Effect of season on growth, fruit yield and nutrient profile of two landraces of Trichosanthes cucumerina L.

Studies were conducted in the early season of 2002 and late season of 2003 at the Teaching and Research Farm, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria to determine the effects of season on growth, fruit yield and nutrient profile of two landraces (Variant I and II) of snake tomato (Trichosanthes cucumerina L.). Statistical analysis (P0.05) showed that the early season crop had significantly higher number of leaves, vine length, number of marketable fruits and fruit yield compared to the late season crop while the late season crop recorded significantly higher number of aborted flowers and cull fruits. Crop yield during the early season averaged 22.2 tons ha-1 while it was 13.3 tons ha-1 during the lateseason. The variants had no effect on fruit yield, number of marketable fruits, cull fruits and number of flowers aborted. The early season crop had significantly higher ascorbic acid composition (25.2 mg/100g) than the late season crop (18.0 mg/100 g) while the late season crop had significantly higher ether extract (0.94 g/100 g), crude fiber (3.40 g/100 g) and total sugars (0.95 g/100 g) compared to the early season crop which had 0.64, 1.60 and 0.50 g/100 g, of ether extract, crude fiber and total sugars,respectively. Variant I had significantly higher ether extract content (0.97 g/100 g) than Variant II (0.64g/100 g) while Variant II had significantly higher total sugar (0.98 g/100 g) compared to Variant I (0.60g/100 g). The anti-nutritional oxalate and crude protein compositions were neither affected by variant nor season nor their interaction

Status of conservation of the indigenous leaf vegetables and fruits of Africa

The diversity of indigenous leaf vegetables and fruits of Africa is being seriously eroded as a result of multiplicity of environmental, political and socio-economic factors. This paper discusses some new development-related and crises factors that have interacted in concert to amplify the spate of loss of the indigenous leaf vegetables and fruits genetic resources in Africa. The paper also suggests urgent steps that nations individually and Africa in general can take to arrest the wave of loss of plant genetic resources and therefore ensure the conservation of our remaining indigenous leaf vegetables and fruits heritage. Key Words: Conservation, indigenous vegetables and fruits, Africa, genetic erosion. African Journal of Biotechnology Vol.3(12) 2004: 700-70

Seed constraint to cultivation and productivity of African indigenous leaf vegetables

Non-availability of improved seeds constitutes a major constraint to the cultivation and productivity of the indigenous leaf vegetables (ILVs) of Africa. Research on African ILVs has focused mainly on the ethnobotany, collection, preservation, and the assessment of food value and chemical composition ofthe ILVs. No serious breeding and seed production research has been done on the ILVs. This paper examines some factors underlying the lack of interest in the production of ILVs seeds, the problem associated with local seed processing and the way to organize a seed production programme for theILVs

Uses and variation in some under-exploited leaf vegetables of Osun State, Nigeria

No Abstract.Nigerian Journal of Genetics Vol. 18 2003: pp. 81-8

Responses of leaf yield and chemical composition of Amaranthus cruentus L. and Celosia argentea L. to land use types and fertilizer regimes.

No Abstract.Nigerian Journal of Soil Sciences Vol. 16 (1) 2006: pp. 90-9