African Journal of Crop Science

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN 2375-1231 Vol. 5 (9), pp. 001-009, September, 2017. © International Scholars Journals 

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of pre-emergence herbicides on weed infestation and productivity of sesame ( Sesamum indicum L.) in the Sudan Savanna Zone of Nigeria

E. O. Imoloame¹, S. D. Joshua²* and N. A. Gworgwor²

¹Regional Agricultural Training School, Ngala, Borno State, Nigeria.

²Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.

Accepted 22 February, 2017

Abstract

Field trials were conducted in 2006 and 2007 cropping seasons at the University of Maiduguri Teaching and Research Farm located in Maiduguri (11°50’N; 13°10’E), Nigeria, to evaluate the effect of different pre-emergence herbicides on weed infestation and productivity of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) The experiment consisted of 22 treatments, which included 4 different pre-emergence herbicides applied at 5 rates each namely butachlor, metolachlor, diuron and pendimethalin at 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 kg a.i./ha, weeding at 3 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS) and a weedy check. The treatments were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated 3 times. Results showed that diuron at 1.5 to 2.5 kg a.i./ha produced significantly (P<0.05) the least weed cover and dry matter at 3 and 6 WAS, which was comparable with two-hoe-weedings at harvest. Both butachlor at 2.0 kg a.i./ha and metolachlor at 1.5 kg a.i./ha produced significantly (P<0.05) low weed cover score and weed dry matter, which were comparable with the least weed cover score in both trials and their combined means at harvest. Among the herbicides tested, butachlor at 2.0 kg a.i./ha and diuron at 1.0 kg a.i./ha produced significantly (P<0.05) the highest grain yield in 2006, while metolachlor at 1.5 kg a.i./ha produced significantly (P<0.05) the highest grain yield in 2007 and the combined means. For effective weed control and higher yield, metolachlor at 1.5 kg a.i./ha and butachlor at 2.0 kg a.i./ha are recommended as an alternative to two hoe-weedings at 3 and 6 WAS for the production of sesame in the Sudan Savanna zone of Nigeria.

Key words: Pre-emergence herbicides, weed infestation, productivity, sesame, savanna, Nigeria.

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN 2375-1231 Vol. 5 (8), pp. 001-007, August, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers and cotyledon removal on establishment and growth of yeheb nut bush (Cordeauxia edulis Hemsl.) outside its natural habitat

Bertukan Mekonnen¹*, Kebede Woldetsadik¹, Tamado Tana¹ and Asha Yahya²

¹Department of Plant Sciences, Haramaya University, P. O. Box: 138, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.

²Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden.

Accepted 11 January, 2017

Abstract

Yeheb nut bush (Cordeauxia edulis) is a multipurpose but endangered shrub native to arid south-Eastern Ethiopia and Central Somalia. Establishment of this species was studied in two sets of experiments during 2005 to 2007. In the first set of experiment, field establishment was conducted at Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, which is located 725 km north west of the natural habitat (Bokh). Nitrogen at 0, 46 and 92 level and phosphorus at 0, 4 and 8 kg ha^-1 were applied 84 days after transplanting. Application of 92 N/8 P kg ha^-1 increased seedling height by 134%; 46 N/4 P kg ha^{- 1} increased leaf area by 152% and dry weight of seedlings increased by 309% at 46/8 kg ha^-1 NP compared to the unfertilized plants. Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers significantly altered soil as well as plant tissue N and P contents. Leaf and root N was significantly highest at 46 and 92 N kg ha^-1, respectively while leaf P was maximised at 8P kg ha^-1. In the second set, the impact of cotyledon removal was assessed in the greenhouse, Haramaya University by excision of cotyledon at 7 days interval for ten consecutive weeks and leaving the cotyledon with plant as a control. Removing cotyledon at 7, 14 and 35 days after germination (DAG) significantly reduced most of the growth parameters while seedlings with intact cotyledon had the highest dry matter accumulated. Thus, 46 to 92 kg N and 8 kg P ha^-1 would help the establishment and growth of C. edulis in the field and seedlings should retain cotyledon during early establishment. However, more rates of N and P as well as methods and frequency of applications deserve further investigation.

Key words: Cordeauxia edulis, cotyledon, Ethiopia, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, seedling establishment.

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN 2375-1231 Vol. 5 (7), pp. 001-006, July, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Linkage mapping of lentil (Lens culinaris L.) genome using recombinant inbred lines revealed by AFLP, ISSR, RAPD and some morphologic markers

Bahattin Tanyolac^1*, Sehnaz Ozatay¹, Abdullah Kahraman² and Fred Muehlbauer³

¹Ege University, Department of Bioengineering, 35100 Bornova-Izmir Turkey.

²Harran University, Department of Field Crops, S. Urfa, Turkey.

³Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, USDA-ARS, Washington State University, 303 Johnson Hall, Pullman, WA99164-6434, USA.

Accepted 22 January, 2017

Abstract

We have constructed a molecular linkage map of Lentil (Lens culinaris L.) in a RIL population (developed from the parents Precoz x WA8949041) of 94 plants with 166 markers. The resulting linkage map consists of 11 (varying between 50.9 – 436.5 cM) linkage groups covering 1396.3 cM with an average map distance between framework markers of 8.4 cM. Most of the RAPD and ISSR markers were evenly distributed across the genome. By using 40 primer combinations, we were able to generate 391 AFLP markers in the RIL population. The majority of the AFLP markers clustered in linkage group 1. In the segregation distortion analysis, 185 markers deviated from Mendelian segregation. Of the 185 markers with skewed segregation, 108 markers were unlinked and the rest of the distorted markers mapped to linkage groups. LG1 contained the most distorted marker among the linkage groups.

Key words: AFLP, RAPD, ISSR, Lentil, Segregation Distortion, Linkage map.

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN 2375-1231 Vol. 5 (6), pp. 001-006, June, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Studies on genetic variability and interrelationship among the different traits in Microsperma lentil (Lens culinaris Medik)

S. D. Tyagi and M. H. Khan*

Depatment of Plant Breeding and Genetics Kisan (PG) College, Simbhaoli, Gaziabad (U. P), India.

Accepted 23 September, 2016

Abstract

The genetic parameters, character association and path coefficient analysis between yield and yield contributing characters of 25 lentil genotypes were studied during 2007 - 2008 at Kisan (PG) College, Simbhaoil. The genotypes exhibited a wide range of variability for all the traits studied. High heritability accompained by moderate to high GCV and genetic gain were observed for number of pods plant^-1, number of branches plant^-1, 100 seed weight, seed yield plant^-1 and harvest index. Correlation studies indicated that number of pods plant^-1, biological yield and harvest index were positively and significantly correlated with seed yield at both phenotypic and genotypic levels. Path coefficient analysis showed that harvest index, biological yield and number of pods plant^-1 showed maximum and positive direct effect on seed yield.

Key words: Correlation, path coefficient analysis, genetic variability, lentil.

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN 2375-1231 Vol. 5 (5), pp. 001-009, May, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research

Variability in the yield and character association in Nigerian sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) genotypes

Emmanuel E. Bassey

Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], Phone: +2348024686153

Accepted 22 August, 2016

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the variability among 15 sweet potato genotypes and identify traits which are positively and significantly correlated with fresh tuber yield and also identify genotypes with high yield for the environment. A land area of 19m x 45m was laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Vine length (cm), number of functional leaves per plant, leaf area per plant (cm²), number of branches per plant, tuber length (cm), circumference of tubers (cm), fresh tuber yield (t/ha), number of marketable tubers and non- marketable tubers per plot, weight of top growth, number of cracks and holes per tuber were studied. Significant differences (P≤ 0.05) were observed among the sweet potato genotypes for all the characters. UM/11/015 was superior over all the other sweet potato genotypes in three important characters, namely circumference of tubers, fresh tuber yield (t/ha) and number of marketable tubers per plot, followed by Solo 2 in two, namely tuber length and number of non-marketable tubers per plot.TIS 87/0087 was the next superior genotype for number of marketable tubers per plot and fresh tuber yield. The study showed that tuber length, circumference of tubers, number of marketable tubers and number of non-marketable tubers were significantly and positively correlated with fresh tuber yield (p < 0.01). However, number of branches per plant and vine length were negatively correlated with number of leaves, circumference of tubers, tuber length, and number of marketable and non-marketable tubers. Based on these findings, tuber length, circumference of tubers, number of marketable and non-marketable tubers are important traits that should be considered for selection in sweet potato. The high yielding genotypes showed weak resistance to holes and cracks in tubers. Therefore, UM/11/015, TIS 87//0087 and Solo 2 could be recommended for Uyo agro-ecology while UM/11/015 and Solo 2 could be advanced to the pre-released trials in the area. Four sweet potato genotypes, EA/11/025, CIP 420068, UMUSPO/3 and Butter milk which were generally vegetative and unproductive types could be eliminated from the list of sweet potato of Uyo environment.

Keywords: sweet potato, variability, yield components, character association.

African Journal of Crop Science ISSN 2375-1231 Vol. 5 (4), pp. 001-004, April, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Review

An overview on the role of virus vectors in host plant Intraction-transmission strategy

Emma Umunna Opara

Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture University of Uyo, Nigeria. *(Fomerly of Department of Plant Health Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria).

Accepted 22 July, 2016

Abstract

Viruses are submicroscopic infectious particles that cause many important plant diseases. Plant viruses rarely come out of the plant and cannot be disseminated as such by wind or water, but they are being transmitted from plant to plant in a number of ways and by living organisms called vectors. This article attempts to show the relationship between Vectors and Viruses in host plant infection. It discusses the transmission of viruses by vectors from unhealthy host plants to healthy host plants to cause infection. Each successive step of vector-virus transmission is needed for transmission to be successful. Different modes of virus transmission are characterized based on the retention time, sites of retention, and internalization of virions by vectors. It goes further to discuss the specificity of transmission of a virus by a vector as a critical factor in vector-virus interaction. It concludes that transmission from host to host by vectors is an important step in the biological cycle of plant viruses to ensure their maintenance and survival. Therefore the control of virus vectors is an effective way of controlling viral diseases of crop to ensure sustainable productivity of crops.

Key words: Vectors, virus transmission, host plant infection, vector-virus interaction, specificity.