Response of Pratylenchus spp Infected Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) to Organic Compounds from Mangifera indica

The need to reduce the negative impact of synthetic nematicides on the environment necessitated the search for bio-pesticides. This study was conducted to evaluate the nematicidal potential of chromatographic fractions from Mangifera indica on tomato in the screenhouse and field. M. indica bark was extracted with ethanol (EtOH) and dichloromethane (DCM). The crude extracts were chromatographed and fractionated on silica-gel (100-120mesh) column.  Fractions were tested at 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8mg in the screenhouse and 12, 18 and 24mg on the field. Vegetative growth was significantly (p<0.05) higher in plants treated with the highest concentration of fractions. There was a significant increase in number of fruits per plant and fruit weight per plant. Nematode population in soil and root also reduced significantly. The fractions were partially characterised and were found to contain fatty acid esters, hydrocarbons, terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, acids, esters, aldehydes and ketones. Observed reduction in nematode population is a clear indication that M. indica bark extract is an effective agent against nematode infestation.Key Words: Lycopersicon esculentum; Mangifera indica; Pratylenchus spp; ethanol; dichloromethan

Nematicidal and quantitative phytochemical analysis of the chromatographic fractions from the leaf and stem of Allamanda cathartica (L)

The environmental pollution of synthetic nematicides is enormous, due to their residual effects and nondegradability. This study was conducted to investigate the possibility of a green alternative that will eventually replace the pollution problems of synthetic nematicides. The activity of plant  secondary metabolites against plant parasitic nematodes was tested in-vitro using chromatographic isolates from the stem and leaves of  Allamanda cathartica. Isolates from the extracted plant materials were tested at various concentrations (0 mg/mL, 0.06 mg/mL, 0.1 mg/mL and 0.2mg/mL) against Meloidogyne incognita juveniles and eggs. The effect was determined through testing the inhibition of egg hatch and larval mortality. The result showed that egg hatching was totally inhibited among all the isolates at different concentrations except in the control which had 48.39% on day 5. The isolates showed strong nematicidal effect, with percentage mortality of 16.87% at the first hour of exposure which  compared well with the commercial nematicide (oxamyl). However the leaves of A. cathartica proved more effective than the stem. Preliminaryphytochemical screening revealed that the quantities of secondary  metabolites are more in the leaves of A. carthatica than in the stems. Infra-red spectroscopic data of three of the isolates revealed the presence of alkanes (2930; 2923 and 1460 cm-1) aldehydes (2855; 2851 and 1733cm-1) and phenols at (3650; 1115cm-1). Aliphatic amines (3200; 1460 and 1600 cm-1) and non-cyclic ethers (1310; 1300; 1240  and 1000cm-1) are present in isolate four. This study showed that the leaves of A. cathartica could serve as a bio-pesticide to reduce environmental  pollutionKey words: Extraction, n-hexane, Isolation, Oxamyl, Nematodes, Chromatography

Effect of Climate Change on the Health of Rural Farmers in Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria

The study examined the effect of climate change on the health of rural farmers in Offa, Kwara State. Nigeria. For the purpose of achieving the objectives of the study Ninety-eight (98) respondents were randomly sampled from ten wards. Data were collected through interview scheduled couple with a well structured questionnaire. The data were analysed through the use of frequency count, simple percentages and Pearson product moment correlation (PPMC). The result of the study indicated that the mean age is 45.5%. 68.4% are male. 53.1% were married. 72.4% were literate with only 14.3% non-literate. The study further revealed a significant relationship between socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and their present health status (r=0.344, p=0.001 α=0.05) The study also revealed a significant relationship between socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and their perceived effect of climate change on their health status (r=0.381,p=0.001,α=0.05). More so the major source of information of the respondents on climate change were through radio/television (mean=61.3) while only few (mean=36.3) heard from research institute, majority of the respondents health status were  good (49.0%) they usually have deviation from normal health status as consequence of climate change. The common ailment they experienced is malaria (31.6%) while only few had headache and cholera (3.1%). It was concluded that their major source of information on climate change was through radio. More so it was deduced from the study that malaria is the most common and severe disease affecting the respondents with tuberculosis which is less severe. It was recommended that government should educate farmers through the mass media such as use of radio, newspaper and television on the need to plant trees to combat the effect of the ozone layers depletion which is also associated to climate change.Key words: Climate and Climate change, Ozone layers, Malaria, Health  status, Headache

In vitro toxicity of extracts from Hyptis suaveolens (L.) poit on eggs and second-stage juveniles of Heterodera sacchari

The replacement of synthetic nematicides with comparatively more bio-degradable, bio-active plant  extracts is desirable. Studies on the nematicidal potential of different extracts of Hyptis suaveolens on the eggs and second stage juveniles of sugarcane nematode, Heterodera sacchari was conducted. Leaves of H. suaveolens were hydro distilled to extract the essential oil. A second set of the leaves were  extracted separately in dichloromethane (DCM) and in water. Essential oil (EO) obtained was analyzed using Gas chromatography mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). The essential oil was tested in-vitro along with other extracts on the eggs and second stage juveniles of H. sacchari. The fractions were significantly (p<0.05) effective in inducing mortality. Bioactivity was highest at a concentration of 20mg/mL, which was significantly (p<0.05) different from all other concentrations. The essential oil (EO) compared well with the standard carbofuran (CBFN) at 65.58% and 66.06% mortality respectively, while the dichloromethane and aqueous extracts were not as effective. Mortality increased with increase in exposure time. There was total egg hatch inhibition with the essential oil and carbofuran, all the levels of concentration also inhibited egg hatch. The constituent of H. suaveolens as revealed by GC/MS include sabinene (29.5%), betacaryophyllene (11.8%), terpinolene (9.8%) and 1, 8-cineole (7.3%). The extracts of the leaves of H. suaveolens are nematicidal and holds promise as a natural bio-degradable alternative crop protectant against Heterodera sacchariKey words: Heterodera sacchari, dichloromethane, essential oil,Hyptis suaveolen

Prevalence and Correlates of Dementia and Depression in Geriatric Patients Admitted into Non-psychiatric wards of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin

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