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)

Evaluating the growth performance of all male sex reversal and mixed ser tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultured in earthen ponds in Binh Phuo province, Vietnam

Loi N. Nguyen, Dang H. Nguyen, Nam B. Nguyen, Nhung T. H. Nguyen, & Hien T. Nguyen
Electronic version: 21 Jun 2024 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.3.04.2024
Abstract | PDF (203.6K)

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, survival rate and yield of all male sex reversed and mixed sex Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultured in earthen ponds for 180 days. The reversed sex and mixed sex fingerlings (mean weight 7.43 ± 0.35 g) was randomly stocked in six earthen ponds (1,000 m2/pond). The stocking density maintained was 5 fish/m2. The stocked fish were fed a commercial pellet feed containing 35% crude protein. The feeding rate was adjusted according the size of fish, 5% at the beginning to 3% at harvest. Water environment parameters including dissolved oxygen (DO) (4.3 ± 0.8 mg/L), temperature (30 ± 0.7°C), NH3 (0.18 ± 0.2 mg/L), and pH (6.9 ± 0.5) were always within the appropriate range for the normal growth and development of tilapia. The growth rate of sex reversed tilapia was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of mixed tilapia throughout the experiment. The harvest weight and length of reversed sex tilapia were 410.5 ± 5.15 g and 25.48 ± 0.48 cm, respectively, and were significantly higher than that of mixed sex tilapia (P < 0.05). The survival rates and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of mono and mixed sex were 90.1% and 89.9%, respectively, but no significant differences were observed (P > 0.05). The relationship of fish lengths and weights expressed by power function revealed that the slope of the length weight regression lines was normal for reversed sex (2.72) and mixed sex Tilapia (2.93) with the high correlation coefficient (> 0.9). The findings of this study demonstrate that reversed sex tilapia has better growth performance compared to mixed sex tilapia. Therefore, reversed sex fingerlings should be used in commercial farming to increase tilapia production.

Investigation of small-scale farming status of Tire track eel (Mastacembelus favus) in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Nhi H. Y. Nguyen, Hang T. T. Nguyen, Hanh T. B. Nguyen, Van T. T. Phan, Thang D. Tran, Man V. M. Ho, & Lan T. Trinh
Electronic version: 21 Jun 2024 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.3.02.2024
Abstract | PDF (781.1K)

Abstract

Tire track eel (Mastacembelus favus) is an economically important freshwater fish in the Mekong Delta. However, there is a lack of academic information about the current farming status, feed, and feeding related to this species in the region. Therefore, a field survey of small scale farming of tire track eel was conducted in An Giang, Dong Thap, Hau Giang and Kien Giang provinces of Vietnam. The objective of the survey was to determine the current farming practices information on households, especially the feed and feeding status of tire track eel in order to improve and develop a suitable feed for this fish in the future. The results showed that most of the small-scale farmers cultured fish in earthen ponds with or without plastic liners. Tire track eels were fed with feeds of other species and typically fed 3 - 5 times/d during the fingerling stage, and twice per day during the grow-out period. In terms of feed ingredients, crude protein contents in the feeds were 39.5 - 45.5% while crude lipid contents were 7.7 - 12.7%. Feed conversion ratios of tire track eels were 2 - 5. The farming periods of fish were 11.8 - 14 months when the fish reached the harvesting sizes of 318.2 - 421.4 g/fish, with the survival rates of 40 - 80%. It took 2.5 months to cultivate the fingerling stage (around 3 g/fish) from the fry with the survival rate of 55.7%. It was reported that this species was raised with a simple technique and got less illness compared to other fish species. However, the main reason of fish deaths during farming period related to management factors such as poor water quality due to decomposition of uneaten feed in water or lacks of dissolved oxygen due to high stocking density or power supply failures.

Inventorying and proposing solutions for street tree management in Thu Duc city, Ho Chi Minh City

Tien T. M. Duong, Thuy T. Vuong, The T. M. Ngo, & Thanh T. Nguyen
Electronic version: 21 Jun 2024 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.3.06.2024
Abstract | PDF (730.6K)

Abstract

Tree inventory plays an essential role in the urban landscape master plan. It serves as the foundation for data acquisition that supports the planning strategy and decisions relating to the community’s interests, particularly in recently established cities like Thu Duc city. This research was carried out from October 2021 to December 2022 in this city and aimed to inventory to gather qualified information for managing the city’s street trees. The study used an inventory form of street trees including criteria such as name, family, diameter at breast height (DBH), total height, and indicators of vitality and distance from trees to infrastructure. By this form, 287 streets were surveyed. The total number of investigated trees was 31.023 trees belonging to 65 species and 24 flora families, of which the species with a high percentage (from 10% or more) were Dipterocarpus alatus, Hopea odorata, Peltophorum pterocarpum, and Lagerstroemia speciosa. The most numerous plant family was Fabaceae. These trees typically had a height of less than 10 m, with a DBH of less than 20 cm. Many streets did not guarantee the distance between trees and infrastructure, particularly the distance to the electrical systems. The survey also showed that the majority of trees were healthy and grow healthily. From the current situation of Thu Duc city street trees, three solutions must be prioritized in order to improve street trees in this city.

Influence of the supplementation of macadamia oil cake powder on nutritional and sensory qualities of bread

Chuyen V. Hoang, & Duy L. A. Do
Electronic version: 21 Jun 2024 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.3.08.2024
Abstract | PDF (253.3K)

Abstract

Although macadamia oil cake (MOC) is a by-product of macadamia oil processing, this material still has high nutritional value, making it a promising ingredient for food products. This study aimed to investigate effects of the MOC supplementation at different ratios on physical properties, nutritional composition and sensory quality of bread. The results show that the addition of MOC led to increases in protein, ash and fat content, while carbohydrate content was lower in the supplemented bread. The specific volume and springiness of the bread were significantly affected by the MOC supplementation while no significant change in hardness and spread ratio was observed (P < 0.05). For the sensory quality of fortified bread, the differences in color, flavor, texture and overall acceptability among 4 levels of MOC addition were insignificant, except for the taste score. Microbiological analyses also confirmed that the MOC supplemented bread product met microbial safety standards. The obtained results suggest that the bread sample with 20% MOC addition (9.35 g protein, 12.32 g fat, 46.13 g carbohydrate, 4.29 g dietary fiber and 332.77 kcal per 100 g) should be selected for developing high nutritional bread product.

Comparison of the physicochemical properties and biological compounds of acerola fruit varieties grown in Vietnam through the various maturation stages

Diep T. N. Duong, Nhi X. Ngo, & Binh Q. Hoang
Electronic version: 21 Jun 2024 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.3.07.2024
Abstract | PDF (365K)

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to find the changes in physicochemical properties, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity of acerola fruits under different cultivars (i.e., Brazilian acerola (Malpighia emarginata D.C) and sour acerola (Malpighia glabra L.)) and maturation stages (unripe, half-ripe, and ripe). For any species, the study found an increase in total soluble solid and a* value, whereas there was a decrease in the content of bioactive compounds (i.e., polyphenols, flavonoids, vitamin C), total acidity, and antioxidant activity, which followed the maturation development of fruits. Briefly, the unripe acerola fruits (Brazillan cultivar) were an excellent source of vitamin C (32.97 mg/g) and phenolic content (25.62 mg GAE/g).
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  • 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.
  • The use of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) in domestic wastewater treatment
    Electronic version: 28 Jun 2018 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.7.03.2018
    Abstract | PDF (260.1K)

    Abstract

    The main objective of this study was to examine the efficacy and capacity of using hydroponic systems in municipal  pollutant removal at household scale. Three pilot scaled hydroponic systems [dimensionfor each system: 4.5 m (L) x Φ 114 mm] were installed to investigate the optimal age of vegetable, planting density and retention time for household wastewater treatment, respectively. Water spinach (Ipomoeaaquatica) planted in 27 plastic cups throughout 4.5-m-length and 114- mm-diameter uPVC pipes filled with wastewater was employed as the treating agent of pollutants. The averaged influent contained proximately 32.5 mg/L suspended solids (SS), 76.0 mg/L biological oxygen demand (BOD5), 220.5 mg/L chemical oxygen demand (COD), 26mg/L NH4+, 5.0 mg/L NO3−, and 8.5 mg/L PO43− at pH 7.3. Results showed that a designed system consisting of 10 plants of 15-day-old water spinach pre-planted in baked clay in each cup was capable oftreating 30 L of domestic wastewater meeting the current municipal wastewater discharge standards in Vietnam (column A standards of QCVN 14:2008/BTNMT) after 4 days of wastewater retention time. Ifoperated under conditions of the above parameters, the pilot-plant hydroponic system can achieve the removal of 65% SS, 82% BOD5, 74% COD, 90% NH4+, 30% NO3− and 86% PO43−. The result of this studyhas provided an applicable domestic wastewater treatment system ecofriendly and suitable for small and medium household areas.
  • Influence of stocking density on water quality and growth performance of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) reared in fiberglass tanks, without water exchange
    Electronic version: 27 Dec 2019 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.3.06.2019
    Abstract | PDF (3.4M)

    Abstract

    The present study evaluated the effects of stocking density on water quality parameters, growth performance and survival rate of white leg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, reared in fiberglass tanks, without water exchange. Three stocking densities (50, 100 and 200 shrimp/m2) were tested. Each treatment consisted of three replicate fiberglass tanks (500 L). The shrimp were fed ad libitum four times per day with a commercial pellet (40-42% protein). After an 8-week trial, concentrations of nutrients in the culture tanks showed an increasing linear relationship with increasing stocking density. The growth performance of shrimp in low stocking densities was significantly greater than that in high stocking densities. The results from this study demonstrate that with increasing the stocking density the production of shrimp increased but n a low final weight and survival compared to low stocking density.
  • Efficacy of white rice-based diets in nursery pigs
    Electronic version: 28 Jun 2018 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.13.03.2018
    Abstract | PDF (260.1K)

    Abstract

    Rice is a staple cereal consumed by much of the world’s population but has received relatively little attention as a potential feedstuff for the animal industries in many parts of the world. It may be because its price is relatively high and only a small amount of rice produced is traded (6.2%). India, Thailand and Vietnam play a major role in the world rice export market. Rice is characterized by its high starch content, low fat and dietary fiber content, and lower crude protein content in comparison to other cereals. Rice-based diets have a higher apparent digestibility of nutrients than corn-based diets. Complete replacement of corn with rice in weaned pig diets does not affect growth performance, but feed efficiency is improved when corn is replaced with brown rice. Heat processing of rice does not influence digestibility and growth performance of pigs. Due to rice’s high digestibility and low fiber content, pigs fed rice-based diets have lower concentrations of volatile fatty acids and viscosity of intestinal digesta compared to other cereal-based diets. Moreover, rice has been shown to have potential to ameliorate diarrhea, colonization of pathogens, severity of enteric bacterial diseases, and pig removals. The mechanism for this protective function is not fully understood, but it may be, to a certain extent, related to lower fiber content and high digestibility of rice and a so-called “rice factor”. In practice, when availability and cost of rice permits, pork producers can benefit from the use of rice-based diets for piglets.
  • The effects of plant spacing on yield and quality of butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) cultivated in organic-oriented farming system on grey soil
    Electronic version: 30 Jun 2020 | DOI: 10.52997/jad.2.03.2020
    Abstract | PDF (260.1K)

    Abstract

    Clitoria ternatea L. is a plant species that can be used in food and pharmaceutical industry. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different plant spacing on the productivity and quality of butterfly pea grown on grey soil in Thu Duc, Ho Chi Minh City. Six treatments correspond to plant spacing of 80 x 15 cm, 80 x 20 cm, 80 x 25 cm, 80 x 30 cm, 80 x 35 cm and 80 x 40 cm. The results showed that the highest flower amount (296.8 flowers/plant) was obtained with butterfly pea planted at the spacing of 80 x 15 cm, commercial flower weight (7.86 g/100 flowers), theoretical yield of fresh flower (1,779.0 kg/1,000 m2, actual yield of fresh flower (841.9 kg/1,000 m2), theoretical yield of commercial flower (194.6 kg/1,000 m2 and actual yield of commercial flower (89.0 kg/1,000 m2. Nevertheless, plant spacings did not affect the dry matter ratio, anthocyanin and tannin content in the commercial butterfly flowers.