Effect of agrolyser on the yield of cowpea in Zuru, Kebbi State Northwestern Nigeria

Micronutrient status of an upland regosol in Zuru was determined using cowpea as test crop. Result from plant analysis shows that iron (Fe) status of the plant range between 2.4-10mgkg-1 with a mean of 9.6mgkg-1(1.23), manganese (Mn) 2.2.0-mgkg with a mean value of 1.95 0.10mgkg-1(0.10), Sulphur (S) 0.27-0.75mgkg-1 with a mean of 0.51mgkg-1(0.24) and zinc (Zn) 0-0.2 with a mean of 0.2mgkg-1(0.1). Micro nutrient application had no significant effect on the yield and yield component of the text crop. International Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development Vol. 7(2) 2006: 56-6

Evaluation of Tomato ( Lycopersicon lycopersicon ) Cultivars for yield and yield attributes in acid soil

This work which evaluated different Tomato Cultivars for yield and yield related parameters was carried out at the Research and Training Farm ofMichael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated three times. Ten treatments, namely DT 95/140A, DT 95/433, DT 95/257, DT 95/38, DT 95/237, DT 95/3B, DT 95/43, DT 95/146, DT 95/133B, and Local B obtained from NIHORTIbadan were studied. Data were collected on plant height, number of branches, dry matter yield, number of flowers, fruit circumference, number of fruits and total fruit weight. Results showed Local B had the highest yield while DT 95/237 had the least yield. Correlation analyses showed that number of fruits and fruit circumference were positively and significantly ( P.0.01 ) associated with total fruit yield. Their contributions to yield were also verysignificant ( P.0.01 )

Field Evaluation of Various Plant Biocides in the Control of Black Sigatoka Disease in Plantians

A field experiment was conducted at the Federal University of Technology, Teaching and Research Farm, Owerri in 2005 to evaluate the efficiency of using seven plant biocides (extracts) in the control of Black Sigatola disease in plantains. The experiment was carried out using the randomized complete block design with three replications. The Treatments include: Azadiractha indica (neem plant), Vernonia amygdlina (Bitter leaf) Ocimum gratissium (Nchanwu) Pergularia sp (utazi) Allium sativum (garlic), Citrus aurantifolia (lime) and Piper guinensis. (African Black Pepper). Data on disease development and efficacy of each plant biocide were collected at flowering on 5 plants of maturity per plot using the youngest leaf spotted (YLS) method. The proportion of the leaf area showing symptoms was scored on a scale of 0 to 6. A disease severity index (DSI) which also had a low DSI was also calculated were analyzed using the analysis of variance. Pair-wise testing between means was done using the Duncan New multiple range test at 5% level of probability. Results indicated that the ethanol extracts of plant biocides from Azadiractha indica and Piper guinensis were significantly (P. = 0.05) more effective than other plant biocides as observed from the youngest leaf spotted (YLS) assessed at flowering after 8 spray applications. The DSI recorded two weeks before harvest has 1.6 for Azadiractha indica and 0.8 for Piper guinensis which confirmed results from the YLS assessment. It is hereby strongly recommended to apply ethanol extract sprays of Azadiractha indica and Piper guinensis extracted at the rate of 20g plant material dissolved in 100ml ethanol due to its high level of fungitoxic ability on Black Sigatoka disease in plantains. It was also observed that ethanol extract of plant materials was more effective and efficacious in fungitoxic ability than the water extracts respectively