African Journal of Plant Breeding

African Journal of Plant Breeding ISSN 2375-074X Vol. 3 (4), pp. 167-171, April, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Proximate and chemical composition of shea (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn) fruit pulp in the Guinea Savanna of Nigeria

Okolosi B. N¹*, F. O. Brorhie², Akpan S. W¹ and Ojugho C. Bridget¹

¹Plant Breeding Division, Nigerian Institute for Oil palm Research, NIFOR P.M.B. 1030, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.

²Department of Crop Production and Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU Ile-Ife, Oyo State.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 24 June 2014

Abstract

Results of the analysis of variance showed that the mean squares for agro ecology were highly significant (p≤0.05) for proximate (crude protein, crude fibre, crude lipid and ash) and chemical (acid value, peroxide value, iodine value and saponification value). Total ash, fats, crude fibre, crude protein and total carbohydrate, ranged between 5.1-7.3, 17.28-19.22, 9.0-11.55, 6.24-8.36 and 55.35-9.11, respectively. Chemical analysis revealed that acid value and peroxide value ranged between 1.54-2.40 mgKOH/kg and 3.52-7.02 meq/kg, while saponification and iodine values were between 131.54 mgKOH/g and 146.29 mgKOH/g and 36.9 I₂g/100 and 52.2 I₂g/100 g respectively. The proximate and the chemical composition values obtained in this study showed that the shea fruit pulp is rich in protein, total carbohydrates crude fibre and chemical values. The proximate and the chemical composition values also indicate that the Nigerian shea fruit pulp has adequate nutrients equivalent to other edible fruits, thus growing of shea butter tree and consumption of its nutritious fruits should be promoted.

Key words: *Vitellaria paradoxa*, proximate composition, chemical composition, Guinea savanna.

African Journal of Plant Breeding ISSN 2375-074X Vol. 3 (3), pp. 161-166, March, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Review

Influence of hormones on microbial plant infection: A defence mechanism

*Nnamdi E. K and Onyeka Ckuwendo

Department of Plant Health Management, College of Crop and Soil Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria.

Accepted 30 March 2015

Abstract

Plant produce a host range of organic compounds which are hormones in nature including organic acids and vitamins in complex networks to balance the response to developmental and environmental cues, which could serve as nutrients or signals by microbial populations. Pathogens release phytohormones, small molecules or volatile compounds which act directly or indirectly to activate plant immunity or regulate plant growth. Phytohormones pathways which are linked to each other in a complex network; ABA, ET, gibberellins auxins, cytokinius, pathways are seen as hormone modulators of the SA-JA signaling back bone. Plants employ specific recognition and signaling systems enabling the rapid detection of pathogen invasion and initiation of vigorous defensive responses. Evidence has accumulated showing that classic plant signals such as auxins and cytokinins can be produced by microorganisms to efficiently colonize the root and modulate root system. Plant hormones are able to control some pathogen bacteria through microbial antagonism, which is achieved by competing with the pathogens for nutrients, producing antibiotic, and the production of anti-fungal metabolites. Mutual interactions between stress-specific hormones such as salicyclic acid and jasmonic acid/ethylene SA-JA (ET) are regarded as the central back bone of the immunity in plants. However, growth-promoting hormones (auxins, cytokinins, gibberellic acid, and abscisic acid) either inhibit or potentiate this balance in mediating the protection or susceptibility of the plant against the invading pathogen.

Key words: Plant hormones, abscisic acid, auxins, microbes, jasmonic acid.

African Journal of Plant Breeding ISSN 2375-074X Vol. 3 (1), pp. 148-150, January, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of magnetic field on seed germination of Triticum aestivum

Hisham A. Hussein^1*, Ahmed Allawi² and Ayad G. A²

¹University of Basrah, College of Agricultural, Crop Field Crops, Basrah, Iraq.

²University of Basrah, College of Education, Department of Physics, Basrah, Iraq.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 27 May, 2013

Abstract

Influence of exposure rate of the magnetic 50 mT on germination of Triticum aestivum (wheat) has been studied in the present work. Seeds were magnetically exposed to static magnetic field strength of 50 mT for different time of exposure: 10, 20 and 30 min, respectively. Results showed that the root parameters namely: root growth and dry weight, radicle growth and dry weight, were influenced significantly due to magnetic exposure rate over control. The variable magnetic field of exposure rate (50 mT/30 min) is a very significant factor in influencing the germination process of wheat seeds when compared with the non-treated seeds. It was observed that root length, length of radicle, dry weight of root and dry weight of radicle increased by 18, 12, 0.52 and 43%, respectively.

Key words: Magnetic field, Triticum aestivum, root parameters, germination.

African Journal of Plant Breeding ISSN 2375-074X Vol. 3 (2), pp. 151-155, February, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessing the antibacterial activity of morula (Sclerocarya birrea) stem bark and leaf extracts against some selected bacterial isolates in Kano, Nigeria

Umuaru E. S.¹*, M. K. Habib¹, Mohammed T. W² and Azeez M. M ³

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State

²Department of Plant Science, Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

³Department of science laboratory technology, kano state polytechnic, Kano

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 28 June, 2013

Abstract

Antibacterial evaluation of the methanolic extract and aqueous fraction of leaf and stem bark of the morula tree, Sclerocarya birrea was carried out using the agar-well diffusion method. They were tested against two gram positive organism; Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and one gram negative organism Staphylococcus aureus. Result obtained confirmed a broad Spectrum of activity, as all the organisms were inhibited by the extract. The stem bark extract exhibited antimicrobial activities with zones of inhibition ranging from 8 - 17 and 0 - 8 mm for methanol and water extracts respectively while extracts of leaves exhibited antimicrobial activity of 6 - 16 mm and 5-8 mm for methanol and water respectively. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration [MIC] of methanol extract of stem bark was 5 mg ml^-1. The minimum bactericidal concentration [MBC] was 10 mg ml^-1. The results of phytochemcial screening have demonstrated the presence of alkaloid, Flavonoid and tannins in some, or all the extract. Therefore, this study further confirms the traditional use of stem bark and leaf extracts of S. birrea in some parts of Northern Nigeria as a remedy against infectious diseases caused by most of the organism studied.

Key words: antibacterial activity, Sclerocarya birrea, bacterial isolate, aqueous and methanol extracts, phyto-chemicals.

African Journal of Plant Breeding ISSN 2375-074X Vol. 3 (2), pp. 156-160, February, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Seed germination and seedling growth of haricot bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars as influenced by copper sulphate

Marcus N. Bekele *, A. H. Gerima, H. K. Derartu and Meles G. E.

College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Plant Sciences and Horticulture, Ambo University, P. O. Box 19, Ambo, Ethiopia.

*Corresponding Authors. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 13 November, 2013

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in the laboratory at Ambo university, Ambo to investigate the effect of copper sulphate levels on germination and seedling growth of three haricot bean cultivars: Atendaba, Argene and Nassier. Five copper sulphate levels (0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mM) were evaluated in a factorially arranged Complete Randomized Design with four replications. The study revealed that cultivars differed significantly in germination, shoot and root lengths, shoot and root fresh weights, and seedling and root dry weights. No significant difference was observed in shoot dry weight, seedling and shoot vigor indices, tolerance index, and root phytotoxicity. The cultivar Nassier showed high tolerance index, and low shoot and root phytotoxicity compared to other cultivars. The copper sulphate levels did not induce differences in germination. The seedling, shoot and root fresh and dry weights; seedling, shoot and root vigour indices; and tolerance index decreased significantly with increased copper sulphate concentration. Phytotoxicity of shoot and root increased significantly with increase in copper sulphate concentrations.

Key words: Copper sulphate, germination, Phaseolus vulgaris L. , phytotoxicity, tolerance index,  vigour index.

African Journal of Plant Breeding ISSN 2375-074X Vol. 3 (1), pp. 143-147, January, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Seed protein content variation in cowpea genotypes

Ubini A. Richard¹*, Idegba C. M. ¹, Isaac I. E.², Ileleji Alfred³ and Bozeinghien H.¹

¹Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Ebonyi State University, P.M.B. 053, Abakaliki, Nigeria.

²Department Plant Science, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.

³Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kogi State University, Anyigba Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 18 March, 2014

Abstract

The level of variation in seed protein content in a population of 101 cowpea genotypes obtained from the Genetic Resources Unit of IITA Ibadan, Nigeria, was studied using the micro-Kjeldahl method. The aim of this study was to understand the protein variability of cowpea genotypes for better management of its breeding programs for improved protein cultivars. The analysis of variance on the obtained data showed highly significant genotypic differences (P<0.0001) among the cowpea cultivars. The detected seed protein values ranged from (15.06 to 38.50%) with a mean of 25.99 ± 4.82% in dry seeds. Out of the 101 genotypes analysed, only 20 genotypes (representing 19.80%) had protein values greater than 30%, which were considered high protein lines in this study. As high as 73 genotypes (72.28%) were of medium protein content (20 to 30% protein), whereas 8 genotypes (7.92%) were of low protein (less than 20% protein). This distribution suggests a need for more breeding efforts to increase the proportion of high protein cowpea genotypes and provides information for selecting superior parental genotypes in breeding programs for improved cowpea varieties based on protein content.

Key words: Cowpea, protein content variability, cowpea breeding.