Influence of Different Growth Media on Growth and Yield Performances of Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus Linn.)

Growth and yield performances of cucumber (Cucumis sativus Linn.) as influenced by different growth media were experimented at the field research site of the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. Loamy/top soil, mixture of top soil + pulverized poultry droppings, sandy soil, clayey soil and washed river sand (as control) were employed as growth media/treatments (A, B, C, D & E respectively) and their physicochemical analyses (pH, total nitrogen, organic carbon, available phosphorus, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, exchangeable acidity, ECEC, textural class) were carried out prior to the commencement of the study. The experiment was a completely randomized design consisting of 5 treatments and 5 replicates. Seedlings’ emergence percentage, morphological growth characters (tendril collar girth, number of leaves, leaf area, number of branches, tendril length) and yield indices (number of flowers, number of fruits, size of fruits and fruit fresh weight) were assessed. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS 20.0. 100% seedlings’ emergence was observed in all the treatments except B which had 50% only, ANOVA indicated significant differences (at P<0.01/P<0.05) among the treatments of which treatment B (mixture of top soil + pulverized poultry droppings) emerged as the best treatment that outstandingly and positively influenced the growth and yield of the cucumber plant and was recommended for its commercial cultivation/production. Keywords: Growth, yield, performance, cucumber, growth media

The Most Influential Morphological Growth Parameter Determining Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Yiled Under Agroforestry System (Alley Cropping)

Incontrovertibly, a reasonable number of morphological indices influence Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum Lin.) yield. More often than not, some of these parameters (e. g. plant height, collar girth, leaf count) contribute positively to potato yield while a very few number of them (e. g. stem count stand-1) negatively affect the yield in both rain-fed and irrigated cropping seasons under alley cropping. Thus, this experiment was conducted to know the most influential (external morphological) growth parameter that determines potato yield. The experiment was a completely randomized block design consisting of five treatments and three replicates for 5 cropping seasons within 3 years. Results from analysis of variance indicated significant differences among some morphological parameters on yield (at P<0.01). Correlation/ regression analyses indicated that collar girth had the highest positive correlation with yield (r = 0.954, R2 = 0.910, P < 0.01) in rain-fed cropping seasons while leaf count recorded the highest positive correlation with yield during the irrigated cropping seasons (r = 0.958, R2 = 0.913, P < 0.01) and in all the combined cropping seasons (from the simple correlation matrix, bi-variate /multiple Correlation/ regression analyses). Therefore, it was confirmed that leaf count was the most influential/main determinant of potato yield under alley cropping (an agroforestry system). Keywords: morphological parameters, alley cropping, determinant, potato yield

Interior Visual Intruders Detection Module Based on Multi-Connect Architecture MCA Associative Memory

ركزت معظم الدراسات الحديثة على استخدام التقنيات الذكية الحديثة مكانيًا ، مثل تلك التي تم تطويرها في وحدة اكتشاف الدخلاء (IDS). تم بناء هذه التقنيات اعتمادًا على وحدات حديثة قائمة على الذكاء الاصطناعي. هذه الوحدات تعمل مثل الدماغ البشري. وبالتالي ، كان ينبغي أن تكون لديهم القدرة على التعلم والتعرف على ما تعلموه. وجاءت أهمية تطوير مثل هذه الأنظمة بعد مطالب العملاء والمنشآت بالحفاظ على ممتلكاتهم وتجنب الإضرار بالمتطفلين. سيتم توفير ذلك من خلال وحدة ذكية تضمن الإنذار الصحيح. وبالتالي ، تم اقتراح وحدة كشف دخيل بصرية داخلية تعتمد على الذاكرة الترابطية متعددة التوصيلات (MCA). من خلال استخدام الذاكرة الترابطية MCA كإتجاه جديد ، تمر الوحدة المقترحة بمرحلتين: الأولى هي مرحلة التدريب (التي يتم تنفيذها مرة واحدة أثناء عملية تثبيت الوحدة) والثانية هي مرحلة التحليل. سيتم تطوير كلتا المرحلتين من خلال استخدام MCA ، كل حسب عمليتها. ستتم مرحلة التدريب خلال مرحلة التعلم في MCA ، بينما ستتم مرحلة التحليل من خلال مرحلة التقارب في MCA. يزيد استخدام MCA من كفاءة عملية التدريب للنظام المقترح باستخدام حد أدنى من صور التدريب لا يتجاوز 10 صور تدريبية من إجمالي عدد الإطارات بتنسيق JPG. تم تقييم الوحدة المقترحة باستخدام 11825 صورة تم استخلاصها من 11 مقطع فيديو تم اختباره. نتيجة لذلك ، يمكن للوحدة الكشف عن الدخيل بنسبة دقة تتراوح من 97٪ إلى 100٪. كان متوسط ​​وقت عملية التدريب لمقاطع الفيديو التدريبية في حدود 10.2 ثانية إلى 23.2 ثانية.Most recent studies have focused on using modern intelligent techniques spatially, such as those developed in the Intruder Detection Module (IDS). Such techniques have been built based on modern artificial intelligence-based modules. Those modules act like a human brain. Thus, they should have had the ability to learn and recognize what they had learned. The importance of developing such systems came after the requests of customers and establishments to preserve their properties and avoid intruders’ damage. This would be provided by an intelligent module that ensures the correct alarm. Thus, an interior visual intruder detection module depending on Multi-Connect Architecture Associative Memory (MCA) has been proposed. Via using the MCA associative memory as a new trend, the proposed module goes through two phases: the first is the training phase (which is executed once during the module installation process) and the second is the analysis phase. Both phases will be developed through the use of MCA, each according to its process. The training phase will take place through the learning phase of MCA, while the analysis phase will take place through the convergence phase of MCA. The use of MCA increases the efficiency of the training process for the proposed system by using a minimum number of training images that do not exceed 10 training images of the total number of frames in JPG format. The proposed module has been evaluated using 11,825 images that have been extracted from 11 tested videos. As a result, the module can detect the intruder with an accuracy ratio in the range of 97%–100%. The average training process time for the training videos was in the range of 10.2 s to 23.2 s

Use of Instructional Methods and Materials in Teaching Fine and Applied Arts in Colleges of Education in South-West, Nigeria

This study determines the use of instructional methods and materials in teaching Fine and Applied Arts in colleges of education in South-West, Nigeria. The research design adopted for the study was descriptive research using survey methods. Therefore, all 141 Fine and Applied Arts lecturers in government owned were purposively selected for the study. The instrument for data collection was research designed questionnaire titled use of instructional methods and materials in teaching Fine and Applied Arts in colleges of education in South-West, Nigeria. The questionnaire was validated by three curriculum experts and three Fine and Applied Arts lecturers for face and content validity. Test re-test method was used for reliability study while the instrument was subjected to analysis using Cronbach alpha statistic. The value yielded 0.82, 0.77, 0.81, 0.71 and 0.67 respectively. Research questions 1, 3 and 5 were answered using mean rating while research questions 2 and 4 were answered using frequency count and percentage. The results indicated that project method, lecture method and discovery method were mostly used by the lecturers. Lecturer integrated Fine and Applied Arts students into the practical activities and used the equipment and materials regularly. The lecturers usually covered minimum standards. The major problem encountered by Fine and Applied Arts lecturers was inadequate time for practical work. Based on the finding of this study, it was recommended among others that the Fine and Applied Arts lecturers should be encouraged to attend seminars, workshops and conferences to update themselves in their teaching skills

Enhancement of phosphorus uptake, growth and yield of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) with phosphorus fertilizers

This research was carried out to determine the best phosphorus fertilizer for improvement of sweet potato phosphorus uptake, growth and yield. The phosphorus fertilizer sources used were organic (Pacesetter), single super phosphate and crystallizer while the sweet potato variety used was Shaba. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Sweet potato plants from plots treated with crystallizer fertilizer at the rate of 500kg/ha had the highest phosphorus uptake and vegetative growth while control plots produced plants with highest tuberous yield. It is, therefore, recommended that crystallizer applied at the rate of 500kg/ha be used for significant phosphorous uptake which equally leads to better quality sweet potato tuber and appreciable vegetative growth. It is also recommended that the soil phosphorus be maintained at low level around 6.80mg/kg for achievement of high tuberous yield in sweet potato.Keywords: Vegetative growth, yield, phosphorous uptake, phosphorous fertilizer

Growth and Fruit Yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under Different Levels of Phosphorus Fertilization

Having substantial and working knowledge on phosphorus fertilization is a pre-requisite to profitable tomato production. Thus, the present research was conducted to determine the optimum phosphorus (P) fertilizer rate for better fruit yield of tomato in Ilorin, a location in the Southern Guinea savannah zone of Nigeria. Five levels of phosphorus (0, 30, 60, 90 and120kgP/ha) were tested on UC82B tomato variety. The experiment waslaid out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Data were collected on plant height, number of leaves, leaf area and number of branches at different growth stages while data on fruit yield as well as its components were collected at harvest. Results showed that application of 30kgP/ha produced plants with the highest leaf area. The control and 30kgP/ha produced the highest number of leaves. Application of 90kgP/ha and 120kgP/ha resulted in production of highest number of fruits while application of 90kgP/ha alone resulted in production of the tallest plants, highest number of branches and highest fruit yield. The yield was 66% better than the control. It was, therefore, concluded that 90kgP/ha should be used for optimum tomato fruit production in the agro-ecological zone of the research and places with the same climatic and edaphic conditions. Keywords: Phosphorus fertilization, tomato, growth improvement and fruit yiel

Influence of organic, inorganic and organo-mineral fertilizers on yield and quality of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield and quality of sweet potato under the influence inorganic fertilizer (NPK 15:15:15) at the recommended rate of 130kg/ha, organic fertilizer (Pace Setter) at the recommended rate of 3t/ha and organo-mineral fertilizer (combination of NPK 15:15:15 and Pacesetter organic fertilizer) at the rate of 1.5 t/ha. The fresh and dry weights of the samples were taken after which their proximate analyses were done to determine the levels of the quality determinants (moisture content, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre, Vitamin A and ash content) in them. At the end of the experiment, harvesting was done to determine the yield per treatments as well as the quality parameters of the leaves and tubers. It was found that organic fertilizer could increase the quantity of ether extract, crude fibre and vitamin A contents of sweet potato tubers above other fertilizer treatments though organic fertilizer competed with the control in increasing the ash and crude protein contents of sweet potato tubers. However, inorganic fertilizer increased only energy content of the tubers above organic and organo-mineral fertilizer treatments. It is, therefore, concluded that organic fertilizer should be used to increase sweet potato tuber quantity and quality.Keywords: Sweet potato, growth, yield, quality and fertilizer treatment

The reaction of Amaranthus hybridus to infection by Amaranthus mosaic virus

This study investigated the effect of inoculating three Amaranthus hybridus cultivars: NHAM/114, NH84/457-IL and LOCAL GREEN cultivar with Amaranthus mosaic virus (AMV) consecutively for four weeks. Results indicated significant differences between the control and virus inoculated plants. Severity of infection by the virus was more pronounced in plants inoculated at early ages while the effect was very mild on plants inoculated at later stage of growth. Reduced weight values were recorded in plants with early infection compared to plants inoculated at later stages of growth. Mean values of 0.190, 0.250 and 0.218 g were obtained for fresh weights of leaves of NHAM/114, NH84/457-IL and LOCAL GREEN respectively at 2 weeks after planting (WAP) while plants that were inoculated at 5 WAP had average values of 0.516, 0.392 and 0.397 g fresh weights of leaves for the three cultivars respectively. The percentage decrease in fresh weight of stem of the LOCAL GREEN cultivar was above average (56%) and higher than those of NHAM/114 and NH84/457- IL. NHAM/114 produced the least dry weights in stem while the highest dry weights were recorded for NH84/457-IL at all the stages of inoculations. These results indicated that infection at an early age resulted in greater reduction of the parameters assessed

Dihydrogen Adduct (Co-H₂) Complexes Displaying H-atom and Hydride Transfer

The prototypical reactivity profiles of transition metal dihydrogen complexes (M‐H₂) are well‐characterized with respect to oxidative addition (to afford dihydrides, M(H)₂) and as acids, heterolytically delivering H⁺ to a base and H⁻ to the metal. In the course of this study we explored plausible alternative pathways for H₂ activation, namely direct activation through H‐atom or hydride transfer from the σ‐H₂ adducts. To this end, we describe herein the reactivity of an isostructural pair of a neutral S = ½ and an anionic S = 0 Co‐H₂ adduct, both supported by a trisphosphine borane ligand (P₃^B). The thermally stable metalloradical, (P₃^B)Co(H₂), serves as a competent precursor for hydrogen atom transfer to ᵗBu₃ArO·. What is more, its anionic derivative, the dihydrogen complex [(P₃^B)Co(H₂)]¹⁻, is a competent precursor for hydride transfer to BEt₃, establishing its remarkable hydricity. The latter finding is essentially without precedent among the vast number of M‐H₂ complexes known

Dihydrogen Adduct (Co-H₂) Complexes Displaying H-atom and Hydride Transfer

The prototypical reactivity profiles of transition metal dihydrogen complexes (M‐H₂) are well‐characterized with respect to oxidative addition (to afford dihydrides, M(H)₂) and as acids, heterolytically delivering H⁺ to a base and H⁻ to the metal. In the course of this study we explored plausible alternative pathways for H₂ activation, namely direct activation through H‐atom or hydride transfer from the σ‐H₂ adducts. To this end, we describe herein the reactivity of an isostructural pair of a neutral S = ½ and an anionic S = 0 Co‐H₂ adduct, both supported by a trisphosphine borane ligand (P₃^B). The thermally stable metalloradical, (P₃^B)Co(H₂), serves as a competent precursor for hydrogen atom transfer to ᵗBu₃ArO·. What is more, its anionic derivative, the dihydrogen complex [(P₃^B)Co(H₂)]¹⁻, is a competent precursor for hydride transfer to BEt₃, establishing its remarkable hydricity. The latter finding is essentially without precedent among the vast number of M‐H₂ complexes known