VARIATION MINERAL COMPOSITIONS OF SOME BAMBARA GROUNDNUT (VIGNA SUBTERRANEA (L.) VERDC.) ACCESSIONS

The study aimed to assess variation in mineral compositions of some accessions of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea [L.] Verdc.) for domestic use and genetic enhancement. Twenty accessions of Bambara groundnut were planted in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The five minerals were analysed which include, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and manganese. These accessions showed significant (P?0.05) variations across the five mineral analysed. Accession no. 18 had the highest mean for iron (2.89 mg100g-1), Accession no. 12 had the highest mean value for zinc (0.65 mg100g-1) Accession no. 8 had the highest mean value for calcium (217.36 mg100g-1), magnesium (14.29 mg100g-1)and manganese (0.82 mg100g-1). However, accession no. 12 had the lowest mean values in four of the minerals except zinc. This result showed that some of these accessions could be selected for genetic enhancement of minerals, some for domestic use and some for industrial use

NITROUS ACID-INDUCED VARIATIONS IN SOME QUANTITATIVE TRAITS OF THE FOXTAIL MILLET SETARIA ITALICA (L.) P. BEAUV.

The effects of different concentrations of nitrous acid on the agronomic parameters of foxtail millet were investigated. Seeds treated with different concentrations of nitrous acid and untreated seeds (control) were planted in a Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) for two generations. The following data collected: percent germination, plant height, leaf number, length, and width, fresh and dry weights, number of days to 50% flowering, panicle length, and weight, and 1000-seed weight. Significant variations were observed in plant height, leaf number and length, fresh and dry weights, panicle length and weight, and 1000-seed weight in the control. Plant height, leaf length, fresh weight and dry weight had highest mean values at 0.1% nitrous acid. Number of leaves and panicle length and weight were highest at 0.4% concentration, while 1000-seed weight was highest with 0.3% nitrous acid. From this experiment, nitrous acid proved to be effective in inducing mutations that increased quantitative traits of the foxtail millet. The mutations have great potentials which can be harnessed for use in a breeding programme