IMPROVEMENT OF TOMATO SEED LONGEVITY USING SOME DRY SEED PRE-STORAGE TREATMENTS

Pre-storage treatment to retard seed deterioration could either involve application of synthetic chemicals or plant/organic products. This study was conducted to determine the efficacy of some organic dry seed treatments and inorganic chemical treatments on the viability of stored seeds of four tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) varieties. The study was a factorial experiment fixed in completely randomized design. It comprised of four tomato varieties (Roma, UC-82, 2-lobes and 3-lobes) and five dry seed treatment materials (neem leaves, scent leaves, red chili, bleaching and Apron plus powders) in three replicates. Seeds stored without any treatment were used as the control. The tomato seeds were stored for 240 days under ambient condition (average temperature 30ºC and 75% relative humidity). Half-life of the stored seeds ranged from 286 to 2105 days. Generally, organic treatment doubled the longevity when compared to the control treatment. Performance of seed treatments depended on tomato seed variety. Use of neem leaf and scent leaf powders had greater potentials to replace the commercial inorganic seed treatment materials for tomato seed preservation under the same environmental conditions.   &nbsp

Experimental Optimization of Lead (II) Bioadsorption from Aqueous Solution onto Banana Stalk using Central Composite Design

This study investigated the effect of operating parameters on the bioadsorption process of Pb(II) from its aqueous solution using three Banana Stalk (BS) bioadsorbents [Raw (RBS), Acid Activated (AABS) and Base Activated (BABS) ]. A five-factor, three-level Central Composite Design (CCD) was applied to determine the effects of independent variables (initial metal concentration, contact time, temperature, adsorbent dosage and solution pH) on percentage Pb(II) removal. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to optimize the parameters in the experiment. AABS had the highest percentage removal (96.13%) from the preliminary experiment and was then used for the optimisation experiment. Data analysis showed that all the variables significantly affected the percentage Pb(II) removal at p < 0.05. The square of the adjusted coefficient of determination for regression model of percentage Pb(II) removal is 0.9355. Optimum percentage removal of 96.41% was obtained using AABS when the Pb(II) concentration, contact time, temperature, dosage and solution pH were 21.83g/mL, 152.21minutes, 50oC, 0.90g and 8.00,  respectively. There absolute error between the experimental and the predicted optimum percentage removal was less than 1%. Keywords: Banana stalk, optimization, bioadsorption, acid, base

INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEED VIGOUR TRAITS AND FIELD PERFORMANCE IN NEW RICE FOR AFRICA (NERICA) GENOTYPES (Oryza sativa L.)

The study was conducted to examine the relationships between seed vigour traits and field performancein 24 interspecific rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes specifically for Africa. Seeds of these genotypeswere evaluated in the late cropping season of 2003 and early cropping season of year 2004 inthe laboratory for seed vigour traits. Field performances were evaluated at the Teaching and ResearchFarm, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria for field performance traits. Data were collectedfrom the laboratory studies on six seed vigour traits while seven performance traits were assessed onthe field. The data were subjected to Pearson’s correlation to compute correlation coefficient (r) andstep-wise multiple regression analysis to determine percentage contribution of each trait to field emergence.The results of correlation analyses in the 2003, 2004 and across the two seasons revealed thatstandard germination, energy of germination, seedling vigour index-11, seedling vigour index-1 andspeed of germination index exhibited significant positive relationships with field emergence, seedlingestablishment, plant height, seedling dry weight and seed yield/plant. 100- seed weight significantcorrelation with plant height. From these results, all the laboratory seed vigour traits examined except100 seed weight were identified to be good predictors of field performance in NERICA rice. Regressionanalysis ranked speed of germination index as the major contributor to field emergence, accountingfor 58% of the total variation. Also, seedling establishment, standard germination and field emergencewere identified as the major contributors to seed yield/plant, accounting for 79, 77 and 66% ofthe total variation in seed yield/plant. Hence, prediction of field emergence and seed yield of NERICArice genotypes from seed vigour traits in the laboratory is possible and was effective

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ANALYSIS OF NIGERIAN ROAD TRANSPORTATION SECTOR: EFFECTS OF INFLUENCED FUEL DEMAND PATTERNS

Petrol and diesel utilisations in the Nigerian road transportation sector have been assessed, using exergy efficiency and improvement potential as parameters. The mean petrol engine exergy efficiency was 13.05%, while that of diesel engines was 10.79%. The average improvement potential of petrol engines was 2.07×1011 MJ, which was 75.6% of average input exergy. Diesel engines had an average improvement potential of 5.15×1010 MJ, which was 69.2% of average input exergy. Practical constancy of the exergy efficiencies of the engines left input exergy values as the sole determining factors of improvement potentials of the systems. Petrol fuel was found to be utilised, away from sustainable path, more than diesel fuel. This observation was found attributable to subsidisation of petrol downstream sector and simultaneous deregulation of the diesel downstream sector as well as the preponderance of petrol engines in the road transportation sector. In conclusion, it was recommended that a mechanism be put in place to check the unsustainable petrol fuel utilisation in the transport sector

The design and evaluation of ciprofloxacin-loaded nanoformulations using Ipomoea batatas starch nanoparticles

Starch nanoparticle derivatives are gaining popularity as drug delivery vehicles because of their biocompatibility, better mechanical characteristics, heat stability properties, impediment qualities, permeability capabilities, and flexibility to be changed for specific predetermined functions. The effect of techniques and processing time on the physiochemical and drug release characteristics of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) starch nanoparticles and their ciprofloxacin-loaded nanoformulations was studied. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the treated starch formed nanoparticles and also revealed significant changes in the morphology of the treated starches. The water absorption capacity of chemically treated starch nanoparticles (CTSN)-3 days was the highest, whereas CTSN-6 days had the maximum solubility. The functional groups present in the starch nanoparticles were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman. The thermal characteristics of starch nanoparticles were established using hot-stage microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis

Comparison of HIV Screening Methods of Donor Blood Using Rapid Fourth Generation Elisa Assay in Kaduna, Nigeria

Abstract: The risks of transmitting HIV infection in blood transfusio

Susceptibility of standard microbial strains to magnetite nanoparticles conjugated with antibiotic

New trend of nanomedicine relates to use of iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) in microbiology and anti-infective therapy. Due to superparamagnetic properties, these NPs are used as nanosources of heat for hyperthermia in the infected tissues

Antifungal activity of ampicillin-chitosan-magnetite nanoparticles

It is known that broad spectrum antibiotics can cause dysbiosis and candidiasis as side effects. The question is how to preserve the antibacterial properties of these agents and at the same time to prevent the development of fungal infections. Most often, this is achieved by combining with antifungal agents, but there are other possibilities, including those related to iron oxide (II, III), or magnetite, nanoparticles (NPs)