Radio-Sensitivity of Some Selected Landraces of Pulses to Gamma Irradiation: Indices for Use as Improvement and Preservation Techniques

Aim: Effects of gamma irradiation on amino acid profile, proximate and anti-nutritional compositions of selected landraces of pulses were investigated. Methods: Seeds of Brown “Fiofio”, White “Fiofio” (Cajanus cajan) and “Olaudi” (Vigna unguiculata) were exposed to gamma irradiation. Each variety was divided into five groups of fifty grams weight and was exposed to 200, 400, 600, 800Gray (Gy) doses of gamma irradiation from Cobalt60 source while the fifth group served as control. Results: Our results revealed that the proximate, anti-nutritive factors and amino acid profile were significantly (P0.05) affected, there was delayed germination and survival percentage became zero percent on exposure to 400Gy and above. “Olaudi” variety was less affected by the gamma rays exposure going by the result of the days to seedling emergence and percentage survival, making pigeon pea species more sensitive to the irradiation. Conclusion: Taking the results together, it does importantly suggest, however, that lower doses of gamma irradiation might be preferred for achieving the dual purpose of improvement and preservation but high enough to reduce the anti-nutritional factors

Baboons as potential reservoirs of zoonotic gastrointestinal parasite infections at Yankari National Park, Nigeria

Background: Zoonoses pose a risk to public health. Objective: To carry out the investigation of the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites of baboons, Papio anubis , frequenting the Wikki base Camp in Yankari National Park, Nigeria Method: Formol-ether concentration technique was used to isolate parasite eggs and cysts from faecal samples. Results: Parasites recovered were Ascaris lumbricoides , Ancylostoma duodenale , Strongyloides stercoralis , Fasciola sp, Schistosoma mansoni , Hymenolepis nana , and Trichostrongylus sp, and cysts of protozoan parasites Entomoeba histolytica , E. coli , and Iodamoeba butschii . Conclusion: Most of the parasites identified are known to have high pathologic involvement in humans, implicating the baboons as potential source and reservoirs for human zoonotic parasitic infections although further molecular work would be necessary to ascertain if these gastrointestinal parasites are the same strains that infect human