Host Suitability of Crops under Yam Intercrop to Root-knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita Race 2) in South-Western Nigeria

Twelve crops commonly grown in association with yam in South-Western Nigeria were evaluated for resistance to root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White 1919) Chitwood 1949, race 2 infection using the quantitative modification by Sasser et al. (1984) of host suitability designations of Canto-Saenz (1983) for plants infected with root-knot nematode in 1998 and 1999 planting seasons. Observations, based on gall indices and recovery of the juvenile larvae from the roots and soil indicated that Abelmoschus esculentus, Corchorus olitoris cv Angbadu and Sphenostylis stenocarpa cv Nsukka Brown were highly susceptible, while Arachis hypogaea cv UGA 4, Cajanus cajan cv Cita-2, Cucumis melo cv Bara To139, Manihot esculenta cv TMS 30572, Sorghum bicolor and Zea mays cv DMR-LSR-Y were hyper-susceptible to Meloidogyne incognita race 2 with reproductive factor and gall index of ≤1 and ≥2 respectively. Crotalaria juncea, Mucuna cochinchinensis and Stylosanthes gracilis were resistant to Meloidogyne incognita race 2 with reproductive factor and gall index of ≤1, ≤2 and ≥2 respectively. These intercrops if planted on yam mounds will play a prominent role in altering the populations of root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita race 2

STUDY OF SPECULATIVE ENTERPRENEUR RESIDENTIAL HOUSING DEVELOPERS’ INITIATIVES IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

The subject of housing has generated much discussion and interest in the developing countries including Nigeria. In the country presently, the availability of shelter in major towns and cities is grossly inadequate in spite of government interventions in its provision. Speculative residential housing developers have joined in developing housing estates all in the hope of ensuring adequate shelter for all. This development has created a real concern for urban residents of Lagos State since speculative residential housing providers, going by the selling prices of the units of housing available, tilt towards addressing the needs of the upper-income class mostly. With week-end spot observations backed by unstructured and semi-structured interviews, activities of five cooperative societies, five religious organisations and three private housing-based companies were studied. The study found that the ratio of involvement of those up to 50 years old and those above were in the ratio of 3:2. Ownership transferability in staff cooperative housing estates can be at will by the owners and same with private company-based housing estates subject to adequate notification and approval. On the contrary, owners of housing units within religious-based housing estates must first obtain written clearance from the organisation and, in most cases, carryout the sale processes through to another member of the organisation. The study recommends government allocation of state land for such developments to bring the cost of such units of accommodation within the reach of a larger segment of the society