Meiotic chromosome behaviour and sexual sterility in two Nigerian species of Aloe Linn

The behaviour of meiotic chromosomes and the subsequent behaviour of the meiotic products were investigated in two Nigerian species of Aloe, namely Aloe keayi and Aloe macrocarpa var major with aview to uncovering the cause of their inability to reproduce sexually. The two plant materials used in this study were already under cultivation in the Aloe Research Garden situated in the Crop TypeMuseum of the Department of Crop, Soil and Pest Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. All the various meiotic stages from leptotene to pollen development were studied. Number of chromosomes per complement in the two taxa is 2n = 14. The 14 chromosomes were resolved into seven bivalents all of which show incomplete pairing thereby lowering the frequency of chiasma formation. Chromosome aberration involving deletion of a segment from one of the longest chromosomes was detected in A. macrocarpa var major. Though the percentage of pollen stainability is high in both taxa, the percentage of pollen germinability, both in vitro and in vivo, is very low in A. keayiwhen compared with what obtains in A. macrocarpa var major. The morphology and behaviour of chromosomes in the two taxa, the failure of the flowers to form fruits in A. keayi and the failure of thefruits to attain maturity in A. macrocarpa var major are all evidences that sexual sterility in the two taxa is attributed to genetic instability and deficiency in the genotype of the spores as a result of their hybridorigin

Correlation and path coefficient analyses of seed yield attributes in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)

NH47-4 variety of okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench, was grown in two locations for two years from seeds collected from the National Institute of Horticultural Research and Training (NIHORT), Ibadan, Nigeria. Experimental design adopted for the study was the randomised complete block design (RCBD). Correlation and path coefficients were calculated for seed yield per plant and its components from data amassed over two years. The components of seed yield considered are days to flowering,days to maturity, number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant, height at flowering, final height, pod length, pod width, number of seeds per pod and weight of hundred seeds. Seed yield per plant showed significant positive correlation with number of pods per plant, height at flowering, pod width and weight of hundred seeds. Path coefficient analysis revealed that number of pods per plant and height at flowering had the highest direct effect on seed yield. This suggests that the two attributes have a strong influence on seed yield. Hence, number of pods per plant and height at flowering are the main determiners of seed yield per plant in the studied variety

Nutrient Adequacy of Complementary Foods Fed to Infants 6-24 Months in Urban and Rural Communities in Osun State, Nigeria

Objective: To determine the nutrient adequacy of complementary foods fed to children in Osun State, Nigeria. Method: A cross sectional study was carried out to investigate the nutrient content of complementary foods in Osun State. Stratified random sampling procedure was used to select 299 mothers with children between the ages of 6-24 months in urban and rural communities. Information on complementary feeding practices of mothers was obtained using structured interview schedule and food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, means and student t- test. Results: Results from twenty-four (24h) recall revealed that children between the ages of 0-6 months were fed complementary foods at least once. Specifically, in the urban communities 9.5% were fed once, 23.8% twice, 30.3% three times, and 25.6% four times a day. In the rural communities, 3.9% were fed once, 20.6% of the children were fed two times, 29.8% three times, and 28.5% four times a day. Twenty-four (24h) recall of snack consumption revealed that 13.5% and 14.3% of the children do not consume snacks at all, while 7.2% and 10.3% consumed snacks four times in the urban and rural communities, respectively. Mean nutrient consumption of the urban communities was 733.7kcal energy; 9.8g protein; 4.3mg Fe; 99.5mg Ca, and 121.7μg vitamin A. In the rural communities, the figures were 698.7kcal for energy, 7.1g protein, 2.7mg Fe, 68.4mg Ca and 188.3 μg vitamin A which were inadequate to meet their recommended nutrient intakes (RNI). Conclusion: Nutrients in complementary foods were inadequate especially in Fe, Ca, and Zn. It is recommended that mothers should be informed about the nutrient content in foods and the right quantities needed by their children for normal growth and development. Keywords: Nutrient adequacy, complementary foods, snacks consumption, infants, rural/urban communitie