Comparative Efficacy of Powders and Water Extracts of Chromolaena Odorata (L) and Annona Senegalensis (Pers) in Management of Root-Knot Disease of Pepper

Root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita is an important pest of pepper. Various control measures have been employed in managing root-knot disease of pepper. The problems arising from chemical control have resulted in a search for plant toxicants for nematode control. This study investigated the performance of powders and water extracts of Chromolaena odorata and Annona senegalensis in the management of Meloidogyne incognita infection on pepper.Pepper cultivar Ex-Sam-St was raised in the nursery and transplanted into polypots and fields, inoculated with 5000 M. incognita eggs extracted with the sodium hypochlorite method. After inoculation, dry powders at 80 kg/ha, water extracts at 100,000 mg/kg, carbofuran 3G at 3 kg ai/ha and water were applied in pot and field experiments. Gallings on roots rated, final nematode population and reproductive factor were calculated. The data were log-transformed, analyzed with ANOVA, means separated with LSD at 5% probability level.Annona senegalensis leaf powder and its water extract were the most outstanding in performance next to carbofuran in reducing final nematode population, reproductive factor and galling index. Dry powders were more effective than water extracts in reducing the nematode infection. These botanicals can be used as alternatives to synthetic nematicides in the management of the nematode. Keywords: Botanicals, Final nematode population, Galling Index, Inoculation, Reproductive Factor, Root damage

INHERITANCE PATTERN OF YELLOW FOLIAGE COLOUR AND ACTIVITIES OF TRANSPOSABLE ELEMENT IN COWPEA Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp

Foliage colour may affect the photosynthetic activities of a plant and consequently yield.  Differences in the green foliage colour of plants often reflect differences in chlorophyll concentration of the leaves. This study investigated the inheritance pattern of a yellow foliage mutant in cowpea. Seeds of a nuclear yellow foliage mutant and three green foliage cowpea lines were planted in plastic buckets filled with garden soil on the roof top garden of Department of crop Protection and Environmental Biology, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and crossed to produce six generations per cross comprising parents, F1, F2 and BC. The various generations were and on the field at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and data were collected on phenotypic traits. The nuclear yellow foliage mutant segregated in the ratio 3green:1yellow, thus indicating that the trait was controlled by monogenic recessive gene. Some F2 and BC plants of the yellow foliage mutant exhibited variegation for leaf colour indicating gene instability resulting from the action of transposable element. The frequencies of reversion from the yellow to green of F3 progenies vary widely within and between progeny rows. Of a total of 309 individual plants that were scored, 55% were variegated, 23% were green while 22% exhibited the yellow phenotype. The gene symbol yfc-3 was assigned to the recessive condition, while yfc-3un was assigned to the unstable allele of yellow foliage

Pathogenicity of Meloidogyne Incognita (CHITWOOD) on Some Pepper (Capsicum spp.) Cultivars

Pepper, a vegetable grown for human consumption. Its production was being constrained by the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita an important pest of pepper. This study was done to provide information on the pathogenicity of M. incognita on  pepper.Four pepper cultivars rated susceptible were used. In pot experiment, pepper seedlings were transplanted into pots and inoculated at one month with 0, 1,500, 2,500, 3,500 or 5,000 M. incognita eggs extracted with sodium hypochlorite. The experiment was factorial in Completely Randomized Design. In field experiment, Split-plot Design consisted of main plots (nematicide-treated and nematicide-untreated) with pepper cultivars as the subplots were used. Plant heights measured, number of leaves counted. At termination, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, fresh root weight were measured. Final Nematode Population (FNP), Reproductive Factor (RF) and Galling Index (GI) were estimated. There were direct relationships between the inoculation levels of M. incognita on pepper, Galling Index, Final nematode Population but inverse relationship with Reproductive Factor.Meloidogyne incognita infection of pepper resulted in gall formation, reduced height by 58.7±12.3%, number of leaves 10±3.1%, fresh shoot weight 39.4±10.5%, dry shoot weight 34.0±8.6%, fresh root weight35.6±9.8% and yield 67.9±18.6%. Meloidogyne incognita was pathogenic on the pepper cultivars. Keywords: cultivars, final nematode population, galling index, inoculation, reproductive factor, root-knot nematode.                             

Analysis of genetic linkage in the cowpea vigna unguiculata

Genetic analysis of 12 loci conditioning morphological characteristics indicated several linkages in cowpea Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp). Using both backcross and F2 joint segregation data, these 12 loci were assigned to five linkage groups. The loci Pg for nodal pigmentation, Pf for purple flower, Pc for smooth seed coat, Na for narrow eye, and Br for brown seed coat make up linkage group 1 with the probable order Pg-Na-BrP-cPf The Bpd locus for branching peduncle was linked to Bp for brown dry pod and Dhp for pod dehiscence with the probable order Bpd-Bp-Dhp. The third linkage group consisted of loci Crl for crinkled leaf and Pt for sessile leaf Hastate leaf shape, Ha, and septafoliolate leaf number, Spt, belong to the fourth and fifth linkage groups, respectively

Management of Root-Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne Spp) on Tomato using Antagonistic Plants

African marigold (Tagetes erecta) and Crotalaria juncea were used as intercrops to control root knot nematodes on a susceptible tomato cultivar, Ibadan local in a pot experiment at the roof top of Crop Protection and Environmental Biology Dept, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Four weeks old tomato plants intercropped with African marigold (Tagetes erecta) and Crotalaria juncea were inoculated with 5000eggs of root knot nematodes. Results indicated that absence of marigold or Crotalaria plants in the inoculated treatments led to increase in the number of second stage juvenile of root knot nematodes. The antagonistic plants produced significant reduction (P<0.05) in the root gall indices, reproductive factor and final nematode population in susceptible tomato plants roots. However, no significant differences were observed across the treatments in terms of mean number of leaves and plant heights. The results obtained have important implications for the design of alternative nematode management strategies using antagonistic plants. Keywords: antagonistic plants, root-knot nematodes, Gall index, Reproductive factor

Screening of Siam Weed (Chromolaena Odorata) and African Custard Apple (Annona Senegalensis) for Nematicidal Activity

Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata) and closely related species of Annona senegalensis had been investigated for nematicidal activity for the control of nematodes. This study was carried out to provide some information on the phytochemical constituents in these plants for nematode management. Chromolaena odorata leaves and roots, Annona senegalensis leaves and bark collected, air-dried and ground into powder, were taken to The Central Laboratory, University of Ibadan for Infrared (IR) analysis. Phytochemical analysis was carried out in the Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Ibadan. The IR revealed that functional groups were alcohols, alkenes, carbonyl, carboxylic acids and phenols. The phytochemicals were tannins (46.2 ± 17.9 mgg-1), saponins (81.5 ± 76.8 mgg-1), alkaloids (12.6 ± 0.7 mgg-1), flavonoids (5.3 ± 2.6 mgg-1), phenols (43.7 ± 1.6 mgg-1), cardenolides and anthraquinones. Saponins were of the highest concentrations, followed by tannins, phenols.The phytochemicals identified have been reported to be nematicidal in activity. Keywords: constituents, dry powders, functional groups, nematode management, phytochemicals

Readiness of Nigerian Health‑Care Workers to Work during COVID‑19 Pandemic

Introduction: Health‑care professionals of all cadres are the utmost valuable resource during pandemics and maintaining an adequateworkforce of health professionals during an emergency is critical to ensure uninterrupted provision of services that are essential for patient care. Aim: Examine readiness of health‑care workers (HCWs) to provide service in the course of the COVID‑19 pandemic and the factors influencing their decision. Methodology: This was a cross‑sectional study of Nigerian health sector workers HCWs in the course of the COVID‑19 pandemic. The respondents were recruited using HCWs focus groups on WhatsApp and Telegram social medial platforms. Results: A total of 481 HCWs were recruited, consisting of 288 females and 193 males (M: F, 1:1.5), mean age = 30.71 ± 5.9 years. MostHCWs (97.3%) showed a willingness to provide service during the pandemic; 73.3% of the HCWs were willing to work if supplied with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) although 5.8% were less willing to work without proper PPE. Factors supporting  unwillingness to work during the pandemic were: concerns about the lack of adequate testing for COVID‑19 (48.9%), lack of disability insurance plan (40.1%), fear of being infected (47.2%), and the risk of infection in family members (24.5%). The readiness to work was related to the job cadres of the HCWs (P = 0.001), while the provision of additional incentives and a change in the working conditions would influence the readiness of the HCWs to work. Conclusion: HCWs were ready to provide service in the course of the COVID‑19 pandemic if there was a safe work environment, although the availability of PPE and other personal factors would influence their willingness to work, while improvement in working conditions would motivate HCWs to work. Keywords: COVID‑19, health‑care workers, pandemic, personal protective equipmen

Pathogenicity And Cell Wall-degrading Enzyme Activities Of Some Fungal Isolates From Cowpea ( Vigna Unguiculata [L] Walp)

Nine fungal species isolated from cowpea seeds were used as inocula on four cowpea varieties commonly distributed to farmers in Ilorin, Kwara state, Nigeria by the National Seed Service, a subsidiary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The effects of fungi on germinability and seedling health were determined using seedling symptom test. Two of the virulent species were screened for the production of cell wall degrading enzymes using viscometric method. All the fungi reduced germination rate in all the cowpea varieties and different types of seedling symptoms were noted for the fungi. The symptoms included seed rot, chlorotic leaf development, stunted growth etc. Production of pectinases and cellulases by Aspergillus flavus and Penicillum sp. was observed and the virulence of the two organisms could be attributed to the activities of these cell wall degrading enzymes