Effect of fertilizer treatment on the antimicrobial activity of the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (L.) and Gongronema latifolium (Benth)

The effect of fertilizer treatment on the antimicrobial activity of the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (L.) and Gongronema latifolium (Benth) was investigated. Cultivated O. gratissimum (L) and G. latifolium were applied with NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer at 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 kg/ha treatment levels in planting buckets derived using the furrow slice method two months after seedling emergence. No fertilizer treatment served as control. Leaves were harvested one month after treatment. The ethanolic extracts of the harvested leaves were used to determine the sensitivity of the extracts on Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aurues, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi,Streptococcus faecalis, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The result obtained showed that the antimicrobial activity of the leaves of O. gratissimum and G. latifolium was significantly (P < 0.05) increased by fertilizer treatment. The inhibition zone increased with increase in the level of fertilizer treatment. The ethanolic extracts of both plants whether treated or not had no antimicrobial effect on A. niger. This research revealed that fertilizer treatment might have increased the phytochemical content of the leaves of the plants which in turn enhanced their antimicrobial potential.Keywords: Pathogens, NPK fertilizer, ethanolic extracts, inhibition zon

Image Schema of the Verb “Sè” in Igbo Semantics

The study of conceptual interaction has attracted the attention of many scholars. Analyses have been done on different areas of this field of study in English. Hardly has any work been done on cognitive semantics in the Igbo language. This study therefore looks at the semantics of the verb se$. Using a descriptive method, the meanings of the verb are analysed in the light of image schemas. The findings reveal that the meanings of the verb follow three image schemas: the containment, path and force schemas. It also reveals that the verb root is not an empty dummy as some writers contend

Anatomical Changes Due to Crude Oil Pollution and its Heavy Metals Component in Three Mucuna Species

The micromorphological response of three Mucuna species in crude oil polluted soil was investigated. This experiment was a factorial (3 x 5) arrangement in a completely randomized design. Factors and levels were three species of Mucuna (M. veracruz, M. jaspodea and M. ghana) and crude oil concentrations (volume/weight) in the soil (0 %, 1 %, 2 %, 3 %, and 4%). The Mucuna species grown in higher concentrations of crude oil provoked soils (3 - 4 %) exhibited greater sinuosity in their epidermal cell walls than those grown in 0 – 1% oil concentrated soils. The stomatal frequency progressively decreased as the oil concentration increased in soil. Cortical parenchyma cells of stems and roots of the three Mucuna species in higher oil polluted soils were flattened tangentially, smaller in size and had reduced intercellular air spaces. Those plants in control soils had large round polygonal cells. Presence of oil droplets on trichomes of leaves was noticed. Also dotted depositions of oil were noticed in the ground tissues, especially around the vascular bundles. The changes in vegetative anatomy of the three Mucuna species in response to crude oil pollution and its heavy metal components were discussed as a possible use in phytomonitoring of crude oil pollution

Review of the Adoption of Strategic Management Practices in Abia State Local Government Area

This study reviews the adoption of strategic management practices in Abia state Local Government Area of Nigeria. Beyond the broad objective, the study sought specifically to: Investigate the extent to which strategic management is adopted by the LGAs in Abia State, ascertain factors that impede the smooth adoption of strategic management, and to determine the effect of strategy formulation, and strategy implementation on the success of strategic management of the councils. Three local government areas were purposively chosen as the case study which forms the hub of this research work. Multi-stage sampling procedure was administered and a total of 230 respondents were obtained and studied from the LGAs. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, probit regression and correlation coefficient model. Results revealed that factors such as organizational policy, lack of focus by top management, organizational structure, and lack of trained staff, resource allocation, and leadership style impede the smooth adoption of strategic management in Abia state local government areas. Furthermore, the result reviles that the nature of strategy formulation and strategy implementation can determine the success of the adoption of strategic management principles in local government areas. Keyword: Review, Adoption, Strategic Management Practices

Chemical composition of Hyptis suaveolens and Ocimum gratissimum hybrids from Nigeria

Four medicinal plants belonging to the family Lamiaceae were chemically screened for their chemical constituents including alkaloids, tannins, saponins, flavonoids and phenols. The medicinal plants investigated were Hyptis suaveloens and three putative hybrids of Ocimum gratissimum (Hybrid A, B and C). All the plants contains high percentage yield of crude alkaloids and flavonoids ranging from 10.44 to 14.32% and 9.28 to 12.54%, respectively. Only H. suaveloens is devoid of saponins. Tanninsand phenols were present in all plants. The nutritional values of the phytochemicals were also assessed with a view of establishing and understanding their nutritional uses. The plants contained crude protein(9.19 to 17.94%), crude fibre (4.88 to 9.04%), ash (5.68 to 6.88%), carbohydrate (66.24 to 75.87%), crude lipid (3.48 to 4.90%) and food energy (357.68 to 373.26 mg/cal). The significance of the plants in traditional medicine and the importance of the chemical constituents in the pharmaceutical industries were discusse

Accountability Culture and Public Acceptability of Local Government System for Enhanced Grassroot Development in Nigeria: the Role of Public Relations

In this study the correlation between accountability culture in the administration of local governments in Nigeria and the recent public outcry for the proscription of that tier of government is examined, as it affects development in the country’s grassroot areas. It was motivated by the call for the abrogation of the local government system due to alleged poor performance. The objectives sought were to: ascertain the level of correlation accountability practices or lack of it has in the public demands for the proscription of local government system in Nigeria and determine the effect of the local governments’ accountability standards on project development at the grassroots’ levels. The research methodology adopted survey design technique, with structured questionnaire as the main instrument for primary data collection. The data were analyzed with the statistical tools of Likert’s 5-points scale and Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The results obtained show that there is a strong correlation between poor accountability by local government administrations in Nigeria and the public outcry for the disbandment of that tier of government. There was also significant correlation between the lack of accountability culture in local government administrations in Nigeria and the poor development at the grassroots’ levels of the country. Based on this outcome, the applications of public relations attitudinal-change strategies from negative practices to positive practices in fund management by local government chairmen in Nigeria was proffered for enhanced development at the grassroots’ levels of the country. Keywords: Accountability, Local Government’s administration, grassroots’ development, public relations, public perceptions

Empirical analysis of the problems and prospects of export marketing of non oil agricultural product in Nigeria

This study empirically examined the problems and prospects of export marketing of non oil agricultural product in Nigeria. The data for the study was collected from the publication of the central bank Nigeria and other publications from 1970 to 2011. The work analyzed the performance of the non oil agricultural export of Nigeria, the prospect of the non oil agricultural exports on the economy of Nigeria, the effect of trade variables on non oil agricultural export of Nigeria and the analysis of the relationship between non oil export and economic growth. The tools used to achieve the objectives of this study include descriptive statistics, multiple regression and correlation analysis. The study found that non oil agriculture export has the prospects of contributing to the economic growth of Nigeria and the unfavorable nature of the foreign exchange constituted a major problem. Based on the above, it is advised that non oil agricultural exports should be supported as this was found to have a positive relationship with the economy and the foreign exchange was found to be negatively affecting the non oil agricultural export and should be regulated effectively. Keywords: problem, prospects, export, non-agricultural products

Social Conflicts and Public Private Partnership (PPP) Inertia In Nigeria: X-Ray Of Social Marketing And Conflict Resolutions’ Antidote

The rate of ethnic, religions, communal, social and political conflicts in Nigeria is unarguably very inimical not only to the unity of the Nigeria nation, but also to its socio-economic and political development. Thus, arguments are rife that this trend is adversely affecting the upward drive of public private partnership initiatives in the country, notwithstanding that in its economic policy thrust, the Nigerian government has made public private partnership (PPP) a cardinal base for the achievement of the much needed economic upstart for the nation. But observers are critical that if nothing is done to checkmate the spates of bombings by the Boko Haram sect and other intractable conflicts and crises across the country, that might turn out another pipe dream. This paper examined the correlation between the social conflicts and PPP growth rate in the country, and the efficacy of social marketing and conflict resolution tools as antidote. Survey design was used and area of study was three commercial nerve centres in Nigeria: Lagos, Aba and PortHarcourt. Keywords: Social conflicts, public private partnership (PPP), public relations, social marketing, conflict resolution.

The influence of water stress (drought) on the mineral and vitamin potential of the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (L).

The influence of water stress (drought) on the mineral and vitamin potential of the leaves of Ocimum gratissimum was investigated. Cultivated O. gratissimum plants grown in plastic planting buckets were subjected to mild water stress by irrigating each planting bucket with 500 ml of water once in a week. On the other hand, in the control treatment, each planting bucket was irrigated with 750 ml of water three times in a week. Treatment commenced two months after seed emergence. The leaves of the plants were harvested one month later for analysis. Results obtained indicated that water stress (drought), significantly (

Phytochemical constituents of some Nigerian medicinal plants

Alkaloids, tannins, saponins, steroid, terpenoid, flavonoids, phlobatannin and cardic glycoside distribution in ten medicinal plants belonging to different families were assessed and compared. The medicinal plants investigated were Cleome nutidosperma, Emilia coccinea, Euphorbia heterophylla, Physalis angulata, Richardia bransitensis, Scopania dulcis, Sida acuta, Spigelia anthelmia, Stachytarpheta cayennensis and Tridax procumbens. All the plants were found to contain alkaloids, tannins and flavonoids except for the absence of tannins in S. acuta and flavonoids in S. cayennsis respectively. The significance of the plants in traditional medicine and the importance of the distribution of these chemical constituents were discussed with respect to the role of these plants in ethnomedicine in Nigeria.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (7), pp. 685-688, 200