Lowland Rice Nutrient Responses for the Guinea and Sudan Savannas of Nigeria

Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Agronomy This is an open access article doi:10.2134/agronj2017.08.046

Lowland Rice Nutrient Responses for the Guinea and Sudan Savannas of Nigeria

Yield response of irrigated lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) to nutrient application was determined to improve the information base for fertilizer use in the Sudan and Southern Guinea Savannas of Nigeria. Economically optimal rates (EOR) and agronomic efficiency (AE) were determined. Five N levels and four levels each P, K, and Zn were evaluated with two varieties at two locations. Nitrogen effects varied by variety and location but mean paddy yield with 0 kg ha–1 N was 3.4 Mg ha–1 and was increased by 1.3 Mg ha–1 with 40 kg ha–1 N. The mean EOR of N with fertilizer use cost to paddy price ratios (CP) of 2 to 6 were 56 to 38 kg ha–1 N, respectively. Yield increases with P, K and Zn application were infrequent. Paddy yield was increased in one of four cases with up to 1.5 kg ha–1 Zn. There were no paddy yield increases but some decreases with application of Mg-S-B in addition to N-P-K-Zn. The overall AE of N at EOR with a CP of 4 was 25.3 kg kg–1. The profit potential of N application was greater for Faro 44 compared with Faro 52 at both locations. Financially constrained farmers who opt to apply N at 50 compared with 100% EOR when CP was 4 can expect 16% less yield increase but 67% higher AE and value to cost ratio. Application of fertilizer N, maybe with P at Kadawa, can be highly profitable for irrigated lowland rice in these agroecological zones

Molecular Detection of Torque Teno Sus Virus and Coinfection with African Swine Fever Virus in Blood Samples of Pigs from Some Slaughterhouses in Nigeria

Torque teno sus virus 1 (TTSuV1a/TTSuV1b) infection is present in pig herds worldwide. This study investigated the prevalence of TTSuV1a/TTSuV1b infections in domestic pigs from some slaughterhouses in Nigeria as well as coinfection with African swine fever virus (ASFV) and described the phylogeny in relation to global strains. One hundred and eighty-one (181) blood samples from four slaughterhouses were used for the study and viral nucleic acid detection was carried out by PCR. Comparative sequence analysis was carried out to infer phylogeny. The overall prevalence of TTSuV1a/b was 17.7%. Prevalence of individual genotypes was 10.5% and 7.2% for TTSuV1a and TTSuV1b, respectively. Coinfection of ASFV/TTSuV1a/b was 7.7% while that of TTSuV1a and TTSuV1b was 1.7%. ASFV alone was detected in 11.91% of the total samples. The Nigerian TTSuV1a and TTSuV1b shared a sequence identity of 91–100% and 95–100%, respectively, among each other. The ASFV sequences were 100% identical to members of genotype 1. This is the first report on the presence of TTSuV1a/b in domestic pigs in Nigeria and coinfection with ASFV. Although the prevalence of TTSuV1a/b in Nigeria was low, we recommend further studies to establish the trend and possible role in the pathogenesis of ASFV

Introduction into Nigeria of a Distinct Genotype of Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1)

Genetic characterization of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (H5N1) isolated in July 2008 in Nigeria indicates that a distinct genotype, never before detected in Africa, reached the continent. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the viruses are genetically closely related to European and Middle Eastern influenza A (H5N1) isolates detected in 2007

A chemical study of an indegenous knowledge system of milk preservation in Adamawa state, Nigeria

No Abstract

Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of human cystic echinococcosis in some parts of Plateau State, Nigeria

Livestock, pets and companion animals in developing nations are plagued with several infectious diseases some of them with zoonotic potentials. Echinococcosis which is a neglected zoonotic parasitic disease is one of such diseases that affect domestic animals and man with serious health and economic impacts. A cross-sectional questionnaire and serological survey was conducted on human subjects from four Local Government Areas (LGA) of Plateau State, Nigeria, to determine knowledge, attitude and practice and their level of exposure to E. granulosus infection. Sera from 181 human subjects recruited for this study were screened for IgG antibodies to E. granulosus using a commercial ELISA kit. Overall, 6 out of the 181 (3.3%) tested sera were positive. Seropositivity was associated with subjects below 10 years (OR=5.6), study location (OR=1.8), and scavenging behaviour of dogs (OR= 1.5), but not with gender of dog owners (OR=0.7), dog ownership (OR=0.6), dog deworming practice (OR=0.3) or the use of slaughter facility and meat inspection (OR=0.6). Ignorance about the transmission cycle of E. granulosus coupled with unhygienic practices are the main risk factors for the perpetuation of the disease in the study-communities. Sensitization, awareness creation and advocacy for hygienic  practises among the communities are recommended, as a short term measure while large scale studies to determine the true prevalence and therisk factors of the disease will form the basis for possible future control measures. Keywords: Seroprevalence; Echinococcus granulosus; antibody; ELISA; human; Plateau State

Lowland Rice Nutrient Responses for the Guinea and Sudan Savannas of Nigeria

Yield response of irrigated lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) to nutrient application was determined to improve the information base for fertilizer use in the Sudan and Southern Guinea Savannas of Nigeria. Economically optimal rates (EOR) and agronomic efficiency (AE) were determined. Five N levels and four levels each P, K, and Zn were evaluated with two varieties at two locations. Nitrogen effects varied by variety and location but mean paddy yield with 0 kg ha–1 N was 3.4 Mg ha–1 and was increased by 1.3 Mg ha–1 with 40 kg ha–1 N. The mean EOR of N with fertilizer use cost to paddy price ratios (CP) of 2 to 6 were 56 to 38 kg ha–1 N, respectively. Yield increases with P, K and Zn application were infrequent. Paddy yield was increased in one of four cases with up to 1.5 kg ha–1 Zn. There were no paddy yield increases but some decreases with application of Mg-S-B in addition to N-P-K-Zn. The overall AE of N at EOR with a CP of 4 was 25.3 kg kg–1. The profit potential of N application was greater for Faro 44 compared with Faro 52 at both locations. Financially constrained farmers who opt to apply N at 50 compared with 100% EOR when CP was 4 can expect 16% less yield increase but 67% higher AE and value to cost ratio. Application of fertilizer N, maybe with P at Kadawa, can be highly profitable for irrigated lowland rice in these agroecological zones

Lowland Rice Nutrient Responses for the Guinea and Sudan Savannas of Nigeria

Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Agronomy This is an open access article doi:10.2134/agronj2017.08.046

Occurrence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in chickens and farm personnel in Sokoto, North-western Nigeria

Objective: The study was conducted to determine the presence of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in chickens and farm personnel in Sokoto, North-western Nigeria. Materials and method: A total of 160 samples (136 from chickens and 14 from personnel) were collected and screened for the presence of MRSA using cultural characteristics, biochemical tests and latex slide agglutination test for the presence of Penicillin binding protein 2α (PBP2α). Results: MRSA were detected in 8.82% (n=12/136) of chickens, while 14.29% (n=2/14) in farm personnel. All the isolates were positive for PBP2α. Conclusion: This study established for the first time the occurrence of MRSA in both chickens and farm personnel from poultry farms in Sokoto, Nigeria. Thus, the study provided baseline information for further studies on the epidemiology of MRSA. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2017; 4(3.000): 255-260

Molecular characterisation of African swine fever viruses from Nigeria (2003–2006) recovers multiple virus variants and reaffirms CVR epidemiological utility

Samples collected from wild and domestic suids in Nigeria, over a 3-year period (2003–2006), were evaluated for African swine fever (ASF) virus genome presence by targeting three discrete genome regions, namely the 478-bp C-terminal p72 gene region advocated for genotype assignment, a 780-bp region spanning the 50-ends of the pB125R and pB646L (p72) genes and the hypervariable central variable region (CVR) encoded within the 9RL ORF (pB602L). ASF virus (ASFV) presence was confirmed in 23 of the 26 wild and domestic pigs evaluated. No evidence of ASF infection was found in two warthogs from Adamawa State; however, one bushpig from Plateau State was positive. Nucleotide sequences of the 478-bp and 780-bp amplicons were identical across all ASFV-positive samples sequenced. However, five discrete CVR variants were recovered, bringing the total number identified to date, from Nigeria, to six. The largest of the CVR variants, termed ‘Tet-36’ was identical to a virus causing outbreaks in neighbouring Benin in 1997, indicating a prolonged persistence of this virus type in Nigeria. Co-circulation of three tetramer types (Tet-36, Tet-27 and Tet-20) was found in Plateau State in July 2004, whilst in Benue State, two tetramer types (Tet-20 and Tet-21) were present in August 2005. Despite simultaneous field presence, individual co-infection was not observed. This study has reaffirmed the epidemiological utility of the CVR genome region for distinguishing between geographically and temporally constrained genotype I viruses, and has revealed the presence of multiple ASFV variants in Nigeria