EFFECT OF ORGANO- BASED FOLIAR FERTILIZER ON CHLOROPHYLL AND NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF OKRA VARIETIES IN DERIVED SAVANAH OF NIGERIA

Cultivation of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) which is a commonly grown vegetable crop in the tropics is constrained by depleting soil fertility. Use of foliar fertilizer as a supplement has been successfully reported in the temperate region hence there is need to determine the effect of foliar liquid fertilizer on okra growth and nutritional quality. Field experiments were conducted at the Abeokuta (Federal University of Agriculture [FUNAAB] ) and Ibadan (National Horticulture Research Institute [NIHORT] ), between May and August 2015 to evaluate the response of two okra varieties to types and rates of organic-based foliar fertilizer application. Experiment was a 2 × 2 × 5 factorial combinations laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicates at both locations. Factors were okra variety (LD88 and NHae47-4), the fertilizer types (D.I. Grow Green ® and D.I.Grow Red®) and four rate of foliar applications (0 [control], 300, 600 and 900 ml/ha) while NPK 15:15:15 served as check. The results showed that the D.I.Grow Red® at 300ml/ha produced the higher Ash (8.23%), fat (2.54%,), moisture (14.65%),  and carbohydrate (47.31%)  at Abeokuta while 600 ml/ha produced significantly the higher ash, crude fibre, moisture and carbohydrate (9.37%, 15.94%, 9.13%, and 52.02%), respectively in Ibadan. The study concluded that okra variety LD88 had superior growth performance. Application of D.I.Grow Red® at the rate of 300 ml/ha at Abeokuta and 600 ml/ha at Ibadan enhance fruit nutritional quality of okra. Therefore, 300 and 600 ml/ha is recommended to farmers in Abeokuta and Ibadan, respectively.   &nbsp

SIAM WEED (Chromolaena odorata) AND COWDUNG COMPOST EFFECTS ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, YIELD and MINERAL NUTRITION OF TOMATOES(Lycopersicon esculentum L)

Greenhouse trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of  siam weed (chromolaena odorata) and cowdung compost on  physicochemical properties, yield and mineral nutrition of tomatoes(lycopersicon esculentum l). The nutritional value of tomato makes it one of the crop that is a daily household consumption by every family.Compost was prepared in this study from Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata) and cowdung. Three compost samples were prepared from Cowdung and siam weed at ratio 100g: 100g (sample A),  200g chopped siam weed (sample B) and 200g cowdung (sample C). These three samples were composted in plastic drums perforated for aeration and each sample was replicated three times. The content in the drums were regularly turned and monitored at 1, 10, 30 and 60 days for physicochemical properties. The physicochemical and mineral element analyses of the compost were carried out using standard procedures.The pH of the composted samples ranged between 5.8 to 6.9. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents increased with days of composting while those of heavy metals decreased. The result of plant height for the two varieties ranges  between 5.31-119.8, number of  fruits is between 11-21 and the yield (kg) parameter ranges between 0.76-1.91. Treatment. A gave higher mineral element over other treatment applied. The order of mineral elements contributed to the fruits were as follows treatments A>C>B>D   &nbsp

COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL AND DEGRADED SAWDUST ON GROWTH AND YIELD CHARACTER OF PEPPER (CAPSICUM SPP)

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of Arbuscular mycorrhiza  and degraded sawdust on growth and yield characters of bell pepper (Capsicum annum L.)  The experiment was 2x4 factorial arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD)) with four replicates. The eight treatments were combinations of two early maturing varieties of bell peppers (PEP and Gombe) and soil amendments (degraded sawdust, Glomus etunicatum and steam sterilized homogenous soil as control (C). The two varieties of bell pepper differed significantly in growth and fruit parameters. Variety Gombe had higher plant  height (22.2cm) and produced more fruits of bell pepper (1.7) than variety PEP inspite of its larger leaf area (23.1cm2) by the latter. The results also showed that soil amendment with degraded sawdust alone and combination with Glomus etunicatum improved the growth parameters such as plant height, stem girth, leaf area as well as numbers of flowers and fruits of bell pepper. The interaction of pepper and soil amendments was significant on all the growth and yield parameters with varieties exhibiting differential reactions to the soil amendment treatments. Soil amendments with degraded sawdust and combination of degraded sawdust with Arbuscular mycorrhiza  had positive effects on the growth and yield characters of both varieties of pepper used (PEP and Gombe).   &nbsp

A meditation on boredom: Re-appraising its value through introspective phenomenology

Boredom is almost universally regarded as a dysphoric mental state, characterised by features such as disengagement and low arousal. However, in certain quarters (e.g., Zen Buddhism), boredom is seen as potentially having great value and even importance. The current study sought to explore boredom through a case study involving introspective phenomenology. The author created conditions in which he would experience boredom for an hour, and recorded his experience in real-time using a variant of the Experiencing Sampling Method. The data were analysed using an adaptation of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The results indicated that the state of boredom contained three main sources of value: (a) altered perception of time; (b) awakened curiosity about the environment; and (c) exploration of self. Consequently, the paper offers a re-appraisal of boredom, suggesting that rather than necessarily being a negative state, if engaged with, boredom has the potential to be a positive and rewarding experience

A profile of leukaemias in adults managed at the University Of Calabar Teaching Hospital in Nigeria

Background: Types and proportions of leukaemias in adults tend to vary from one institution to another. These are due to a variety of factors that may be examined after establishing and describing the status of leukaemias in a particular setting. The results inform planning for management and impacts on outcomes of intervention. Objective: To determine the types and trend of adult leukaemia managed at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Design: This was a cross sectional retrospective study of the adult leukaemias seen at the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar (UCTH). Setting: The Haematology Department of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) Nigeria. Population: All adults managed for haematological malignancies at the UCTH during the study period of ten-year from August 2009 to December 2018. Materials and Methods: Data were retrieved from the archives in the hospital including cancer registry, and departmental records. Information that met the study entry criteria was collected using a proforma questionnaire. The following were required for each case: dates of presentation, diagnosis, age, gender, and type of leukaemia. Data was also being further reviewed by the haematologist who had to corroborate with medical records and patients' case-notes. The data were then pooled, screened, collated and entered in a Microsoft Excel 2016 spreadsheet and analysed with IBM SPSS Version 22. Chi-square test was used to determine relationships between the variables. The results were presented using descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages), and graphical charts. Results: A total of 138 haematological malignancies was seen over a period of ten years. Of which 70 were adult leukaemia, constituting the 50.72% of the total haematological malignancies. Male to female ratio was 1:1. Overall age characteristics; age ranges from 19 to 82 years, mode was 54 years, and median age was 53 years. Male age characteristics range 19 to 78, mean 48.72 ± 12.75, Female age characteristics range 26 to 82, mean 54.25± 10.50. Trend results for each type of leukaemia, in males, in females. The CLL was the most prevalent leukaemia variant with 26.09%, followed by CML 19.57%. The ALL and AML had a prevalence of 2.90% and 2.17% respectively. However, when leukaemia was categorised into types; females revealed CLL and CML 52.78 % and 59.26% of the leukaemias respectively. A peak was observed between 2014 and 2017. The mean age of the patients with leukaemia over the study period was 49.49 ± 16.95 (standard deviation) years. Gender distribution of all types, 4 males had ALL with no female, 17 males and 19 females had CLL, 3 males had AML with no female, 11 males and 16 females had CML. Conclusion: this study showed that leukaemias in adults in University of Calabar Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River State have variable patterns of age and sex. Type of leukaemia also showed similar variations. This study recommends further studies to understand causes of the variations in the profile of leukaemias