Agromorphological Characterization of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. Collection from Burkina Faso

Hibiscus sabdariffa L. or roselle is an important vegetable crop in several African countries. It is rich in vitamins and minerals and is widely used in the diet of local populations in Africa, especially in Burkina Faso. However, up to now, there is no in-depth study describing roselle genetic diversity that has been carried out to assess ecotypes cultivated in Burkina Faso. Thus, this study aims to contribute to providing more insights into Hibiscus sabdariffa genetic variability in Burkina Faso through an agromorphological characterization. For this purpose, a trial was carried out using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. 48 accessions collected from farmers were assessed. Agromorphological data collection involved 12 qualitative and 18 quantitative traits. The qualitative traits analysis showed high variability in leaf, stem, and flower color and shape. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed using quantitative data. The results indicated significant differences among all genotypes for all the traits measured. The first three axes of the PCA explain 69.62% of the genetic variability. Furthermore, the results showed a high agromophological variability which is structured in three (03) groups. This variability will contribute to the enhancement and genetic improvement of Hibiscus sabdariffa

L’embouche bovine dans les élevages du Plateau Central du Burkina Faso : Résultats économiques d’une démarche de validation d’un référentiel technico-économique sur la spéculation

La présente démarche de validation du Référentiel technico-économique   d’embouche (RTE), élaboré par l’équipe de recherche de l’Institut de  l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), a été entreprise auprès de  11 élevages du Plateau Central du Burkina Faso. Elle a consisté à vérifier si les  bases de rentabilité économique des ateliers d’embouche définies par ce document  théorique et qui considèrent le nombre de bovins à emboucher comme facteur clé de cette rentabilité peuvent se confirmer en conditions réelles de pratiques des  acteurs. Le suivi des 11 élevages a permis d’identifier cinq (5) profils de rations  paysannes appliquées par les promoteurs. Les quantités de ces rations dépassaient de loin les capacités d’ingestion des animaux et aucune d’entre elles n’était  équilibrée en termes de rapport MAD/UF. A contrario, ces rations ont été à même  d’impacter positivement les performances pondérales des animaux. Les marges  nettes des ateliers «grandes exploitations» ont été deux fois celles des ateliers  «moyennes exploitations» et six fois celles des ateliers «petites exploitations».  Avec des seuils de rentabilité enregistrés de 4,49 ; 12,57 et 21,38 pour   respectivement les ateliers de 5, 20 et 40 têtes de bovins, l’étude confirme les  bases théoriques de rentabilité économique des ateliers d’embouche du RTE.© 2015 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Mots clés : Ration paysanne, alimentation, performances pondérales, rentabilité économique, gain moyen quotidien (GMQ)

Evaluation of acute, subacute toxicity and in vivo impact of aqueous decoction of Flemingia faginea Guill. & Perr. (Barker) leafy stems on NMRI mice and normotensive Wistar rats

Introduction: Flemingia faginea, a Fabaceae family medicinal plant, has been used for a long time in Burkina Faso for the treatment of hypertension and excess salt. However, the safety of the preparations derived from this plant has not yet been scientifically documented. This study aimed to evaluate the acute and subacute oral toxicity of the leafy stems aqueous decoction of F. faginea (FAD) in healthy normotensive mice and rats and the impact on their normal blood pressure. Material and Methods: The acute oral toxicity study was conducted according to the toxicity class method of the Economic Cooperation and Development Organization (OECD) guideline 423. Subacute toxicity was carried out according to the OECD Guideline 407 for repeated dose chemical toxicity for 28 days. Hematological and biochemical analyzes of blood were performed after autopsy. An evaluation of the impact of the extract on the blood pressure of rats was performed using the non-invasive method. Results: A single oral dose of 2000 mg/kg bw to mice did not cause mortality or clinical signs or symptoms of toxicity during the 14-day study. The FAD was classified in the fifth category of the Harmonized System of Classification of the United Nations and considered practically safe with an estimated 50% lethal dose of 5000 mg/kg bw. Daily gavage of male and female rats with doses of 100,500 and 1000 mg/kg did not result in mortality or significant adverse effects during the 28days of experimentation. There were no significant differences in body weight gain, food &water consumption or relative vital organ weights in treated animals. Analysis of the hematological and biochemical parameters of blood serum did not show significant differences between treated and control animals in this study. Additionally, no aberrant changes were found in the systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the test animals during the 28 days of inclusion compared to those of the control group. Conclusion: The extract FAD could be considered safe within the doses tested for the results of the toxicological evaluation. However, microscopic, histopathological, and subchronic investigations will have to be carried out to confirm the safety of this extract use