Effects of seed fermentation method on seed germination and vigor in the oleaginous gourd Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.

Supplying high quality seed to rural farmers is the basic requirement for the sustainable development of agriculture in developing countries. The present study was conducted to examine the influence of Lagenaria siceraria seed fermentation method on seed germination and vigor. Three seed fermentation methods (fermented in ambient air, plastic bag stored in ambient or in plastic bag buried) were tested on two cultivars during two years. Seed germination and vigor were better when fermentation was conducted in anaerobic, darkness, and at low temperature. Low seed quality was observed in unfermented seed, suggesting the occurrence of postharvest maturity in L. siceraria. Seed quality did not vary between cultivars. Regardless of the fermentation process and cultivars used, the best seed and seedling qualities were observed when the amount of rainfall during the experiment period was high, suggesting that wet soil is necessary for an on farm reliable evaluation of seed fermentation method in the bottle gourd L. siceraria.Keywords: Cucurbit, egussi, maturity, minor crops, oilseed, seedling, viability

Diversité Et Variabilité Du Régime Alimentaire Des Éléphants Du Parc National d’Azagny (Sud - Côte d’Ivoire)

In Côte d'Ivoire, Azagny National Park has a small forest elephants population, described as isolated, self-contained and whose survival depends on the diversity of local biological resources. A study was undertaken to assess the diversity of the plant species consumed and the feeding preference of this large mammal. Pedestrian surveys were carried out in the different biotopes traveled by the elephants during one year, in search of fresh and old traces of nutrition and droppings. As a result of these inventories, six organs of 282 plant species have been identified has consumed by elephant. In this plant species list, three families are the most represented: the Apocynaceae, the Euphorbiaceae and the Rubiaceae. Among the elephant diet, five species appear to be the most consumed: Aframomum melegueta (1.45%), Aframomum sceptrum (1.45%), Sacoglottis gabonensis (1.27%), Echinochloa pyramidalis (1.2%) and Albizia adianthifolia (1.2%). Considering the number and type of organs harvested from plants, the study reveals that they varied from one species to another well. In general, leaves (256 species 90.8%) and fruits (95 species or 33.7%) have emerged as the most consumed organs of elephants. In view of this diet importance in elephant survival in the park, it would be important to identify the type of species consumed seasonally and to assess their availability in each of the biotopes traveled

Variation des Composés Phénoliques suite à l’Elicitation du Cotonnier suivie d’Inoculation à Fusarium Oxysporum F. Sp. Vasinfectum

La fusariose causée par Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum est une maladie qui entraîne le plus de dommages dans la culture cotonnière. Cependant, l’utilisation de pesticides notamment les fongicides comme solution pour faire face à l’agent pathogène s’est avérée non seulement inefficace mais entraîne des problèmes de toxicité, de pollution de l’environnement, de santé et même de biodiversité. L’objectif de ce travail a été d’étudier la variabilité de la production de composés phénoliques impliqués dans le système de défense naturelle du cotonnier. Ainsi, l’application des éliciteurs MeJA et FOS11 (10%) sur les plants de cotonnier suivis d’inoculation à FOV a permis la synthèse de novode composés phénoliques en plus des composés préexistants. Par ailleurs, l’accumulation des composés phénoliques a été amplifiée suite à l’application de ces deux éliciteurs suivie de l’inoculation à FOV. Les plants de cotonnier ont été donc équipés de composés qui ont anticipés l’attaque de FOV. Toutefois, la FOS11 (10%) a induit la production d’un plus grand nombre de composés phénoliques que le MeJA. La FOS11 (10%) a donc été retenu comme meilleur éliciteur naturelle de la stimulation des défenses naturelles du cotonnier. Fusarium blight caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum is a disease that causes the most damage in cotton growing. However, the use of pesticides, especially fungicides as a solution to the pathogen, has proven to be not only ineffective but also leads to problems of toxicity, environmental pollution, health and even biodiversity. The objective of this work wasto study the variability of the production of phenolic compounds involved in the natural defense system of the cotton plant. Thus, the application of the MeJA and OSF 11 elicitors (10%) on the cotton plants followed by inoculation with FOV allowed the de novo synthesis of phenolic compounds in addition to the preexisting compounds. Moreover, the accumulation of phenolic compounds was amplified following the application of these two elicitors followed by inoculation with FOV. The cotton plants were therefore equipped with compounds that anticipated the FOV attack. However, OSF 11 (10%) induced the production of more phenolic compounds than MeJA. OSF 11 (10%) was therefore chosen as the best natural elicitor of the stimulation of the natural defenses of cotton

Morphological and allozyme variation in a collection of Cucumeropsis mannii Naudin (Cucurbitaceae) from Côte d'Ivoire

peer reviewe

Effect of fruit age, pre-storage and seed fermentation durations on seed germination and seedling vigor in Lagenaria siceraria

peer reviewedObjectives : the study was conducted to determine the optimum age of the fruit at harvest and to evaluate the effect of pre-storage and fermentation on the seeds'agronomic performance of oleaginous Lagenaria siceraria. Methodology and results : Fruit of the "round-fruited" and "blocky-fruited", two cultivars of the species, were harvested at 3 different ages (30, 40 and 50 days after anthesis (DAA)). These fruits were pre-stored during 0,30 and 60 days after harvest (DAH), and then their seeds were fermented for 0,5 and 10 days. Seed viability (germination percentage and germination speed index) and seedlings vigor (emergence percentage, emergence speed index, seedling shoot length and seedling dry weight) were significantly (P< 0.001) influenced by each of the three factors. Following the positive interaction of these factors, the best viability and the most vigorous seedlings were obtained with seeds from fruits tardily harvested (50 DAA), pre-stored for a long time (60 DAH) and longer fermented (10 days). The simultaneous variation of the fruit wet weight and the seed color, dry weight and moisture content with their viability and the seedlings vigor indicates that these four parameters can be used as indicators of both cultivars maturity. Conclusions and application of findings : The results suggest that in deaginous L siceraria, fruits must be harvested 50 DAA, pre-stored up to 60 DPA. Good agronomic quality seeds must have yellow-orange color and be fermented up to 10 days

Effect of fertilizers type and watering methods on the agronomic performance of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) grown on substrate in southern Côte d'Ivoire

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is a plant of great importance for food, agriculture, economy and medicine. This importance explains its high demand, intensified by its cultivation conditions, particularly the growing rarity of fertile land and available water. To contribute to this species yield optimization, the effects of fertilizers type [chemical: NPK (12-22-22) and organic: Agribionate] and a control (C) combined to two watering modes (traditional sprinkler and bottle drip) on plants growth and yield have been studied from sowing to harvest. Plant growth (stem length and diameter at the collar, number of leaves and flowers per plant, leaf area) and yield (fruit weight, diameter and length, yield) were assessed. ANOVA2 tests revealed that fertilization (NPK and agribionate) favored plant growth (respectively 34.20 and 37.32 cm in height against 6.67 cm) and increased yield (7498, 66 and 6600.46 Kg/ha against 1558 Kg/ha) with the largest and heaviest fruits (145.69 and 142.80 g) compared to the control (C) that produced the smallest ones (59.35 g). About watering, the bottle drip mode was more beneficial than traditional sprinkler one for cucumber organ growth and plant yield. The interaction (fertilizer type × watering mode) indicated that the best results were obtained with the Agribionate fertilizer watered with the bottle drip method

Diversity, abundance, occurrence, and conservation status of mammals on the islands of Azagny National southern Côte d’Ivoire

International audienceThis study was carried out on two islands of the Azagny National Park (ANP) located about halfway along the coast in the south of Côte d’Ivoire. The survey lasted from August to October 2021. It aims to contribute to the conservation of the parc by providing the manager with primary scientific data on mammal communities of the islands. The objective of this study is to determine the specific richness, relative abundance, occurrence, and conservation status of the Mammals of the two islands using the camera trapping method. Thus 18 species belonging to six Orders, 10 families and 17 genera, were detected. Mammals are present on both islands. However, the largest island exhibits greater diversity (15 species) than the smallest (09 species). Furthermore, six species have been observed on both islands. Five of the surveyed species are of conservation interest according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, including the west African chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes’ verus) a critically endangered species and the white-naped mangabey (Cercocebus lunulatus), an endangered species. This pioneering exploration reveals a high conservation value of ANP including its islands

Microsatellite-based genetic diversity among accessions of Citrullus spp. collected from 36 countries

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is one of the most economically important vegetable cucurbits. However, the genetic and taxonomic statuses of its closely related species remain scantly documented, limiting their full use for agronomic purposes. The genetic diversity and structure of 74 accessions covering 47 dessert type (C. lanatus subsp. vulgaris), 21 oilseed type (C. mucosospermus), and 6 citron melon (C. lanatus subsp. lanatus var citroides) collected from 36 countries throughout 4 continents, were analyzed using 18 polymorphic SSR markers. The mean values of proportion of polymorphic loci (P = 29.73), number of alleles per locus (A = 1.243), effective number of alleles per locus (Ae = 1.153) Shannon index (I = 0.191), observed and expected heterozygosities (Ho = 0.124; He = 0.149) confirmed the narrow genetic basis of C. lanatus. According to molecular variance analysis the most important component of the genetic variation was obtained among accessions (70%). On the contrary, lower genetic variation was noted among species (16%), countries (37%), and continents (14%). It is suggested that the cultivated forms of Citrullus spp. originated from or successive selection cycles aimed at few and/or common traits, in few ancestral populations. Clustering based on both Bayesian approach and an unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean pointed out three groups of accessions corresponding to use types and collecting countries. Based on these results, future collecting missions could be focused mainly on representative ecological sites in Citrullus spp. distribution areas, and increasing the number of accessions and seeds per accession

Impact of the Seeding Method on Physiological, Agronomic, and Biochemical Performance of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Varieties Grown in Burkina Faso

In Burkina Faso, the sesame sector is still relatively unorganized, with poor quality seeds that are unsuitable or outdated farming practices and noncompliant with recommended technical itineraries. This situation is very worrying and needs to be rectified. For this reason, we undertook this study to highlight the impact of the seeding method on the physiological, morphological, and agronomic performances of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) varieties grown in Burkina Faso. The experiment was conducted at the Gampèla agropedagogical station located at 12°25′N, 12°22′W from Ouagadougou. Varieties S-42, 32-15, Wollega, and Humera were grown in strips (broadcast seeding) and in randomized complete blocks (row sowing). Row seeding favored plant growth and development for all varieties. Seed yield per plant for row seeding was significantly (P<0.001) higher than for broadcast seeding. In terms of 1000 seed weight, there was a decrease in the Wollega variety (2.42 g) in the broadcast seeding group compared with the row seeding group (3.13 g). The seeding method had no effect on the other varieties. The seeding method also had no significant influence on the lipid and protein contents of the seeds. When sown in rows, varieties S-42 (25.7 g/kg), 32-15 (20.64 g/kg), and Wollega (17.33 g/kg) accumulated more K than the broadcast seeding groups. For the Humera variety, the seeding method had no effect on K. Na accumulation in leaves was statistically equal for all varieties in both broadcast and row seeding. Variety 32-15 accumulated more Mg when sown broadcast (5.95 g/kg) than when sown in rows (3.85 g/kg). On the other hand, the varieties S-42 (3.13 g/kg), Wollega (4.21 g/kg), and Humera (3.12 g/kg) accumulated less Mg when broadcast than when sown in rows (S-42 (4.37 g/kg), Wollega (5.68 g/kg), and Humera (5.73 g/kg)). Thus, seeding in rows is recommended to obtain better vegetative development and higher capsule and seed yields for all varieties. Both of the seeding methods deliver the same lipid, protein, and Na contents for all varieties. Broadcast seeding is recommended for better Mg content for variety 32-15, and row seeding is recommended for better K content for varieties S-42, Wollega, and 32-15