Comparative effects of Apron plus 50DS and soil amendment on the growth, yield and food components of soybean

Comparative effects of Apron plus 50DS (a systemic fungicide) and soil amendment (poultry droppings) on growth yield and food components of soybean (TGX 1485-1D) were studied. Soybean seeds treated withrecommended dose of Apron plus 50DS had lower percentage germination when compared to the other treatments while the untreated seeds (control) had the highest percentage germination. Seeds treated with Apron plus and planted on amended soil gave the best performance in terms of development and yield. Biochemical analysis of harvested seeds showed an increase in protein content of seeds treated with recommended dose of Apron plus, planted on amended soil. Seeds treated with less than the recommended dose had the highest percentage carbohydrate content, while untreated seeds planted on amended soil had the lowest carbohydrate content. The control experiment had the highest percentage crude fibre while the lowestwas recorded for seeds treated with recommended dose of Apron plus, planted on amended soil. However, there is no significant difference among the treatments in percentage ash and moisture content

Influence of agronomic practices on yield and profitability in kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) fibre cultivation

Field trials were conducted in 2003 and 2004 at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan (7o 38’ N 3o 84’ E), Nigeria to determine the influence of some agronomic practices on yield andprofitability in kenaf bast fibre production. Three kenaf varieties, Cuba 108, Ifeken 400 and Ibadan local, were subjected to three agronomic practices in a split-plot experiment. The agronomic practicesinclude the farmers’ practice where no input was used and two levels of improved management practices (IMP) where the influence of pests and soil nutrition were ameliorated. The results showed that total dry matter, fibre and core yields increased by 150 – 170%, incidence of nematode reduced by 50% and severity scores of insects attack on foliage reduced by 83% in the improved management practice (IMP). The three kenaf varieties differ significantly in their leaf biomass, reaction to nematode and foliage pests attack. In the control treatment, Ibadan local had more leaf biomass and was tolerantto pests attack while other varieties were susceptible. Economic analysis showed that net return was higher in the local cultivar than in the improved varieties under the farmers’ practice. However,economic returns and marginal rate of returns were higher under IMP’s than the control in Cuba 108 and Ifeken 100 varieties than the local cultivar

Evaluation of fallow and cover crops for nematode suppression in three agroecologies of south western Nigeria

A study was conducted in three agroecological zones of south-western Nigeria to evaluate the effect of siam weed (Chromolaena odorata) and mucuna (Mucuna utilis) cover/fallow crops on plant-parasitic nematode population. The natural bush regrowth was used as control. Plant-parasitic nematodes were identified and counted during the fallow periods. Eleven genera of nematodes were identified and three (Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, and Helicotylenchus) species were predominant across the trial locations.Other important genera present were Scutellonema, Tylenchorhynchus and Rotylenchus species. Nematode population densities of pre-crop were lowest in Alagba soil (Rhodic lixisols) at Ikenne in the wet forest zone of Nigeria. The populations in Iwo soil (Rhodic haplustalf) at Ibadan, a dry forest zonewas lower than in the Temidire soil (Plinthic luvisol) at Ilora in the derived savannah of south-western Nigeria. There was significant suppression of nematode population densities under the different crops as the fallow period increased. The population reduction in the different locations depended on the nematode species and the cover crops. The natural bush re-growth had the least effect on the nematode suppression at the end of the fallow period. On the average, siam weed fallow reduced nematode population densities by 67-79%, mucuna by 64-72% and the natural bush by 30-49% across the trial locations. For effective nematode suppression with fallow cropping, proper determination of the principal nematode species predominant in an environment is essential

Credit Information Sharing and Loan Default in Developing Countries: The Moderating Effect of Banking Market Concentration and National Governance Quality

Departing from the existing literature, which associates credit information sharing with improved access to credit in advanced economies, we examine whether credit information sharing can also reduce loan default rate for banks domiciled in developing countries. Using a large dataset covering 879 unique banks from 87 developing countries from every continent, over a nine-year period (i.e., over 6,300 observations), we uncover three new findings. First, we find that credit information sharing reduces loan default rate. Second, we show that the relationship between credit information sharing and loan default rate is conditional on banking market concentration. Third, our findings suggest that governance quality at the country level does not have a strong moderating role on the effect of credit information sharing on loan default rate

Financial and corporate social performance in the UK listed firms: the relevance of non-linearity and lag effects

Using environmental, social and governance scores compiled by Reuters Datastream for each company’s corporate social performance (CSP), we examine the relationship between CSP and corporate financial performance (CFP) of 314 UK listed companies over the period 2002–2015. We further evaluate the relationship between prior and subsequent CFP and prior and subsequent CSP. Based on the system-GMM estimation method, we provide direct evidence that suggests that while CFP and CSP can be linked linearly; however, when we examine the impact of CSP on CFP, the association is more non-linear (cubic) than linear. Our results suggest that firms periodically adjust their level of commitment to society, in order to meet their target CSP. The primary contributions of this paper are testing (1) the non-monotonous relationship between CSP and CFP, (2) the lagged relationship between the two and the optimality of CSP levels, and (3) the presence of a virtuous circle. Our results further suggest that CSP contributes to CFP better during post-crisis years. Our findings are robust to year-on-year changes in CFP and CSP, financial versus non-financial firms, and the intensity of corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement across industries

The effect of culture on Corporate Governance Practices in Nigeria

This study focuses on the effect of culture on the application of corporate governance practices in Nigeria. Corporate governance has been receiving serious attention in emerging markets over the past two decades. But relatively little attention has been given to the study on corporate governance in a country study. The current situations in Nigerian public and private sectors such as the corporate scandal resulting from Lever Brothers Nigeria plc, Siemens, Shell, Halliburton, and Cadbury Nigeria plc, have shown that the issue of fraud, corruption, and corporate scandals cannot be overlooked. Most top management, as this study argues, bring in beliefs acquired from their early childhood into their senior management roles and responsibilities. This study adopts a grounded theory and reports on the effect of culture on the implementation of corporate governance in Nigeria. Based on the interview with 32 staffs, this study identifies the effect of culture that shapes corporate governance and they include abuse of power by top management, weak legal framework, poor recruitment and ineffective control. Although having efficient corporate governance is worth pursuing, this depends on the power of top management, the strength of internal control procedures and the legal framework put in place by management

The major economic field diseases of cowpea in the humid agro-ecologies of South-western Nigeria

Cowpea, which has now become an important protein source for the teeming populace of Nigerians especially those living in the humid agro-ecological zones of South-western Nigeria, is severely attacked by diseases. The causal agents of these diseases find the environment more conducive forsurvival and hence induce disease conditions in the host plant causing significant yield reduction. This paper reviews the present situation of the cowpea diseases in the humid forest agro-ecologies of South-western Nigeria

Pattern of Malocclusion at the Orthodontic Unit, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos Nigeria

Objective The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of malocclusion among patients attending the orthodontic clinic, Dental department, of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. Method A retrospective study of one hundred and sixty nine patients who attended the orthodontic clinic, LASUTH from January 2007 to December 2008 was conducted. Information regarding age, sex, and type of malocclusion and index of orthodontic treatment need (The dental health component) was obtained from the patients’ record files. Results The patients’ ages ranged from 4 to 34 years with a mean age of 14.08 ± 5.80. There were 95 (55.9%) females and 74 (44.1%) males. The commonest type of malocclusion was Angle’s class 1 seen in 136 (80%), while Class 2 and Class 3 accounted for 26 (15.4%) and 7 (4.1%) respectively. Crowding was noted in 64 (38.1%) patients while 73 (42.3%) had spacing. Only 14 (8.2%) had associated oral habits such as thumb-sucking, lip sucking, tongue sucking and tongue thrusting. No crowding, spacing or associated oral habit was observed in 18 (11.4%)of the patients. Assessment of need for treatment ,using the dental health component of the index of orthodontic treatment (IOTN), showed 62 (36.7%) had mild need, 76 (45.0%) moderate need , 24 (14.2%) severe treatment need and 7 (4.1%) extreme need for treatment. The degree of need for treatment was not significantly related to patient’s age or gender (p-value>0.005). Conclusion The pattern of malocclusion seen among patients attending orthodontic clinic, LASUTH is comparable to the outcome of previous studies done in other centers in Nigeria. There also seems to be an increasing number of adult patients seeking orthodontic treatment. Majority of the patients require mild to moderate orthodontic intervention. Keywords: malocclusion, Angles classification, oral habits, index of orthodontic treatment nee

Silage quality, Performance Characteristics and Blood Parameters of West African Dwarf (WAD) Goats Fed Vetiver Grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L. Roberty) Ensiled With Cassava Peels

Four week old vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L. Roberty) (VG) was harvested and ensiled with cassava peels (CPL) at different ratios viz: (A) 80VG:20%CPL, (B)70VG:30%CPL, (C) 60VG:40CPL, (D) 50VG:50CPL, (E) 100VG:0CPL. The various mixtures of VG and CPL were ensiled for 42 days after which the silage characteristics were determined. The silage from the different mixing ratios of VG and CPL were fed for 105 days. Silages with cassava peels had acceptable colour of olive green, pleasant alcoholic odour, and pH range of 4.23-4.50. While 100%VG ensiled without CPL had undesirable characteristics such as pungent odour, brownish colour, mouldy growth and pH of 5.5.Treatments E (100% VG:0%CPL) was unfit for feeding due to its undesirable characteristics, therefore sixteen West African Dwarf (WAD) goats were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments in a completely randomised design. Weight gain, feed intake, digestibility and some blood parameters were determined. The feed intake (341.14 – 358.21g/DM) was not significant among the treatments while the weight gain (23.93 – 26.93g/d) and dry matter digestibility (63.91 – 66.81%) were significant across the treatments. Packed cell volume (31.0 – 33.0%), heamoglobin (10.3 – 12.7), total protein (8.40 – 9.04g/dl) and blood urea (12.08 – 12.32mg/dl) was significantly different among the treatments. It was concluded that feed intake, digestibility and body weight gain increased as level of cassava peels increased in the silage.Keywords: Vetiver grass, Cassava peels, silage properties, intake and digestibilit

Knowledge and awareness of orthodontics among Nigerian school children in selected private and public schools in Lagos

Objective: This study sought to assess the knowledge and awareness of Nigerian adolescents concerning orthodontics, to determine possible factors influencing their knowledge of orthodontics as well as to find out if socioeconomic status has any effect on their knowledge and awareness. Method: This cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire based study was conducted in two secondary schools (one private and one public) in Lagos State. Result: A total of 408 students, participated in the study of which only 98 (24.0%) had ever heard the term ‘orthodontics’, and of this number only 16 could correctly explain the meaning of the term orthodontics. Majority of the respondents with correct responses attended a private school. Significantly more of the private school students correctly identified that orthodontists are involved in rearranging the teeth (p=0.006) and not involved in cleaning the teeth (p=0.008). There was a significant difference in the knowledge of the students from the public and private school concerning the impact of malocclusion on speech (p=0.002) and appearance (p=0.000). The overall orthodontic knowledge is deficient. However knowledge was better among the children from the private school compared to those from the public school. The results obtained from this study, clearly show that there is need to provide oral health education especially to improve the orthodontic knowledge of these adolescents especially about malocclusion and its consequences. It is expected that this would improve their knowledge and consequently increase the demand for and the uptake of the available orthodontic services.Nig Dent J Vol 20 No. 1 Jan - June 201