Management Options for Sorghum Stem Borers for Farmers in the Semi-Arid Tropics

Currently recommended control measures against sorghum stem borers are briefly reviewed. Successful methods applied in developed countries have been tested at research stations in developing countries and recommended to farmers in the semi-arid tropics. The extent of their use by farmers is assessed and farm-and sector-level constraints to adaptation are evaluated. An approach for farmer-oriented research on control methods is suggested

Urinary Tract Infection in Okada village: Prevalence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern

The antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of bacterial isolates from suspected urinary tract infection (UTI) patients at Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital was carried out from November 2004 to November 2005 using the disc diffusion method. The subjects were made up of 330 (60%) males and 220 (40%) females. The commonest isolates were Escherichia coli (51.2%), Staphylococcus aureus (27.3%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (12.8%) respectively. Both methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive (MSSA) S. aureus were isolated in the study. The isolates were highly sensitive to ofloxacin but low to moderately sensitive to gentimicin, tobramycin, nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, nitrofurantoin, and cefuroxine. The MSSA isolates were highly sensitive to ciprofloxaxin and ofloxacin while the MRSA were sensitive to ofloxacin. In addition, the isolates showed multi-drug resistance

Resistance in sorghum to the shoot fly, Atherigona soccata: epicuticular wax and wetness of the central whorl leaf of young seedlings

Sorghum genotypes known to be resistant or susceptible to shoot fly, Atherigona soccata Rondani were examined by scanning electron microscopy for differences in epicuticular wax structure and wetness of the central leaf whorl. Two major types of wax structures were observed: shoot fly resistant and moderately resistant genotypes were characterised by a smooth amorphous wax layer and sparse wax crystals while susceptible genotypes possessed a dense meshwork of crystalline epicuticular wax. The density of wax crystals decreased from the third leaf to the seventh leaf stage and was related to both seedling age and leaf position. Water droplets on susceptible genotypes with dense wax crystals showed spreading at the edges indicating a tendency to wet easily. In resistant genotypes with less dense wax crystals the droplets remained intact and did not spread

Genomic-Assisted Enhancement in Stress Tolerance for Productivity Improvement in Sorghum

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], the fifth most important cereal crop in the world after wheat, rice, maize, and barley, is a multipurpose crop widely grown for food, feed, fodder, forage, and fuel, vital to the food security of many of the world’s poorest people living in fragile agroecological zones. Globally, sorghum is grown on ~42 million hectares area in ~100 countries of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. Sorghum grain is used mostly as food (~55%), in the form of flat breads and porridges in Asia and Africa, and as feed (~33%) in the Americas. Stover of sorghum is an increasingly important source of dry season fodder for livestock, especially in South Asia. In India, area under sorghum cultivation has been drastically come down to less than one third in the last six decades but with a limited reduction in total production suggesting the high-yield potential of this crop. Sorghum productivity is far lower compared to its genetic potential owing to a limited exploitation of genetic and genomic resources developed in the recent past. Sorghum production is challenged by various abiotic and biotic stresses leading to a significant reduction in yield. Advances in modern genetics and genomics resources and tools could potentially help to further strengthen sorghum production by accelerating the rate of genetic gains and expediting the breeding cycle to develop cultivars with enhanced yield stability under stress. This chapter reviews the advances made in generating the genetic and genomics resources in sorghum and their interventions in improving the yield stability under abiotic and biotic stresses to improve the productivity of this climate-smart cereal

Increases In Plasma Urea And Creatinine In Experimental Trypanosoma Brucei Infection Is Influenced By Scoparia Dulcis

Alterations in both plasma urea and creatinine levels were monitored over a period of twenty eight (28) days in experimentally infected rabbits. A total of 15 animals were randomly divided into three groups of n=5. The groups were control (group I), infected and treated (group II) and infected but untreated (group III) Administration of Scoparia dulcis at a daily oral dose of 25mg/kg body weight resulted in significant reduction (

Antimicrobial susceptibilty of potentially pathogenic halophilic Vibrio species isolated from seafoods in Lagos, Nigeria

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance is indispensable for empirical treatment of infections and in preventing the spread of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms. This study is aimed at determining theantibiotic susceptibility of potentially pathogenic halophylic Vibrio species isolated in Lagos, Nigeria. Susceptibility patterns to ten (10) antibiotics were investigated in 44 potentially pathogenic halophilicVibrio species isolated from sea foods in Lagos. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests showed that all the isolates (100%) were resistant to amoxicillin, augmentin, chloramphenicol and nitroforantoin. They alsoshowed multiple resistance patterns to Gentamycin, Nitrofurantoin, Tetracycline, Augmentin, Chloramphenicol, Amoxycilin, Ofloxacin, Cotrimozazole, Ceftriazone, and Ciprofloxacin. Resistance toall ten antibiotics occurs in 8 (18%) of the isolates. Among individual sp., Vibrio harveyi was found to be most resistant to the antibiotics screened. Infection caused by Vibrio contaminating sea foods in thisenvinronment will be difficult to treat because of their high antibiotic resistant nature

An impact study of the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) in Nigeria

Background: The VSLA is an emerging movement of savings that promotes entrepreneurship development in rural communities; it has supported the growth of small and medium enterprise in rural communities as well as helped families at risk to enhance family well-being. There are however scare empirical studies on VSLAs in Nigeria, hence impact and learning is often not in the public domain.Method: In this article, we endeavored to clarify concept and present result from a qualitative study using Focus Group Discussion (FGD) for 48 families who participated in the SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria Family strengthening from 2010-2015.Result: Overall result suggest that VSLA is a programme intervention that is successful and sustainable.  Results revealed that 70% of the families in the programme attained self-reliance within the project life spanConclusion: The results are discussed in relation to entrepreneurship development and need for social workers to create awareness on VSLA in rural communities in Nigeri