Global Research in Environment and Sustainability

Development of a Numerical Index as a Framework for Quantifying and Communicating the Health Impacts of Greenhouse Gases

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Greenhouse gases drive global warming and ultimately Climate change which poses significant health risks worldwide. Existing frameworks, such as Global Warming Potential (GWP) of green house gases, neglect health impacts. The objective of this work was therefore to develop the Climate Change Health Impact Index (CCHII), integrating health effects and GWP. CCHII combines GWP with Health Impact Rating Scale (HIRS), a novel rating system assessing greenhouse gas health impacts. Example calculations of CCHII for CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O yielded CCHII values of 0.06, 1.12, and 21.20, respectively, providing numerical values for health impacts of these prominent green housegases. CCHII provides a numerical index for comparing greenhouse gas health impacts, to potentially support informed policy decisions on greenhouse gases and climate change mitigation strategies. Future refinement of HIRS and CCHII through expert feedback and real-world data will enhance accuracy and applicability.

Transforming Traditional Shifting Cultivation: A Sustainable Prospect in North East India (A Review)

Thejanguno Peseyie — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0100

In every inhabited part of the world man has modified his biophysical environment according to the milieu and available natural resources. Shifting cultivation is one such adaptation on the hills and mountain slopes, whereby farmers carry out cultivation by shifting cultivation plots. This review lays focus on the dominance of traditional shifting cultivation practices in North East India. The region is geographically distinct from the rest of the country in terms of its culture and traditional practices. Locally known as Jhum, this traditional cultivation which was undertaken for self-subsistence using simple tools and long fallow periods has transformed to the present state of short fallow periods over the years. Thereby, the self-sustenance practice which was not in the purview of environmental degradation has now become to be labelled unsustainable in respect to soil loss, forest degradation etc. Studies have shown that with increase in population, shortened fallow periods have transformed the nutrient content of the soil leading to decrease in soil fertility and low productivity. Although, considering the effect it has on the livelihood and food security of the indigenous people shifting cultivation cannot be entirely considered an unsustainable practice. Government initiatives and development programmes have been fruitful in transforming shifting to settled cultivation in some of the states. This review highlights the need for more in-depth assessment of shifting cultivation that will assist in identifying and adoption of proper management and development activities best suited for attaining a sustainable livelihood in the interest of the indigenous population.

Enhancing Growth Conditions for Maize and C.calothyrus via Functionalized and Cross-linked Cow-dung Biochar Application

Josephine, E. M., Harun Mbuvi, Magrate Ng;ang’a,s , Jane Mburu — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Water is a fundamental component in maintaining the plant posture, essential for photosynthesis, and protects the plant against temperature changes. Water scarcity is often linked to food insecurity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Mulching mitigates water loss during plant growth. Mulching materials such as dry grass, hay, and sawdust have low water retention time, which informs the need to enhance the material’s water retention capability. This can be enhanced via chemical functionalization and cross-linking of mulching materials. Large amounts of biogas slurry generated from cow dung during biogas production remain a persistent challenge for many biogas reactor operators, yet it is a potential source for agricultural use. Cow dung in this study was obtained from a cattle farm in Thika in Kiambu County. It was turned to biochar via gasification and then functionalized using phosphoric acid and subsequently, cross-linked with urea to make a hydrogel biochar mulch. The chemically modified biochar was tested for its degree of water retention by comparing the water retention of mulched and non-mulched maize and Calliandra calothyrsus trees. This was carried out in Makuyu ward, Maragua constituency in Murang’a County, a semi-arid area. Maize was grown for two seasons using a randomized block design, and growth and yield parameters were monitored periodically. The functionalized biochar yielded significantly higher weights (Fcal 2.74 in the second season compared to the first season). A significant change in width, length, and height was noted with (F_cal.1.2 (F_cal.7.0 , and (F_cal.8.5 respectively in the second season as compared to the first season. Based on these findings, the chemically modified hydrogel biochar was confirmed to have enhanced performance and has potential for improved agricultural performance if adopted for use in arid and semi-arid areas in Kenya.

Comparative Effects of Plant Growth Regulators on the Growth Performance of Two Purple-Fleshed Sweet Potato Cultivars

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Sweet potato varieties “Apomuden” and “Nane” have been supplied to farmers for some years in Northern Ghana. It was suspected that the materials have been infected by viruses. This study was done to generate a protocol for the varieties and to generate planting material for subsequent multiplication and virus indexing. Aseptic cultures of the two varieties were raised through micropropagation. The effect of three growth regulators (IAA, BAP and Kinetin) at 2 mg/l on growth of the two varieties was studied using complete randomised design with three replications. The study was conducted at the Plant Tissue Culture laboratory at Nyankpala campus of the University for Development Studies using Murashige and Skoog media. Shoot induction was more effectively promoted in MS medium supplemented with BAP and performed better in Nane variety as compared to Apomuden. The medium supplemented with IAA stimulated root growth and development while BAP inhibited root formation. It is recommended that BAP at 2 mg/l should be used to multiply the sweet potato varieties for virus indexing.

Genotype by Environment and Grain Yield Stability Analysis of Improved Linseed Varieties on the Highlands of North Shewa Zone, Oromia

Abreham Feyisa Bedada, Gashaw Sefera Bedada, Name Kinati Firisa — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Field experiment was conducted at Kuyu, D/Libanos and Jida districts of North Shewa Zone, Oromia region, Central Ethiopia with the objectives of evaluating adaptable and best yield performing improved linseed varieties for further demonstration and scaling up during the main cropping season of 2021 and 2022. The experiment was conducted using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. In the experiment, fifteen improved linseed varieties were used to evaluate their performance. Parameters like seed yield (qt/ha), 1000 seed weight in grams, number of capsules per plant, number of branches per plant and plant height (cm) were measured to assess the actual field performances of different linseed varieties. The data were analyzed by R software. Seed yield and most of yield the components were significantly affected by the main effect of variety and environment. The results revealed that there were significant (P < 0.01) variations between the varieties for yield. Higher yield was recorded on Horasoba and Kulumsa-1 varieties while low yield was recorded from Bekelcha. In addition the stability analysis indicated that the mean of seed yield is more stable across locations as compared to other varieties. Therefore, farmers located at the study area are recommended to use those varieties to increase linseed crop yield.