Jordan Journal of Agricultural Sciences

Narrative Literature Reviews in Scientific Research: Pros and Cons

Mousa Numan Ahmad — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Narrative literature reviews play a crucial role in scientific research by providing a comprehensive overview of the available knowledge on a particular topic. Unlike systematic reviews, which follow rigid methodologies, narrative reviews offer a more flexible and qualitative approach, allowing researchers to synthesize and interpret the findings of different studies. This type of review is particularly valuable in fields with a high literature diversity, as it can help identify trends, gaps, and emerging themes. A key strength of narrative reviews is their ability to provide broader context, integrate insights from diverse disciplines, and enable a deeper understanding of complex issues. They also facilitate the exploration of theories and frameworks, often leading to new hypotheses and research questions. Narrative reviews are valuable resources for practitioners and policymakers, extracting key findings that can inform practice and decision-making. However, these reviews are not without limitations. The subjective nature of narrative synthesis can introduce bias, and the lack of a standardized methodology makes the reliability of conclusions uncertain. To enhance the rigor of narrative reviews, researchers should clearly define their objectives, thoroughly document their search strategies, and critically evaluate the quality of included studies. Although narrative literature reviews may not have the same empirical basis as systematic reviews, they remain a significant tool for knowledge dissemination and theoretical exploration in scientific research. On average, only a relatively small proportion of recent scientific publications provide high levels of evidence, though the journal review process should discourage unsubstantiated conclusions in original research articles. This introductory editorial is a brief preview that aims to help read, understand, and evaluate narrative review articles.

Influence of Black Soldier Fly Frass Fertilizer on Growth and Southern Blight Disease Development in Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus (L.) Moench)

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Black Soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larval (BSFL) frass is gradually becoming a source of organic fertilizer in cropping systems because of its role in improving crop growth and development as well as suppressing the growth of fungal pathogens. This study evaluated the effect of Black Soldier Fly Frass Fertilizer (BSFFF) on the growth of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) plant and development of southern blight disease during its growth. The BSFFF was applied at the rate of 10g, 15g, and 20g per 3kg of heat pasteurized soil in (5 litre capacity and 20 cm-diameter at the top and 15 cm height) plastic pots. No BSFFF application served as control while NPK 20:10:10 was applied at the rate of 30 kg ha^-1 to serve as a check. Results showed no significant difference (p=0.05) in the growth parameters on BSFFF-treated okra plants regardless of level of application. From the second to fifth weeks after sowing (WAS), the growth parameters of okra plants treated with BSFFF at all levels were significantly different (p = 0.00001) from those of untreated and NPK-treated plants. Plant heights in the first and sixth WAS ranged from 15.95±0.53 to 37.65±2.63 cm, respectively. From the second to fifth WAS, stem girth of okra plants treated with BSFFF at all levels was significantly wider (p = 0.00001) than that of untreated and NPK-treated plants. At two WAS, the number of leaves (6.56 ± 0.24) on okra BSFFF₂₀treated plants was significantly (p = 0.0098) more than that of control plants (5.20± 0.13). However, from 3 WAS, there was a steady reduction in the number of leaves on okra plants irrespective of the treatment received, probably due to the onset of disease symptoms. At 4 WAS, the number of leaves on BSFFF₂₀(5.67± 0.33) treated plants was again significantly more (p = 0.0003) than that of untreated plants despite the moderate incidence of disease symptoms on plants. The findings in this study demonstrate that integration of BSFFF into the okra cropping system would improve the growth and development of the okra plant and boost its tolerance to southern blight disease.

Evaluation of Essential Oils for the in Vivo Management of Fusarium Tuber Rot Disease of White Yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir)

Obiora Albert Onwuta, Victor Ohileobo Dania — Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Yam is an important economic crop that is widely cultivated in Africa and other sub-tropical continents. Its cultivation is, however, constrained by huge postharvest yield losses in tubers and setts meant for next season planting due to microbial-induced rot. The essential oils (EOs) of three botanicals, Cymbopogon nardus, Ocimum gratissimum and Citrus sinensis were evaluated for their phytochemical composition and efficacy in the management of Fusarium soft rot disease in white yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir). Chemical constituents were analyzed and quantified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-flame ionization detectors (GC-FID). The experimental design for the in vivo trial was a 15×3×3 factorial in completely randomized design with three replications, which comprised fifteen isolates of Fusarium oxysporum, three EOs and three concentrations. Geraniol (51.73%), thymol (50.52%) and limonene (45.84%) were the major compounds found in C. nardus, O. gratissimum and C. sinensis EOs, respectively. Rot development in inoculated but treated tubers was significantly (p<0.05) reduced by 9.3 -16.4%, 10.1-17.6% and 10.2-18.3%, respectively at 0.8 ml/ml EO concentration. The efficacy of the EOs in this study indicates their potential as biofungicides in the management of Fusarium soft rot disease in white yam.

Germination Performance of Wild Lupine Seeds (Lupinus varius L.) in Jordan Using Different Breaking Dormancy Treatments

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0200

Wild lupine (Lupinus varius L.) is an annual plant native to the Mediterranean region. Only a few studies have investigated the germination performance of wild lupine seeds in the Mediterranean region and examined different effects of temperatures and multiple dormancy-breaking treatments, which could help crop breeders to develop varieties more resilient to climate change. This study was conducted to assess how different dormancy-breaking treatments, including hot water (80 °C), chemical scarification using sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), and mechanical scarification, affect the germination rate and radicle length of wild lupine seeds when exposed to four controlled temperatures: 10, 14, 18, and 22 °C. A complete randomized design with three replications was used in this study. Mechanical scarification combined with a temperature of 22°C for 15 days was the most effective treatment for breaking the dormancy and resulted in the highest germination percentage (93.3%) and the highest radicle length (7.6 mm) for lupine seeds. In contrast, the lowest germination percentage (13.1-13.3%) was observed for H₂SO₄ and control wild lupine seeds (untreated) incubated at 10°C. In conclusion, mechanical scarification is an excellent method for breaking the seed dormancy of wild lupine seeds.