African Journal of Tropical Agriculture

African Journal of Tropical Agriculture ISSN 2375-091X Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-006, August, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Detection of gfp expression from gfp-labelled bacteria spot inoculated onto sugarcane tissues

Joyce Prisca NJOLOMA¹*, Moriya OOTA², Yuichi SAEKI¹ and Shoichiro AKAO¹

¹Department of Biochemistry and Applied Bioscience, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, 889-2192 Japan.

²Okinawa Prefecture Agricultural Experimental station, Nishizato, Hirara. 906-0012, Japan.

Accepted 27 March, 2019

Abstract

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a marker gene has facilitated biological research in plant-microbe interactions. However, there is one major limiting factor in the detection of GFP in living organisms whose cells emit background autofluorescence. In this study, Herbaspirillum sp. B501gfp1 bacterial cells were spot inoculated onto 5 month-old sterile micro-propagated sugarcane tissues to detect if the GFP fluorescence expression could be distinguished from the tissue’s background fluorescence. Stem tissues and leaf sections mounted on glass slides were directly inoculated with a single touch using the tip of a syringe previously dipped into the inoculum containing 10⁸ bacterial cells/ml. We observed that GFP fluorescence could be easily distinguished in the stem than in the leaf tissues. However, the brightness level of the fluorescence varied with time as a result of fluctuations in the bacterial cell density. The presence of chloroplasts in the leaf tissues of sugarcane requires the use of bright GFP variants when monitoring bacteria-plant interactions using GFP labelled bacteria.

Key words: GFP fluorescence, autofluorescence, bacterial cell density, sugarcane plant tissue.

African Journal of Tropical Agriculture ISSN 2375-091X Vol. 7 (8), pp. 001-004, August, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Optimization of protocols for DNA extraction and RAPD analysis in West African fonio ( Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua ) germplasm characterization

Danladi Dada KUTA¹, Emmanuel KWON-NDUNG²  Stephen DACHI¹, Oladele BAKARE², and Liasu Adebayo OGUNKANMI³

¹Biotechnology Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Km 32 Abuja-Lokoja road, Sheda, P.M.B. 186 Garki, Abuja, Nigeria.

²Acha Research Programme, National Cereals Research Institute, Badeggi, PMB 8 Bida, Niger State, Nigeria.

³Department of Cell and molecular biology, University of Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria.

Accepted 11 April, 2019

Abstract

Fonio is an important indigenous grain crop of West Africa, but the extent of genetic diversity in fonio, its origin and phylogeny are not well understood. DNA markers allow precise characterization of plant germplasm accessions, but there is no literature report of their use in fonio. This paper reports the result of protocol optimization research for DNA isolation and RAPD analyses in fonio. High quality DNA was successfully isolated and RAPD was effectively used to study genetic similarity among fonio accessions. This result might stimulate the application of DNA markers to investigate the origin and phylogeny of fonio in Africa.

Key words: Digitaria spp., DNA markers, RAPD, germplasm characterization, fonio.

African Journal of Tropical Agriculture ISSN 2375-091X Vol. 7 (7), pp. 001-005, July, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of large population of cassava accessions for resistant to cassava bacterial blight infection in the screen house environment

A. A. Ogunjobi^{1, 2*}, O. E. Fagade¹ A. G. O. Dixon² and R. Bandyopadhyay²

¹Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

²International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P. M. B. 5320, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Accepted 11 April, 2019

Abstract

Cassava bacterial blight (CBB) is caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv manihotis (Xam) a major cassava disease in all cassava growing area of the world. Resistance to the disease is found in Manihot esculenta and, in addition, has been introduced from a wild relative, M. glaziovii. We introduced a novel method of screening large population of cassava accessions in a screen-house environment using planting tray with a planting tree that can accommodate 68 different cassava stems cuttings in one planting tray. A total of 1,090 cassava accessions were screened with this method in the screen- house. The experimental design was augmented with randomized complete block design (ARCBD) . Out of 490 land races cassava accessions that were assessed for susceptibility to CBB, 14.3 % were resistant to the disease. Land races populations were more susceptible to CBB infection having 30.1% highly susceptible and 12.3% susceptible cultivars. Six hundred cassava accessions of the improved and the new improved were screened in the greenhouse. Within the improved cultivars, 11.1% showed very strong resistance and 30.1% were resistant to the bacterial infections while 4.3% of these improved cassava accessions were observed as being highly susceptible to the disease and 36.6% were tolerant. Our results demonstrated that resistance to CBB is broadly distributed in cassava germplasm and for quick evaluation, the planting tray system should be employed.

Key words: CBB, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv manihotis, Manihot esculenta, resistance, susceptibility.

African Journal of Tropical Agriculture ISSN 2375-091X Vol. 7 (7), pp. 001-013, July, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Natural vascular floristic composition of Banaras Hindu University, India: An overview

Arvind Singh

Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, India. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +91 542 2316310. Fax: + 91 542 2367708.

Accepted 10 March, 2019

Abstract

The naturally occurring vascular flora of the main campus of Banaras Hindu University spreading over an area of 1,300 acres was analyzed. A total of 329 vascular plant species were reported in the campus of which only 5 were Pteridophytes and the remaining 324 species were Angiosperms. No natural occurrence of gymnosperms was reported from the University Campus. Angiosperms were represented by 76 families of which the Asteraceae, Poaceae and Fabaceae are the dominant families of the flora of Banaras Hindu University.

Key words: Angiosperms, floristic composition, herbaceous species, pteridophytes, shrubs, tree species, undershrubs, vascular flora.

African Journal of Tropical Agriculture ISSN 2375-091X Vol. 7 (6), pp. 001-009, June, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Mineral nutrient status, some quality and morphological characteristics changes in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars under salt stress

Taffouo Victor Désiré¹*, Meguekam Tekam Liliane¹, Ngueleumeni Marc Le prince¹, Pinta Ives Jonas² and Amougou Akoa³

¹Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Douala, P. O. Box 24157 Douala, Cameroon.

²Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, P. O. Box 96 Dschang, Cameroon.

³Department of Biology and Plant Physiology, Faculty of Science; University of Yaoundé I, P. O. Box 812 Yaoundé, Cameroon

Accepted 14 March, 2019

Abstract

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is considered to be one of the most important crops which thrive in newly reclaimed sandy soils as a leguminous crop of high nutritive value and a source of edible oil. Our study tested the effects of different salt levels on mineral nutrient partitioning (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺ , Ca²⁺, P and N) and some quality (dry weight and leaf relative water content) and morphological (plant height, number of leaves) characteristics of peanut commercial cultivars. Four peanut cultivars (Mbiah, Ngondo, Pyrieur and Vanda) were used in this experiment. Three concentrations of salt solution including 50, 100 and 200 mM NaCl and the control (Wacquant nutrient solution) were used in irrigation. The pot experiment was arranged in completely randomized design with four replicates. The leaf relative water content (LRWC) provoked by the salinity in nutrient solution decreased from 85.08 to 83.43%, 87.82 to 85.30%, 85.81 to 78.20% and 85.90 to 79.70% in Mbiah, Ngondo, Pyrieur and Vanda cultivars respectively. The results showed that the salt stress reduced significantly (p<0.05) the plant height in Pyrieur cultivar from 40.49 to 21.45 cm, the number of leaves from 11.2 to 7.0, the dry weight of roots from 0.15 to 0.11 g Plant^-1, the dry weight of stems from 0.37 to 0.15 g Plant^-1 and the dry weight of leaves from 0.46 to 0.19 g Plant^-1. Similar results were obtained in Vanda cultivar where the supply of nutrient solution with salinity reduced significantly (p<0.05) the plant height from 38.26 to 26.30 cm, the number of leaves from 12.5 to 7.5, the dry weight of roots from 0.14 to 0.03 g Plant ^-1, the dry weight of stems from 0.36 to 0.12 g Plant^-1 and the dry weight oh leaves from 0.46 to 0.19 g Plant ^-1. The results also revealed that K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, P, N, K⁺/Na⁺ and Ca²⁺/Na⁺ uptake of peanut plant organs were significantly (p<0.05) reduced with increasing salinity in Pyrieur, Vanda and Mbiah except for total N accumulation in plant organs of Mbiah. The plant height, the number of leaves, the dry weight and the mineral nutrient uptake were not significantly (p>0.05) reduced under salt stress in Ngondo plant organs except at high salt-treated (200 mM NaCl). The Ngondo cultivar was observed to have relatively higher tolerance on average of all growth parameters and mineral nutrient status than others. This finding suggested that the Ngondo cultivar could be used to highlight the newly salt cultivated sandy soils in arid, semi-arid regions and similar environments across Cameroon.

Key words: Arachis hypogaea, growth parameters, mineral nutrient, plant organs, salt stress.

African Journal of Tropical Agriculture ISSN 2375-091X Vol. 7 (5), pp. 001-013, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Can the new recorded species be established in Burullus protected area: A Ramsar site in Egypt

Yassin Mohamed Al-Sodany

Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Kafr El-Sheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel.: 0020124385751.

Accepted 13 January, 2019

Abstract

Invasions by alien plant species are causing major conservation problems in many regions of the world and are viewed as an important component of human caused global change. Lake Burullus (one of the protected areas and RAMSAR site in Egypt) and its surroundings are subjected to ecological constraints that relate to excessive use of resources such as the construction of an International Highway that runs along its sand bar. This paper aims in evaluating the extent of the new invaded species in Burullus Wetland and in studying the demography of the populations of these species in terms of size structure, natality, mortality, survival and demographic flux. Such type of study helps in understanding the invasive ability of these species in this area, which consequently helps in managing their populations in the wetland. The questions addressed are: 1- How many invaded plant species does Burullus Wetland have? 2- What is the Egyptian geographical origin of these species? 3- Which population can be established and which can be excluded in this area? and 4- Which population can't be adapted? Thirteen perennial species were recoded in the last 8 years: four were recoded for the first time in 2001 at Kassarah site and were established up till 2008 (Convolvulus lanatus, Artemisia monosperma, Cornulaca monacantha and Panicum turgidum), Nine species were recoded in 2006 at Kassarah and along International Highway; five of them were established themselves up till 2008 (Thymelaea hirsuta, Astragalus spinosus, Deverra tortuosa, Zygophyllum coccineum and Retama raetam). Four species can't be adapted in this region (Stipa capensis in Kassarah site and Salsola tetrandra, Astragalus Siberi and Zilla spinosa along International Highway). The yearly variation in the demographic variables indicated that 2006 and 2008 had the maximum natality for all species, while 2004 had the maximum mortality. The size distribution at the end of the monitoring period indicated that the invaded species may approximate J-shape, stationary or inverse J-shaped size distributions. The number of individuals along the International Highway decreased from 2006 to 2008, but the individual dimensions (That is, size) increased for some species and decreased for another. The present study suggested that, carrying out long-term studies and monitoring on the vegetation and the invaded species of the International Highway and its surrounding habitats, especially Kassarah site (That is, conservation of biodiversity).

Key words: Invasive plants, demography, natality, mortality, size distribution.