ABSTRACT Mushrooms such as Pleurotus, Vovariella and Auricularia species are cultivated for food and medicinal purposes in the world. However, cultivation of Auricularia in Nigeria is limited due to inadequate information on its characteristics, nutritional contents and cultivation requirements. Hence, this study was designed to characterise Auricularia species in Southwestern Nigeria and determine suitable substrates for their cultivation. Fifty-four samples of Auricularia species were rando...
ABSTRACT The quest to boost dietary protein production from readily available and affordable sources is ever increasing in developing countries. The indigenous edible Pleurotus species (oyster mushrooms), which grow naturally on wood wastes, are potential protein supplements. However, little information is available on the usage of selected tropical trees for optimum mushroom cultivation. Therefore, this research was designed to investigate the growth and yield of oyster mushrooms on sawdust ...
ABSTRACT Macrophytes such as Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes are known bioaccumulators found in the Ologe Lagoon which receives effluents mainly from Agbara Industrial Estate. However, the mechanism of heavy metal bioaccumulation by these macrophytes has not been fully understood. This study was designed to determine the mechanism of heavy metal bioaccumulation and model the phytoremediation capabilities of the macrophytes. Five sampling stations: Owo (before the point of discharge...
ABSTRACT The involvement of Listeria monocytogenes in bacterial meningitis and spontaneous abortion in some towns in northern Nigeria was investigated. Three hundred cerebrospinalfluid (CSF) samples, 300 blood and 300 placenta swab samples were collected from meningitis and spontaneous abortion patients in the study area of Bauchi, Jos and Kano. Three hundred nono (a fermented milk product) samples were also collected from milk hawkers at various locations in the study areas. The samples were...
ABSTRACT The diversity and distribution of aquatic macrophytes particularly the invasives were studied in southern Ghana. The study area covered six regions in Ghana and these were: Greater Accra, Central, Ashanti, Eastern, Volta and Western. Forty-four sampling sites were visited and voucher specimens were collected and deposited in the Ghana Herbarium. Sixty-two aquatic macrophytes were encountered during the study which belonged to 48 genera and 30 families. Also, the invasive and non-in...
ABSTRACT The natural Radial and axial variations in the resistance of the wood of Termihalia ivorensis A* Chev, against damage by subterranean termites were investigated for two trees from the same locality- The damage was studied in relation to specific gravity, the modulus of elasticity, the cross-sectional area of vessels in the wood,, and the water soluble extractives. The correlation between termite damage and these physical, mechanical and anatomical properties have been reported. It wa...
ABSTRACT Studies were carried out on the distribution, characterization, pathogenicity and antibiotic susceptibility of Listeria monocytogenes in Six Local Government Areas of Plateau State, Nigeria. A total of One hundred and fifty (150) experimental samples were taken from each test Local Government Area. The isolation was carried out with the aid of cold enrichment, selective broth and selective Listeria agar. The experimental samples examined included: cow, goat, poultry, rabbit and sheep...
ABSTRACT Fourteen (14) sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas(L.)Lam.) clones, TIS.8441, Ex-Igbariam, TIS.86/0356, TIS.86/0306, TIS.2271, TIS.2532.OP.1.13, CIP 4400168, TIS.2544 Rusanya 1.5, TIS.82/0270.OP.1.85, TIS.82/0070.OP.120, TIS.8/637, NRCRI/UN/13, TIS.87/0087 and a farmer’s variety(Dan-Mangu), were screened during the cropping seasons of 2000 and 2001, to evaluate their yield potentials under the Jos-Plateau environment. The randomized complete block design was used with four replications. O...
ABSTRACT The effects of water and methanol extracts of 19 Ghanaian plants belonging to 12 families on some aspects of the physiology of five fungi (Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Sclerotium rolfsii, Nigrospora sp.), and five bacterial species (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella (Group C,), Escherichia coli (EPEC 0:43), E. coli (ETEC OK5)) were investigated in vitro in either liquid or agar medium amended with varying dilutions (1:1 - 1:5 v/v)...
ABSTRACT Genetic studies on seed coat texture and cooking time in some varieties of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) were carried out between August 14, 2000 and November 20, 2002 and August 2, 2001 and December 3, 2003 respectively. The experiments were carried out at the research and teaching farm, Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State. Randomized complete block design with five replications was used for the two experiments. Appropriate crosses were made among eight co...
ABSTRACT Achlya megasperma sporulated best s.t 30°C and at pH 7.0 to 9.0. Light had no effect on forration of the sporangia. Certain concentrations of CaCl-,., ^ulcitol. Mg SO^^H^O, Malt extract, neptone and Yeast extract enhanced sporangial formation. The mineral salts, CuS04 .5H20, FeCljs MnS04 .4H20 and Zn Cl2 depressed sporangial formation. Gemmae were produced in great quantities in solutions of 0.1, 0.2 and 0,4 per cent haemoglobin and 1x0 ^ and 0_5M Zn Cl^. Sporangial formation was a...
Maize and soyabean are among the staples in the world. Their sustainable production through the use of synthetic fertilizer causes soil degradation and ground water contamination. An alternative means of boosting and sustaining the production of these staples through the use of rhizobium and mycorrhiza have been reported but there are contradictory reports on interactions between the two organisms. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the influence of Rhizobium japonicum ...
Mushroom is a macro-fungus with a unique fruiting body, that can be easily seen with the naked eye and large enough to be picked by hand, which can be either epigeous or hypogenous (Chang and Miles, 2004) Macrofungi are lower plants that lack flowers and fruits of the higher orders (Adejumo and Awosanya, 2005; Ayodele and Akpaja, 2007). There are two major groups of macrofungi which are toadstools and mushrooms. Mushrooms locally known as ‘olu’ in the Southwestern Nigeria are a grou...
The quest to boost dietary protein production from readily available and affordable sources is ever increasing in developing countries. The indigenous edible Pleurotus species (oyster mushrooms), which grow naturally on wood wastes, are potential protein supplements. However, little information is available on the usage of selected tropical trees for optimum mushroom cultivation. Therefore, this research was designed to investigate the growth and yield of oyster mushrooms on sawdust of s...
Unsustainable forest land use practices have resulted in land degradation in the northern part of Nigeria leading to low crop yield. Agroforestry is a viable option for reversing dwindling crop yields through proper soil management practices. There is notably no sufficient published information on the contributions of agroforestry to food production in Katsina State. The practices of agroforestry and its potential to slow down the pace of soil degradation and boost food production in Ka...