RESPONSE OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.) GENOTYPES GROWTH CHARACTERS UNDER DROUGHT AND HEAT STRESS CONDITIONS EVALUATED IN SUDAN SAVANNA, NIGERIA

Drought stress and heat stress are two major limiting factors affecting maize productivity in the tropical regions. High temperatures and changes in rainfall pattern can cause significant decline in maize yields under rain fed conditions with Africa being one of the worst affected areas. Heat tolerance can be accomplished through genetic management approach. The aim of the research is to assess the extent of variation in tolerance to drought stress and heat tolerant stress and their performance on growth and yield characters. The trials were conducted on genetic analysis of Maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines under combined (drought and heat stress) conditions. The parental materials comprises eight inbred lines that were crossed in a partial diallel pattern; thereafter, the checks, parents and resultant F1 generations were evaluated at two locations, Kano University of Science and Technology and farmers field at Dambatta local government area Kano state during 2021 dry seasons. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. The results indicated the crossing of P4 X P9 and P3 X P4 to produce significantly to produce significantly better growth attributes like plant height ear height, plant aspect and grain yield. These parental lines might be used in maize breeding programs in Nigeria as sources of drought and or heat tolerance

RESPONSE OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.) GENOTYPES GROWTH CHARACTERS UNDER DROUGHT AND HEAT STRESS CONDITIONS EVALUATED IN SUDAN SAVANNA, NIGERIA

Drought stress and heat stress are two major limiting factors affecting maize productivity in the tropical regions. High temperatures and changes in rainfall pattern can cause significant decline in maize yields under rain fed conditions with Africa being one of the worst affected areas. Heat tolerance can be accomplished through genetic management approach. The aim of the research is to assess the extent of variation in tolerance to drought stress and heat tolerant stress and their performance on growth and yield characters. The trials were conducted on genetic analysis of Maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines under combined (drought and heat stress) conditions. The parental materials comprises eight inbred lines that were crossed in a partial diallel pattern; thereafter, the checks, parents and resultant F1 generations were evaluated at two locations, Kano University of Science and Technology and farmers field at Dambatta local government area Kano state during 2021 dry seasons. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. The results indicated the crossing of P4 X P9 and P3 X P4 to produce significantly to produce significantly better growth attributes like plant height ear height, plant aspect and grain yield. These parental lines might be used in maize breeding programs in Nigeria as sources of drought and or heat tolerance

CORRELATION AND PATH COEFFICIENT ANALYSIS BETWEEN GRAIN YIELD AND SOME GROWTH AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) GENOTYPE AS INFLUENCED BY DROUGHT AND HEAT STRESS CONDITIONS IN SUDAN SAVANNAH OF NIGERIA

Experiments were conducted at the Teaching and Research farm of the Department of Crop Science Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil and on a farmer’s field at Dambatta Local Government Area, with eight maize genotypes to assess the character associations among the genotypes for yield attributes. The experiment was conducted during February to June 2021 and also 2022, in a lattice design with three replications in both years and locations and are made to determine the performance of the genotypes in interacting environments. The genotypes differed significantly for most of the studied traits. Grain yield was significantly associated with plant height, anthesis silking interval, days to maturity, ear height, ears per plant, grain weight per plant in a positive direction and associated negatively with tassel blast, barren plant and leaf senescence. Path co-efficient analysis revealed that the maximum positive direct contribution towards yield was through grain weight per plant, plant height, and ears per plant whereas ear height showed negative direct contribution to grain yield due to negative indirect effects of several other parameters such as ear height via grain weight per plant, plant height via grain weight per plant

Malaria prevalence, blood profile and risk factors for transmission in a peri-urban community, north-central, Nigeria

Malaria-related morbidity is a common occurrence in sub-Saharan Africa culminating in low productivity, and waste of valuable man-power. A cross-sectional study of a sub-urban community in Ilorin, north-central, Nigeria, was conducted. Malaria parasite detection and quantification was established using Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood films. Packed cell volume (PCV) was determined with hematocrit centrifuge and micro-hematocrit reader. Bio-data, socio-environmental and socio-demographic factors were obtained with pretested questionnaire. One thousand, one hundred and four (44.8% males and 55.2% females) inhabitants enrolled for the study with 63.86% harbouring varying degrees of Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia. Specific point prevalence with respect to age groups were only significant (p<0.05) with age 6-10 and 26-30 respectively. 42.1% of the population were anaemic following established guidelines. More subjects concealed light infections with slightly higher mean anaemia in comparison to other groups. Education level, farming, proximity to stagnant water and sleeping outdoor was highly correlated with degree of infections (p<0.001). Five epidemiological factors predicted future malaria infections viz; outdoor sleepers (OR: 0.003, 95% CI: 0.001-0.006, p<0.001), domiciling within 50 metres of bushes (OR: 10.807, 95% CI: 8.067-14.479, p<0.001), use of insecticides (OR: 0.003, 95% CI: 0.001-0.004, p<0.001), proximity to stagnant water (OR: 0.516, 95% CI: 0.400-0.666, p<0.001) and drug efficacy (OR: 0.457, 95% CI: 0.354-0.590, p<0.001). Malaria still remains a public health debacle in Nigeria. Transmission largely depends on a complex interaction of the vector, physical, socio-economic, demographic and environmental factors, human biology and behaviour with malnutrition promoting anaemic outcomes.Keywords: Anaemia; Plasmodium falciparum; predictions; Ile Apa