Review on increasing iron availability in soil and its content in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) by plant growth promoting rhizobacteria

Iron (Fe) deficiency constitutes a serious health challenge in humans especially in children and pregnant women, causing anemia and lower  cognitive ability. In sub-Saharan Africa, consumption of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is suggested as a means to tackle Fe deficiency in humans better than other plants including vegetables. This is because cowpeas are the staple food, they contain other nutrients including protein,carbohydrate and vitamins and their cultivation sustains the environment through nitrogen fixation. Iron though rich in soils exhibit low solubility thereby limiting phytoaccumulation in cowpea, leading to the production of poor Fe cowpea. Plants that are Fe efficient developed two strategies to increase Fe availability and absorption. As a strategy 1 crop, cowpea acquires iron significantly through rhizosphere acidification; which reduces Fe+3 to Fe+2. Such mechanisms do not deliver enough Fe to the crop to meet their demands. Application of inorganic Fe fertilizer to soil though not sustainable also results in fixation and unavailability of Fe to plants. This review surveys available literature on the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), which are costeffective, eco-friendly and sustainable for enhancing Fe mobility for increased absorption by the plant. Recent biotechnological advancements in rhizosphere organisms have revealed various techniques involved in growth enhancement by PGPR. Such growth enhancement involves mobilization of Fe in soils for ease of absorption by plants. Iron solubilization by PGPR as a direct mechanism is facilitated by  several microbes including Fluorescent pseudomonad, Bacillus, Agrobacterium, Sinorhizobium and Bradyrhizobium japonica. They do this through different mechanisms, which include bioleaching, chelation, biomethylation and siderophores mediated iron uptake. The functional groups responsible for the binding of iron to siderophores are mostly the hydroxymates and catechols. Siderophores are iron binding compounds which are released by both plants and microbes. Cowpea like other non-gramminacae crops, interact with microorganisms to acidify the rhizosphere.  Thus, chelates of ferric reductase and iron (II) transporters are activated in the roots. Microorganisms especially bacteria and fungi now chelate insoluble Fe+3 and make them available for plant uptake. Plants are capable of utilizing siderophores produced by microorganisms for Fe uptake.Therefore, these bacteria should be inculcated into the cultivation of cowpea so that its Fe content will be enriched. With the consumption of iron-rich cowpea, Fe deficiency will be minimized if not completely eradicated. Key words: Biofortification, microbes, iron-deficiency, siderophore, bioleaching, biomethylation, bioavailability, catecho

Effects of Aqueous Extract of Blighia sapida Leaves on Ethanol- Induced Gastric Ulcer in Male Wistar Rats.

Blighia sapida have shown promising ameliorative effect in folkloric treatment of gastric ulcer with little or no scientific basis. This study investigated the effect of Aqueous Extract of Blighia sapida Leaves (AEBSL) on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in male Wistar rats. Sixty-four male Wistar rats, weighing averagely 200g, were randomly selected into eight groups; Group I (Control) received  distilled water, Group II received 200 mg/kg body weight of AEBSL only, Group III  received cimetidine 50 mg/kg.b.w, Group IV (ulcerated untreated) orally pretreated with 50% absolute ethanol for gastric ulceration. Groups V, VI and VII were ulcerated groups treated with AEBSL at 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg b.w and Group VIII, ulcerated group treated with cimetidine at 50 mg/kg b.w. Ulcer index, hematological and antioxidant parameters were determined using   standard  methods after 21 days of treatments.Results showed that  pH level of gastric secretion, total protein, bicarbonate, Red Blood Cell and  Hemoglobin concentrations were  significantly (p<0.05) decreased in ulcerated untreated animals (Group IV) compared with control and extract only group. However, the effects were reversed in a concentration dependent manner in treated Groups (V, VI, VII and VIII). Also, Superoxide dismutase and Catalase activities as well as Reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration   were significantly (p<0.05) decreased in ulcerated untreated animals, while treatment Groups V, VI, VII and VIII  significantly (p<0.05) elevated the enzymes activities and GSH concentrations in a concentration dependent manner.  Alkaline phosphatase and Pepsin activities  as well as ulcer Index (UI), Free  and Total acidity, White Blood Cell, Platelet, Nitric oxide and Malondialdehyde  concentrations were  significantly (p<0.05) increased in ulcerated untreated animals, while they were restored near to  control level in the treated Groups (V, VI, VII and VIII) at different concentrations .Cimetidine, at 50 mg/kg b. w exhibits similar ameliorative effect  comparably with  AEBSL at 200 mg/kg b. w, while the extract showed  antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and ameliorative effects on ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in rats. Keywords: Ameliorative, Antioxidant, Anti-inflammatory, Blighia sapida, Cimetidine, Gastric ulcer.

Impact of climate change and anthropogenic activities on renewable coastal resources and biodiversity in Nigeria

Climates related disaster is greatly human induced warming, leading to substantial fluctuations in earth temperature which is currently a global issue of environmental concern. Human proximity and pressure in and around the coastal region has threatened flora, fauna and micro-organic resources of economic importance in most developing nations. Two-third of the word populations lives in or around the coast and 16 of the 23 world mega cities are currently in the world coastal belt. Transitively, the coastal environment, which harbors the highest percentage of biodiversity, is significantly important for economic activities and leisure. Nigeria's climate may witness increases in temperature, rainfall, storms, and sea levels throughout the twenty-first century and improper management of these desiccations can result into degradation in some parts of the country. Apart from climate change, coastal environment is subject to various anthropogenic impacts, often associated with high population, industrial and agricultural activities. Both disasters have led to heat stress, sea level rise, and erosion, salinization of the soil, evapo- transpiration, desertification and others. The overall resultant effects are feasible on environmental indicators including renewable coastal resources. It is therefore recommended among others that thinking globally and acting locally on environmental issues could save our coastal nation

Performance Evaluation of a Developed Maize Sheller

Assessing the performance characteristics of the developed maize shelling machine is the focus of this paper. Maize shelling machine was fabricated based on engineering design approach with the aid of software (CAD) and values, and was later fabricated at Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti Central Workshop using suitable materials after considering the factors such as Hardness, ease of machining, tensile strength, availability, durability and the cost. The machine is electrically operated by an electric motor with power rating of 2.235 kW, speed of 1430 rpm and torque of 14.92 Nm. Kernel losses and damages were found to be very negligible. It shells 60 times as fast as hand shelling. The design presented in this paper is aided with computer software (Autodesk Inventor) to give the accurate and precise results. Maize shelling machine was developed to shell maize and separate the cob from the grains with appropriate engineering design factors. The efficiency of the machine is a benchmarked against the commercially available maize shelling machines. It has an average shelling capacity of 55 kg/hr, its shelling efficiency is 91.29 % and breakage is very insignificant, as well as losses. The machine can help to substantially reduce the human labor and stress involved in shelling maize and also reducing the time used for shelling operation on farms. There is no doubt that the machine will ease the long term problem of maize shelling especially for the rural farmers

GGE biplot analysis of genotype x environment interaction and yield stability in bambara groundnut

Open Access Journal; Published online: 14 Sep 2021In plant breeding and agricultural research, biplot analysis has become an important statistical technique. The goal of this study was to find the winning genotype(s) for the test settings in a part of the Southwest region of Nigeria, as well as to investigate the nature and extent of genotype × environment interaction (GEI) effects on Bambara groundnut (BGN) production. The experiment was carried out in four environments (two separate sites, Ibadan and Ikenne, for two consecutive years, 2018 and 2019) with ninety-five BGN accessions. According to the combined analysis of variance over environments, genotypes and GEI both had a substantial (p < 0.001) impact on BGN yield. The results revealed that BGN accessions performed differently in different test conditions, indicating that the interaction was crossover in nature. The results revealed that BGN accessions performed differently in different test conditions, indicating that the interaction was crossover in nature. To examine and show the pattern of the interaction components, biplots with the genotype main effect and genotype × environment interaction (GEI) were used. The first two PCs explained 80% of the total variation of the GGE model (i.e., G + GE) (PC1 = 48.59%, PC2 = 31.41%). The accessions that performed best in each environment based on the “which-won-where” polygon were TVSu-2031, TVSu-1724, TVSu-1742, TVSu-2022, TVSu-1943, TVSu-1892, TVSu-1557, TVSu-2060, and TVSu-2017. Among these accessions, TVSu-2017, TVSu-1557, TVSu-2060, TVSu-1892, and TVSu-1943 were among the highest-yielding accessions on the field. The adaptable accessions were TVSu-1763, TVSu-1899, TVSu-2019, TVSu-1898, TVSu-1957, TVSu-2021, and TVSu-1850, and the stable accessions were TVSu-1589, TVSu-1905, and TVSu-2048. In terms of discriminating and representativeness for the environments, Ibadan 2019 is deemed to be a superior environment. The selected accessions are recommended as parental lines in breeding programs for grain yield improvement in Ibadan or Ikenne or similar agro-ecological zones

Yield response of accessions of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L) Verdc) inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains

Open Access JournalField experiments were conducted in two different agroecological locations of Ibadan and Ikenne in Nigeria from August through December during the 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons. The studies were set up to reduce reliance on inorganic nitrogen fertilizer and to embrace the use of nitrogen-fixing bacteria to improve legume production to increase farmers' output and profitability. Ten accessions of the Bambara groundnut (BGN) were used in the trials. Seeds of each BGN accession were coated with each of the following Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains (B. japonicum): FA3, RACA6, USDA110, and IRJ2180A before planting. Furthermore, Nitrogen (N) fertilizer (20 kg/ha, urea) was applied to seedlings without inoculation, and uninoculated seedlings (without inoculation and without fertilization) served as control. The experiment was, therefore, a factorial arrangement (10 BGN accessions, 4 B. japonicum strains, N fertilizer application, and an uninoculated control). The yield and yield components of the inoculated BGN accessions were significantly enhanced at both agroecological locations and seasons. Among the B. japonicum strains used for inoculation, RACA6 strains significantly enhanced the yield and yield component of TVSu-1698 than other inoculated BGN accessions with a mean value of 6,234 ± 87 kg ha−1 recorded in both locations and seasons, compared to the result obtained in the combination of TVSu-1698 with N fertilizer with a mean value of 3,264 ± 943 kg ha−1. By using TVSu-1698 with RACA6 strain, farmers can get 85% more yield than on average with other genotypes/strains combination, while an average yield of 60% could be obtained by farmers using N fertilizer application

Genetic diversity and environmental influence on growth and yield parameters of Bambara groundnut

Open Access Journal; Published online: 20 Dec 2021Bambara groundnut (BGN) is a drought-tolerant crop majorly cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa. Due to a lack of extensive research, marginalization, lack of awareness, and lack of available fund among others, this crop's improvement has been limited. The development of this crop depends on evaluation and selection of unique and stable breeding lines in different environments. This study aims to estimate genetic diversity using morphological traits at different locations in 95 accessions of BGN collected from the Genebank of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan. The experiment was carried out in three replicates at IITA experimental sites in two agroecological zones in Ibadan (7°40′19.62″ N, 3°91′73.13″ E) and Ikenne (6°51′00.873″ N, 3°41′48.528″ E) using a randomized complete block design. Ten vegetative growth traits and eight yield traits were scored. The data was subjected to ANOVA, PCA, correlation, and cluster analysis. Estimations of genetic parameters and broad sense heritability were carried out on the traits. ANOVA revealed significant variation in each trait except for days to emergence. Significant variation was also observed for accession and location interactions (genotype x environment interactions) for plant height, leaf length, leaf width, chlorophyll content, number of petioles, germination count, number of pods, number of seeds, seed length, seed width, and yield. PC1 and PC2 show 42.3% of the total variations observed by the PC, with seed thickness contributing more to PC1 and the number of seeds contributing more to PC2. Cluster analysis categorized the accessions into four distinct groups. The number of pods had the highest genotypic coefficient of variation of 32.55% and the phenotypic coefficient of variation of 97.61%, while seed length (0.63), seed width (0.54), and seed thickness (0.58) have high heritability values. The genetic advance was highest in yield (76.15%) and lowest in days to 50% germination (0.21%). This study can be used to predict appropriate agroecological zones for the planting of BGN while the knowledge of the diversity of the accessions based on the traits could serve a guide in selecting the best trait for the improvement of the crop

Evaluation of an accelerated Ponseti protocol for the treatment of talipesequinovarus in Nigeria

Background: The commonest congenital musculoskeletal deformity worldwide is talipes equino varus (CTEV). Of the various treatment methods available, the most acceptable treatment currently for CTEV worldwide is serial manipulation and casting using the Ponseti technique. The Ponseti technique consists of weekly manipulation and casting for an average of six to eight weeks followed by bracing of the feet till school age. Some studies have shown evidence that more frequent casts may have similar outcomes with weekly casts using the Ponseti method. This study compared the efficacy of management of idiopathic CTEV using an accelerated protocol of twice weekly casts, with the standard weekly Ponseti protocol.Methods: The study was a randomized case control study with a group of patients undergoing an accelerated casting protocol involving twice weekly casts compared with another group who went through the normal weekly Ponseti protocol.Results: A total of 45 feet in 28 patients were studied. The study showed a significantly shorter treatment period in the accelerated protocol (39 days) compared with the standard protocol (52 days); with no significant increase in the number of casts needed for treatment.Conclusions: A twice weekly Ponseti casting protocol enables completion of the casting period earlier than the standard Ponseti method.Keywords: Talipes equinovarus; Ponseti treatment; Accelerated Ponseti Protocol; Serial Castin

Retinopathy of prematurity in a tertiary facility: an initial report of a screening programme

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening in Nigeria is at a nascent stage and at the moment there are no National guidelines for ROP screening in Nigeria. Thus it is desirable for screening programs to report findings amongst screened preterm infants in order to facilitate the&nbsp; development of national ROP screening criteria and guidelines. The aim of this report is to describe the frequency, severity and risk factors for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) among preterm and very low-birth-weight babies screened within the first year of initiating an ROP screening&nbsp; program at a Nigerian tertiary facility. Methods: A cross-sectional study of infants born at less than 34 weeks gestational age; or with birth weight less than 1500g between May 2016 and May 2017. ROP screening examinations were performed by ophthalmologists with the use of an indirect ophthalmoscope, after pupillary dilation, in collaboration with the neonatology team. Information on gestational age at birth, birth weight, oxygen therapy and presence of other risk factors were recorded and analyzed. Results: A total of 74 infants were screened during the period. There were 36 (48.6%) males. Mean gestational age at birth was 29.6 (±2.35) weeks.&nbsp; Mean birth weight was 1.26 (±0.27) kg with a range of 800 to 1950g. ROP was detected in 9 (12.2%) infants. Two (22.2%) of these had Threshold ROP. There was no significant difference between the mean birth weight and mean gestational age of the infants who had ROP compared to those&nbsp; without ROP. The two infants with Threshold ROP were treated with intravitreal Bevazicumab and had regression of ROP. Conclusion: Retinopathy of prematurity was diagnosed in at risk infants in this facility. There is, therefore, a need to establish ROP screening&nbsp; programs in all neonatal units across the country. In addition, established programs need to evaluate their screening criteria with a view towards&nbsp; developing country-specific screening guidelines. Keywords: Retinopathy; Prematurity; Preterm; Neonates; Nigeria; Afric

Parental Knowledge and Attitude of Adolescent Sexuality Education in Rural and Urban Communities of Ekiti State, Nigeria

Background: Parents play a key role in shaping the attitudes and behaviour of adolescents, thereby reducing risky sexual behaviour and promoting healthy sexual development. This study assessed and compared parental knowledge and attitude towards adolescent sexuality education (ASE) in rural and urban communities of Ekiti State, Nigeria.Materials and Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study of 800 parents (or guardians) of adolescents in selected rural and urban communities, recruited through a multi-stage sampling technique. An interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20.Result: A significantly higher proportion of parents from the urban communities had a good knowledge of ASE (72.5% versus 66.0%, p-value 0.046). However, knowledge of safe sex and dating was low in both communities. About three-quarters of the respondents had a positive attitude towards ASE with no statistically significant difference in both rural and urban communities (p-value: 0.363).Conclusion: Parental knowledge of ASE is high in Ekiti State, and it is higher in the urban compared to the rural communities. Attitude towards ASE is high in both communities but not significantly different. However, the knowledge of the various components of ASE varies significantly amongst the communities. While it is recommended that government should create a supportive environment to assist parents in their roles as sexuality educators, parents should see sexuality education as their responsibility and also start the discussion early