Evaluation of Different Concentrations And Frequency of Foliar Application of Moringa Extract on Growth & Yield of Onion, Allium cepa Lam

Field trials were conducted between 2010/11 and 2011/12 at the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN) of Federal College of Forestry Mechanization Afaka, Kaduna experimental site, 10o 031N, 07o 211 E and 644m above sea level in the Northern guinea savanna agro-ecological zone during 2011 to 2012 dry season. The objective was to evaluate the effect  of different concentration and frequency of foliar application of Moringa extract on growth and yield of Onion (Allium cepa Lam). Fresh Moringa oleifera shoots were obtained from experimental site of the College when it was 35 days old, air dried for some days and crushed with water (10kg of dry material in water) in a household blender for 10 minute. The solution was filtered through a filter paper (Whattman No 42) and the liquid extracts obtained were diluted with water to produce the treatments. The treatments consisted of four concentration 2% (1 litre of extract/50 litre of water), 4% (1 litre of extract/25 litre of water), 3.2% (litre of extract/31 litre of water), 3.7% (1 litre of extract/27 litre of water) and a control (no extract) and two frequency of foliar application once (3weeks) and twice 3 and 6 weeks after transplanting. The trial was laid in a Randomized Complete Block Design(RCBD) and replicated three times. Data were collected on number of leaves/plant, plant height and crop vigour score at 5, 7 and 9 WAT. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance. Result obtained showed a significant (P = 0.05) effect of the treatments on the characters measured with moringa extract concentration ratio of 1:2 (50%) and frequency periods of foliar application at 3, and 6 weeks after transplanting manifesting the highest effect. Based on the result, application of Moringa extract concentration ratio of 1:2(50%) and frequency period of foliar application at 3, and 6 weeks after transplanting of onion should be adopted for use in Northern guinea savannah ecological zone on the variety of onion tested, since it is easier to get Moringa all year round and in large quantities for large hectare of farm land.Key words: Moringa, Extract, Onion bulb and Concentratio

Assessment of Biodiesel Fuel Potentials of Seed Crude Oil Extracts of Balanites aegyptiaaca (L.) Del

Study on assessmentof biodiesel fuel potentials of seed crude oil extracts of Balanites aegyptiaaca (L.) Del was carriedout. Standard methods of the Association of Official and Analytical Chemist (AOAC) were adopted to evaluate the proximate, physico-chemical properties and fatty acid compositions of crude seed oil extracts of the test plant. The proximate constituents of the crude seed oil extract gave crude protein (22.09%), crude fat (56.75%), moisturecontent (1.35%), ash (4.70%), crudefiber (12.75%) and carbohydrate (2.36%). The crude oil physicochemical properties included saponification value(216.439mgKOH/g), peroxide value(4.84meq/kg), acid value(2.18mgKOH/g), iodine value(77.08g/100g), viscosity value(150.3@30\ub0C) and cetane number(54.08), refractive index(1.487 @30\ub0C), relative density (0.949g/cm3) while calorific value was 39.03(MJ/kg). The fatty acids composition of crude kernel oil extract of B. aegyptiaca indicated the presence of four (4) fatty acids, with relative percentage abundance (RPA) in the order of 67.17% (9,12-Octadecanoic acid (C19H3402)) > 16.22% (Pentadecanoic acid (C17H3402)) > 11.8kg% (Heptacosanoic acid (C28H5602)) > 4.72% (Oleic acid(C18H3402)). These properties conferred relative prospects on the crude oil of the test plant as a suitable potential biodiesel substrate and consequently, large scale aforestation efforts be renewed, to guarantee ready availability of the raw materials