http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/65 2026-05-08T19:22:57Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/4628 Title: A Comparative Evaluation of the Efficacy and Economic Analysis of Coated and Non-Coated Nitrogen Application in Maize (Zea mays L.) at Seed-Co Research Station in Zimbabwe Authors: Kupeta, O’Brian Abstract: Maize (Zea mays L.) top-dressing in both smallholder and commercial production in Zimbabwe is carried out using uncoated nitrogen (N). A study was conducted for two consecutive seasons in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 at Seed-Co’s Rattray Arnold Research Station and Stapleford Research Centre, Zimbabwe to determine the comparative performance on maize grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency of Polymer coated urea fertilisers against conventional ammonium nitrate (AN) and plain white urea fertilisers. The study also looked at the loss of fertiliser nitrogen via volatilisation and economic advantages of each top-dressing source of nitrogen to maize cropping in Zimbabwe. The top-dressing treatments were; zero N, 69 N kg/ha and 138 N kg/ha. A volatilisation experiment in the lab was carried out using AN Plain white urea, Agrotain coated urea, and NBPT coated urea. The field experiment was laid out as a randomised complete block design (RCBD) and was a 6 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment involving 3 factors. The growth attributes measured were, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, chlorophyll content, number of days to 50% tasselling, grain yield, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). The results showed that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in Grain Yield (GY) and NUE between zero N top-dressed plots, half rate (69 kg N/ha) and full rate (138 kg N/ha) top dressed plots. This was attributed to high inherent nitrogen levels in the soil and not to the type of top-dressing fertiliser. Source of N was found to have no effect on chlorophyll levels in the leaf. Nitrogen losses through leaching from the same five top-dressing nitrogen sources were observed to be insignificant (p>0.05) and with no impact on both maize grain yield and NUE across soil depths of 15cm, 30cm and 45cm. The observed low leaching was attributed to high organic matter levels in the soil. Late top-dressing of N was observed to result in higher levels of residual N in the soil at the end of the season. This explains that maize plants also provided a sink for the applied mineral nitrogen and when it is missed during peak demand, there is higher residual N in the soil at the end of the season. Nitrogen volatilisation experiment results from the five top-dressing sources were ranked as follows in ascending order: NBPT urea< Black Urea® < White urea < Agrotain green/red urea < Ammonium nitrate. From the volatilisation experiment it was deduced that coated N delays the rate of N loss by volatilisation. A survey conducted to assess the adoption and cost effectiveness of coated nitrogen fertilisers on the market revealed that lack of product knowledge and related information on the new technologies is leading to very slow adoption and uptake of controlled release/stabilised N fertilisers. Maize farmers need more product information to adopt coated nitrogen fertilisers. 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/4627 Title: The Effect of Planting Depth on the Performance of the Irish Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Variety Larnoma in Nyanga District. Authors: Chingombe, Shadreck Abstract: The Irish Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important tuber crop on a global scale. In Zimbabwe potato ranks the third after maize and wheat and worldwide it is ranked the fourth after maize, wheat and rice. Potato is crucially important to food security in Zimbabwe. The Nyanga highlands are one of the production hubs for Irish potatoes in Zimbabwe but it has been noted that there has been a marked decline in potato yields over the years. The decline in yields is attributable to several factors with agronomic, pests and diseases and general climate change. Among the agronomic factors, the planting depth is a crucial factor in potato production but there is no tested and proven planting depth for the Nyanga area. The study aimed at determining the proper planting depth for Irish Potato variety Larnoma. The study was undertaken at two sites namely; Nyamurindi farm and Muozi farm in the 2019-2020 cropping season. Four planting depths of 5 cm, 10 cm, 15 cm and 20 cm were used. The trial was laid out in a Randomised Complete Block Design with field slope as the blocking factor. Parameters measured include average tuber weights per plot for large, medium and small sized tubers, average number of tubers per plot for large, medium and small sized tubers, average number of branches per plant, average stem length, percentage emergence, percentage flowering and the percentage of mature foliage at selected intervals until harvest. The data was subjected to Analysis of Variance using MINITAB version16 statistical package. The 5 cm and 10 cm depths had significantly higher rates of emergence compared to the 15 cm and 20 cm depths. The planting depth of 10 cm was noted to be the most suitable in the production of the tubers with the biggest proportion of heavy tubers and the biggest number of tubers per plot. The 5 cm depth and 10 cm depth had significantly earlier emergence and earlier flowering compared to the 15 cm and 20 cm depths. The size of potato tubers is an important quality criterion and it is affected by the planting depth. In this study it was noted that the 10 cm planting depth produced the largest proportion of large sized tubers at both Nyamurindi and Muozi farms. It is recommended that further studies be done in areas which are different from these two for another season in order to validate these results. 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/4415 Title: Prevalence Rates of Hemodialysis and Clinicopathological Characteristics of Chronic Kidney Disease Patients at the Mutare Hemodialysis Centre, Zimbabwe (2019–2025). Authors: Chari, Wadzanai T. Abstract: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a significant public health concern, particularly in Zimbabwe, where its prevalence is on the rise, leading to increased demand for renal replacement therapies such as hemodialysis. This study aimed to assess the rate of hemodialysis among CKD patients at the Mutare Hemodialysis Centre and explore the clinico-pathological characteristics influencing treatment modalities and patient outcomes from January 2019 to January 2025. A cross-sectional study design was utilized, involving systematic sampling of 90 patients undergoing hemodialysis. Key demographic data, socio-geographic factors, comorbidity prevalence, laboratory profiles, and treatment outcomes were collected through structured data collection sheets. The findings revealed a male predominance (60%) in the study population, with a mean age of 57 years. Notably, the age distribution showed a significant percentage of participants aged between 61 and 75 years, which accounts for 33.3% of the sample. Urban dwellers constituted 57.8%, highlighting better access to healthcare resources. A substantial number of patients presented with comorbidities, including hypertension (43.3%), diabetes mellitus (27.8%), and obesity (4%). Laboratory assessments indicated severely impaired renal function, with elevated serum creatinine levels averaging 675 μmol/L and a low mean GFR of 23 mL/min, categorizing the majority of participants in advanced stages of CKD. In terms of treatment frequency, 61.1% of patients received dialysis once per month, while 38.9% received it twice monthly. Moreover, 20% of patients reported experiencing complications during the course of treatment, indicating ongoing challenges in CKD management. These findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive management strategies to address prevalent comorbidities and emphasize the importance of ongoing monitoring and education for CKD patients. Given the limitations related to the sample size and cross-sectional design, future research should aim to include larger, more diverse populations to enhance the understanding of CKD in Zimbabwe. This research provides vital insights into the characteristics of CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis and highlights the necessity for improved healthcare practices and policies to optimize patient outcomes in the region. 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/4414 Title: Urine Biochemistry Results at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital Public Health Laboratory From 2022 to 2024. Authors: Mupeni, Trisha P. Abstract: Urine dipstick tests are essential diagnostic tools widely used in clinical settings to assess various health conditions. This study focuses on the analysis of urine dipstick results at Sally Mugabe Hospital public health laboratory from 2022 to 2024, aiming to evaluate the prevalence of different urinary abnormalities and their clinical implications. The research was based on a retrospective cross-sectional methodology to investigate the correlation of patient clinical conditions, sociodemographic traits and urine biochemistry results. Patients with age groups ranging from 15 and above were the focus of the study which particularly excluded those with inadequate urine sample data as well as those who had surgery during the study period using 200 as the sample size. The results showed that abnormal results were highly prevalent, especially when it came to blood (38%), leukocyte esterase (55%) and nitrites (72%) in urine samples. These findings imply that the research population has a notable prevalence of urinary tract infection. Given that standard markers like bilirubin (0%) and urobilinogen (0%) were not found abnormal in this population the findings suggest that a tailored approach to urine screening may be helpful. The data was analysed using a statistical software Statistical Package for the Social Services to summarize the socio demographic characteristics and urine biochemistry results. In order to improve diagnostic effectiveness and resource allocation in public health settings, the study emphasizes the potential for creating a low-cost dipstick test that focuses on clinically significant parameters. By narrowing the focus to most relevant indicators an innovation could enhance early detection and treatment strategies ultimately benefitting patient outcomes. The results contribute valuable insights into the epidemiology of urinary issues within the patient population; there is a necessity to improve diagnostic tools that address the challenges faced by healthcare providers in resource limited settings 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z