Bank Selection and Patronage By University Students: A Survey of Students in Umudike, Nigeria

University students represent an attractive segment of customers for retail banks  in many countries including Nigeria. The objective of this study is to find out the determinants of the choice of commercial banks by university students, using Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU). MOUAU is selected due to the plurality of its student mix, being the only federal university in Abia State. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaire to 250 final year students, across the university’s ten colleges. Convenience sampling was used. Apart from the traditional analytical tools such as tables and percentages, data were also analysed using descriptive statistics and principal component analysis. The Cronbach’s alpha was used to test the reliability of the measuring instrument. The results show that service is the most influential of all the six determinant-factors for the choice of commercial banks. Proximity, attractiveness, referrals, marketing and price followed suit, based on their mean scores.  Recommendations were proffered for competitive bank management, focused on different market segments among university students

Effect of Planting Date on Growth, Carotene and Root Yield of three Sweetpotato Varieties [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] in South-East Nigeria

There is paucity of information on the effect of time of planting on sweetpotato in South-East Nigeria and hence the need for this study; where four planting dates were assessed under field conditions for their comparative effects on growth, carotene, and root yield of orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria in 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons. The experiment was a split-plot laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plot treatments were three sweetpotato varieties (Umuspo 1, Umuspo 3, and Ex-Igbariam), while the sub-plot treatments were four planting dates (April, May, June, and July). Results indicated that delayed planting from April to other planting dates significantly reduced orange-fleshed sweetpotato fresh shoot biomass and dry matter. Similarly, planting in April, 2013 produced significantly (p<0.05) higher storage root yield than planting later in May, June, and July by 75%, 92%, and 149%, respectively. In contrast, delayed planting up to June produced a carotene yield of 1267.7µg/g, which was higher than those of April and May by 180% and 82%, respectively. On average, Umuspo 1 produced significantly greater biomass of shoot and root. In 2013, Umuspo 1 also produced higher storage root yield than Umuspo 3 and Ex-Igbariam by 61% and 46%, respectively. However, Umuspo 3 produced significantly highest carotene yield (1918.0µg/g), followed by Umuspo 1 (582.0µg/g), while Ex-Igbariam had the lowest value (296.5µg/g). There were no significant interaction effects on root yield in both years, but there was a significant interaction on carotene yield, which was highest in Umuspo 3 in July, followed by the June planting date. For high fresh shoot and storage root yields, planting Umuspo 1 in April is recommended, while for high carotene yield, planting Umuspo 3 in June or July is recommended

Entrepreneurship with Special Reference to the Status of Small Business Entrepreneurship: A Case Study Of Gondar, Ethiopia

This paper looks at the concept of Small Business Entrepreneurship in Gondar, Ethiopia, reviewed its performance using some basic indicators. The study revealed that entrepreneurship development is essential not only to solve the problem of economic development but also to solve the problem of unemployment, unbalanced area development, concentration of economic power and diversion of profits from traditional sources or avenues. It noted that financial and physical facilities are not the only crucial inputs in the development of small business entrepreneurship, other inputs like government and support service systems. The small business enterprises and entrepreneurs faced the main problems of poor start-up capital and other financial constraints, technological obsolescence, poor managerial skills and knowledge, irregular supply of raw materials. Other problems include, poor marketing techniques and strategies, unorganized nature of operations, sole proprietorship dominated ownership structure, unskilled labour force and family management dominance, other infrastructural deficiencies and poor government support and encouragement, etc. It recommended that to improve the functioning and performance of small business entrepreneurship in Gondar, the following issues should be critically addressed: liberalization of government policies, attitudinal changes and proper training and development of existing and would-be entrepreneurs in the use of latest technology. Other recommendations include, 20 adequate training on modern management practice on human resource, financial, marketing, production, and innovation, effective management information systems, setting up an apex institution to regulate and monitor entrepreneurship education, etc. African Research Review Vol. 1 (2) 2007: pp. 19-4

Effect of Planting Date on Growth, Carotene and Root Yield of three Sweetpotato Varieties [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] in South-East Nigeria

There is paucity of information on the effect of time of planting on sweetpotato in South-East Nigeria and hence the need for this study; where four planting dates were assessed under field conditions for their comparative effects on growth, carotene, and root yield of orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria in 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons. The experiment was a split-plot laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plot treatments were three sweetpotato varieties (Umuspo 1, Umuspo 3, and Ex-Igbariam), while the sub-plot treatments were four planting dates (April, May, June, and July). Results indicated that delayed planting from April to other planting dates significantly reduced orange-fleshed sweetpotato fresh shoot biomass and dry matter. Similarly, planting in April, 2013 produced significantly (p<0.05) higher storage root yield than planting later in May, June, and July by 75%, 92%, and 149%, respectively. In contrast, delayed planting up to June produced a carotene yield of 1267.7µg/g, which was higher than those of April and May by 180% and 82%, respectively. On average, Umuspo 1 produced significantly greater biomass of shoot and root. In 2013, Umuspo 1 also produced higher storage root yield than Umuspo 3 and Ex-Igbariam by 61% and 46%, respectively. However, Umuspo 3 produced significantly highest carotene yield (1918.0µg/g), followed by Umuspo 1 (582.0µg/g), while Ex-Igbariam had the lowest value (296.5µg/g). There were no significant interaction effects on root yield in both years, but there was a significant interaction on carotene yield, which was highest in Umuspo 3 in July, followed by the June planting date. For high fresh shoot and storage root yields, planting Umuspo 1 in April is recommended, while for high carotene yield, planting Umuspo 3 in June or July is recommended

Effect of Stake Length and NPK Fiertilizer on White Yam (Dioscorea rotundata) Minisett in Umudike, South-East, Nigeria

Staking and soil fertility are critical factors that affect yam production in the humid forest zone of South-East, Nigeria; where high rainfalls and cloud cover are prevalent. Field experiments were conducted at Umudike, South-East, Nigeria in the 2016 and 2017 cropping seasons, to study the effects of stake length and NPK fertilizer on the minisett of white yam cultivar Yandu. The experiment was laid out as a 4× 5 factorial in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Treatments consist of four levels of stake length (0, 1, 2 and 3m) and five levels of NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer (0, 200, 400, 600 and 800kg/ha). Stake of 2 and 3m lengths had significantly longer vine lengths at 3 and 4 months after planting  (MAP) and leaf area index at 3MAP than no staking. Averaged across the two cropping seasons, staking did not affect tuber yield, but the 2 or 3m stakes in 2016 had significant higher tuber yields than the yields obtained in 2017 regardless of stake length. NPK fertilizer application did not significantly influence vine length, leaf area index, and tuber yield, but the application of fertilizer at 200kg/ha increased the number of tubers per plant in 2017. The non-significant effects of staking and NPK fertilizer on tuber yield were ascribed to high rainfall that caused flooding and leaching of nutrients

Time of introducing component crop influences productivity of intercropping system

Field experiment was conducted at National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Mbato Sub-station, Okigwe, Imo State, South-eastern Nigeria in the 2012 and 2013 cropping seasons to establish the most appropriate time to introduce component crops in cocoyam/cowpea mixture. Five different planting schemes (two and four weeks before, two and four weeks after and same day) and two cowpea genotypes (climbing Akidienu and erect IT97K-499-35) were used. The component crops were grown in monocultures to assess the productivity of the systems. The experimental design used was a completely randomized design with three replicates. Growth and yield of cocoyam and the cowpea genotypes increased significantly (P<0.05) when either of the component crops was planted earlier than the other. Intercropping reduced significantly (P<0.05) cocoyam yield by 0.7 − 74% in IT97K-499-35 and 22 − 80% in Akidienu. Sowing the cowpea genotypes the same day or before cocoyam resulted in over-yielding of cowpea, whereas sowing Akidienu and IT97K-499-35 after cocoyam caused pod yield reductions of 64% − 73% and 32% − 59% on average, respectively. Cocoyam planted two weeks before IT97K-499-35 produced more satisfactory yields of the intercrops than the other planting schedules with LER, LEC and ATER of 2.15, 1.03 and 1.57, respectively

Carcass, Organ Weights and Egg Quality Characteristics of Guinea Fowl Layers Fed Varying Levels of Butter Fly Pea Leaf (Centrosema Pubescent) Meal.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different protein levels on growth of guinea fowl keets (Numidia meagris) of the same age under intensive system in a typical poultry house from 6th week to 12th week of age. They were fed commercial broiler starter for two weeks and maintained on same diet of 18% crude protein for 5 weeks of age and given water ad libitum. The birds were separated into three pens. One hundred and twenty old guinea fowls were assigned at grower period on 3 dietary protein levels of 14, 16 and 18% crude protein (CP) on same metabolizable energy level of 2800 kcal/ kg. The study conducted at the Poultry Unit of Teaching and Research Farm, Imo State Polytechnic was used to test the performance of the guinea fowl layer birds. The birds were killed at the owner’s farm by cutting the neck through the jugular vein. There was significant difference (P<0.05) in feed intake between the three treatments. The internal organs for the treatments were not significantly different. Keywords: Carcass, Organ Weights, Egg Quality Characteristics, Guinea Fowl Layers, Butter Fly Pea Leaf (Centrosema Pubescent) Meal