M. Nguyen, Trang T. Dong, Thieu Q. Nguyen, & Phat X. Dinh
Electronic version: 30 Dec 2024 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.SI2.10.2024
Abstract | PDF (1.4M)

Abstract

Tight junction (TJ) proteins play a critical function in forming a strong intestinal barrier that protects against ingested pathogens and harmful agents. This study aimed to utilize multiplex RT PCR (mRT-PCR) to assess the expression of ZO-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin genes at mRNA level in the intestines of pigs using specific primer pairs yielding amplicons of 167 bp, 500 bp, and 235 bp, respectively. The mRT-PCR protocol was optimized for annealing temperature and primer concentrations, including primer specificity, and determining the limit of detection. Subsequently, the optimized mRT-PCR was applied to detect these genes in 48 pig intestinal samples, including duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The mRT-PCR demonstrated specificity for these genes with the annealing temperature at 58°C. The primer pair ratio for ZO-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin was 0.4 µM:0.4 µM:0.4 µM (2:2:2). The detection rate for ZO-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin genes were 83.33% (40/48), 29.17% (14/48) and 4.17% (2/48) respectively. Intriguingly, one sample tested positive for all three mRNA, while negative results were observed in 12.5% of the samples. In conclusion, in the present study, the mRT-PCR was successfully established to detect ZO-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin expression in pig intestinal tissues.

Emissions of gases during bio-conversion of agro-waste by black soldier fly larvae

Ha N. Nguyen, Thuy T. T. Thai, Vu K. Luong, & Tu P. C. Nguyen
Electronic version: 30 Dec 2024 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.SI2.13.2024
Abstract | PDF (679.2K)

Abstract

This laboratory-scale study was designed to investigate the emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gases during the bio-conversion of agro-waste by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) for 14 days. The study included three experimental treatments: a control group without waste and BSFL (T0, lab background), treatment 1 containing waste with BSFL (T1), and treatment 2 containing only waste (without BSFL, T2). Process efficiency was measured by waste reduction and bio-conversion rate. Gas emissions from the process were collected using the static chamber method and determined using the gas absorption method. The results in the treatment T1 showed a notable BSFL survival rate of 99.7%, indicating a favorable condition for BSFL growth. The waste reduction rate in the T1 treatment (74.3%) was approximately two times higher than that of T2 (38.7%), indicating the ability of BSFL to decompose organic wastes efficiently. The pH and moisture content of the waste were monitored throughout the 14-day trial for both T1 and T2, and similar trends were observed. Compared to T0, gas emissions from T1 and T2 were higher. Furthermore, the CO2 and H2S emissions in T1 were higher than those in T2, while NH3 levels released in T2 were relatively higher than in T1. The preliminary results presented here could be the basis of future studies on gas emission via BSFL treatment of agro-waste.
Most Read
  • Accumulation and distribution of heavy metal cadmium in sweet sorghum
    Electronic version: 30 Jun 2020 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.9.03.2020
    Abstract | PDF (260.1K)

    Abstract

    Many species of plants have been studied, as well as applied for cleansing the environment. Previous research has concluded that sorghum plants are highly tolerant to metal pollution and capable of reaching high biomass values in the presence of metals. However, the distribution of heavy metals in plant’s parts has not been adequately studied. In this study, two varieties of sweet sorghum (Keller and E-Tian) were grown with 5 levels (0, 5, 10, 25 and 50 ppm) of cadmium (Cd) in order to investigate the accumulation of Cd in plant parts at the hard dough stage. The results clearly showed the absence of Cd in the seeds of the above plants. There was the presence of Cd at the second and fifth leaf when the level of Cd reached 25 - 50 ppm. There was a great correlation coefficient between Cd and the position of the internodes, namely 0.86, 0.96, 0.99, 0.98 with KE, and 0.86, 0.92, 0.94, 0.94 with ET at 5, 10, 25 and 50 ppm Cd (P < 0.01), respectively. The greater the internodes, the lower the accumulation of Cd. The aforementioned plants recorded the high accumulation of Cd in their roots, peaking at 23.27 µg/g (dried weight, dw)  in Keller and 21.69  µg/g in E-Tian. Based on these results, it is concluded that the distribution of Cd in the studied sweet sorghum can be arranged in the following order: > stem > old leaves > young leaves.
  • Case report of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome in brachycephalic dogs from Veterinary Specialist Service Hospital, Australia
    Electronic version: 30 Jun 2020 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.5.03.2020
    Abstract | PDF (260.1K)

    Abstract

    This report aimed to study symptoms and causes of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) in brachycephalic dogs and to determine appropriate surgical procedures for these symptoms by reviewing literatures and examining four case studies conducted at Veterinary Specialist Service Hospital, Underwood, Queensland, Australia. The cases included a 6-year 3-month old Staffordshire Bull Terrier (case 1), a 1-year 5-month old French Bulldog (case 2), an 8-month old French Bulldog (case 3), and an 8-year 8-month Pug (case 4). Those dogs went to the Veterinary Specialist Service in a worsen state of respiratory problems, including the upper respiratory noise (case 1, 2, 3), decrease in exercise tolerance, respiratory struggling (case 1, 3), regurgitation (case 1), coughing, sleeping difficulty, respiratory stridor (case 2), nasal discharge, dyspnea, bloating, and tachypnea (case 4). Examinations revealed the causes including the elongated soft palate (case 1, 2, 3, 4), stenotic nostrils (case 2, 3, 4), tonsils inflammation (case 3) and everted laryngeal saccules (case 4). After surgery, the dogs were recovered in intensive care unit within 2 days, and then discharged. Scheduled re-examination one week later showed improvement in the respiratory health in all cases. Overall, major complications occur in 10\% of cases; however, this surgery is vital and can be totally applied in Vietnam where brachycephalic dogs have become a popular companion.
  • Field assessment of the efficacy of M.B., LIBDV and Winterfield 2512 strain vaccines against infectious bursal disease in chickens
    Electronic version: 31 Dec 2018 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.3.06.2018
    Abstract | PDF (260.1K)

    Abstract

    Live virus vaccines are very important parts of the prevention of Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) in chickens. However, the successful IBD vaccination depends on IBD field pressure, vaccination technique, the immune status of the chicken, and especially IBDV strains used in the vaccines which are able to break through a higher level of maternal-derived antibodies (MDA). The objective of this field study was to compare the efficacy of a new vaccine based on M.B. strain to other commercial vaccines (LIBDV and winterfiled 2512) in terms of speed of antibody immune response and interference to Newcastle Disease (ND) vaccination. Six houses of broilers, each with 15,000 to 16,000 chickens, were divided into two groups: (1) vaccinated with M.B. strain (group A) and (2) vaccinated with LIBDV or 2512 strains (group B). Blood samples were collected prior to the 1st IBD vaccination, and at 21, 28 and 35 days of age for IBD and ND antibodies. Comparison of lesion scores and uniformity of the bursa of Fabricius (BF) at 28 and 35 days of age was carried out. Results showed that both groups had good immune responses, but group A showed significantly higher IBD antibody titers at 28 and 35 days of age. Antibody titers for ND and histopathological lesion scores of the BF were not significantly different between the 2 groups. The BF in group A was more uniform and had fewer lesions when compared with that in group B. In conclusion, the IBD vaccine with an M.B. strain can provide better immunological efficacy than LIBDV and 2512 strains.
  • Detecting toxin genes of Clostridium perfringens isolated from diarrhea piglets using multiplex PCR
    Electronic version: 31 Dec 2018 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.4.06.2018
    Abstract | PDF (260.1K)

    Abstract

    Clostridium perfringens is currently classified into five types (A, B, C, D, E) based on the different toxins produced. TypeA and C are known as the causative agent of enteritis and enterotoxemia in newborn and young piglets with severe intestinal lesions including edema, hemorrhage and necrosis. A multiplex PCR (mPCR) was developed in order to quickly and early determine the presence of genotypes of C. perfringens based on their genes of cpa, cpb, cpb2 and cpe encoding alpha toxin, beta toxin, beta2 toxin and enterotoxin with predicted products of 324 bp, 196 bp, 107 bp and 257 bp respectively. The detection limit of the mPCR assay was 1 × 103 copies/reaction for each gene. Sequencing of mPCR products performed with clinical samples collected from C. perfringens suspected pigs showed that the mPCR test functioned specifically. In conclusion, the developed mPCR test successfully detected the presence of genes cpa, cpb, cpb2 and cpe in the examined samples. Analysis of the bacteria isolated from field samples of diarrheal piglets collected in this study indicated that C. perfringens carrying gene cpa counted for 96.66% and 3.33% was identified as C. perfringens carrying genes cpa and cpb concurrently. Gene cpe was not found in this study, while gene cpb2 was detected coincidently in 73.33% of the samples with cpa gene. The results indicate that the prevalence of these four toxin genes is cpa, cpb2, cpb and cpe in decending order.
  • Effects of lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan on growth performance and serum antibody titers to Gumboro disease of color-feathered chickens
    Electronic version: 28 Jun 2018 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.4.03.2018
    Abstract | PDF (260.1K)

    Abstract

    The experiment was conducted to determine the effects of four amino acids (lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan) supplementation on growth performances and serum antibody titers to Gumboro disease (IBD, infectious bursal disease) in broiler chickens. Chicks were randomly assigned to 5 dietary groups (5 chicks/group as 12 replicates of 5 chicks) in a complete randomised experimental design. Group I served as control group, was fed a diet without any supplementation. Groups II and III were supplemented 10% of four amino acids (lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan) of the recommended requirements for 45 and 42 days, respectively. Meanwhile, Groups IV and V were supplemented 20% of four amino acids (lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan) of the recommended requirements for 45 and 42 days, respectively. The supplementation was started at 3 days of age in chicks. The chickens were vaccinated against Gumboro disease at day 12 and day 19. The antibody titer of the chickens in each group was assayed using IBD anti-body ELISA. Besides, the live body weight, average feed intake and feed conversion (FCR) were determined at 0, 21, 42 and 84 days of age. The results showed no significant different between groups in performance parameters such as body weight and FCR. However, the present work showed highest dose of lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan supplementation for 42 days may be improved feed intake and immune response of chicken against Gumboro disease vaccination.