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The study evaluated the prospects of aqueous extracts of five Nigerian spices against garden eggplant defoliators and fruit borer (Leucinodes orbonalis) in the field. The treatments consisted of Piper guineense (black pepper), Aframomum melegueta (aligator pepper), Eugenia aromatica (cloves), Zingiber officinale (ginger), Capsicum annum (chilli pepper) and untreated check (control). All the aqueous extracts evaluated reduced leaf damaged by defoliators on garden eggplant compared to control. P. guineense, with mean value of 11.02 number of perforations, was the most effective against defoliators, followed by E. aromatica (12.97) reducing leaf damage by 39.64 and 28.74%, respectively. However, their efficacies against defoliating insects were not significantly different (p > 0.05) among other extracts. P. guineense was also more effective than other spices against infestations by garden eggplant fruit borer and larvae density on fruits with mean values of 1.07 and 0.47, respectively. Plots treated with P. guineense recorded highest fruit yield (629 g/plant), followed by E. aromatica (219.3 g/plant). Piper guineense and E. aromatica extracts were thus more efficacious than other spices against defoliating and fruit boring insects of garden eggplants. Adopting the applications of extracts from these spices in home garden will minimize environmental and health hazards associated chemical pesticides and enhance healthy living among the populace. Keywords: spices, aqueous extracts, garden eggplant, Leucinodes orbonalis.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is an important protein-rich food consumed by rural and urban communities of Africa and other countries. However, cowpea is vulnerable to attack by pests and di...

Bougainvillea spectabilis is an ornamental plant grown in both temperate and tropical zones. They are primarily propagated by stem cuttings; however, difficulty in growth at early stages occurs routinely, causing barrier for its mass propagation. This study was conducted to study the effects of integrating compost with Trichoderma longibrachiatum (NGJ167), in improving the early growth of Bougainvillea spectabilis . Trichoderma longibrachiatum (NGJ167) used for this purpose was obtained from the Bioscience Center, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan. One hundred and twenty (120) pots were filled with 5 kg top soil each from an alfisol. Treatments included: Top soil as Control (C), Top soil inoculated with T. longibrachiatum (T), Top soil + compost at 5, 10 and 15 t ha -1 as C1, C2, C3 respectively, Top soil inoculated with T. longibrachiatum + compost at 5, 10 and 15 t ha -1 as C1T, C2T, C3T respectively. The eight treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) and replicated three times. Results indicated that integrated use of compost with Trichoderma significantly (P < 0.05) had higher growth values than the control. Higher plant height, stem diameter, number of branches and number of leaves, were recorded with the use of compost at 10 t ha -1 compared to control. Compost with Trichoderma gave higher shoot dry weight compared to treatments of compost alone. In conclusion, use of compost alone or inoculated with Trichoderma had significant effect on early growth and development of Bougainvillea spectabilis.

The type of gene action conferring combined resistance to maize streak virus (MSV) and maize stripe virus (MStV) was investigated in a Quality Protein Maize (QPM) population, ART/98/SW6-OB. Full-sib and half-sib progenies generated using North Carolina Design I mating scheme were evaluated in 2015 and 2016 in two locations endemic to the viral diseases in Nigeria. Serological study was also conducted on the progenies to validate the disease scores on the field. Significant mean square of genotypes was observed for MSV severity, MStV incidence and severity, plant height and days to flowering, while mean square of environment by females in males’ interaction was significant for grain yield and MSV incidence. Estimates of additive variances were larger than dominance variance for grain yield and MSV severity with moderate to high narrow-sense heritability estimates. This indicates that there is adequate genetic variability for improving grain yield and resistance to MSV in the maize population. The mean titre values of MSV and MStV for the progenies were significantly higher than the healthy control. MSV and MStV incidence were negatively correlated to days to 50% silking. Titre values were negatively correlated with grain yield but positively correlated with MSV and MStV incidence. Recurrent selection method that capitalizes on both additive and dominance variances would be effective in improving the population for grain yield and resistance to MSV and MStV diseases. Key words: Correlation, gene action, maize streak virus, maize stripe virus, resistance, North Carolina design.

Rapidity of improvement of cowpea cultivars often depends on the level of success achieved in the introgression of desirable gene(s) into varieties that are susceptible to biotic and abiotic stresses. This research work aimed at generating hybrids that possess resistant gene(s) to brown blotch disease as well as maintaining its brown seed coat, early maturing and high yield potentials. A mapping population was developed using single seed descent method of breeding between susceptible (Ife brown) and resistant (IT-95K-193-12) cowpea varieties to brown blotch disease. Hybrid seeds generated were inoculated with Colletotrichum truncatum and evaluated. A total of 356 crosses were made in direct (Ife brown × IT-95K-193-12) and reciprocal (IT-95K-193-12 × Ife brown) crosses. Only 8.43% percentage successful crosses were obtained. Seed coat colour was controlled by at least two genes and brown blotch was governed by maternal effect. Some of the hybrids generated possessed resistant gene(s) to brown blotch disease especially when IT-95K-193-12 was used as female parent and most of the hybrids were high yielding and early maturing especially among hybrids that originated when Ife brown was used as female parent.

Soybean ( Glycine max (L.) merr.) is a well-known leguminous crop serving as a principal protein rich food source for human and livestock. The study examined the antifungal efficacy of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) and Carica papaya on fungi isolated from soybean seeds. The inhibitory effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) and leaf extracts of Carica papaya were tested on three fungi. In vitro studies were carried out on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) for fungal isolation from soybean seeds and for the control of the pathogens using NaHCO 3 and C. papaya. The results obtained were compared with benlate (a.i 50% Benomyl); a synthetic fungicide. Aspergillus niger had the highest percent occurrence (50%) followed by F. ventricosum (33%) and then B. theobromae (17%). The percent fungal inhibition was highly significant at 1% level of probability, indicating that all the antifungal agents exhibited broad spectrum inhibition against the isolates. Benlate completely (100%) inhibited the three pathogens. There was no significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) in the inhibition of A. niger at 1.54 mg/ml of C. papaya and 3 mg/ml of NaHCO 3 . Fusarium ventricosum and B. theobromae were best inhibited at 1.54 mg/ml of C. papaya with mean values of 95.63% and 95% respectively. A positive and significant correlation occurred between the inhibitions of all the fungal isolates. This implies that all the antifungal agents are capable of inhibiting the three fungal isolates. The study suggests that C. papaya and NaHCO 3 are capable of controlling seed-borne pathogens in soybean seeds. Keywords : Antifungal agents, inhibition, leaf extract, mycelia growth, seed-borne fungi.

The study investigated the in-vitro antifungal activities of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) and leaf extracts of Vernonia amydgalina (bitter leaf) and A zadirachta indica (neem) on fungal species isolated from two cowpea cultivars; IFE BROWN and Drum (a local cultivar). Concentrations of 1.95 mg/ml and 1.43 mg/ml were used for A. indica while 1.45 mg/ml and 1.15 mg/ml were used for V. amydgalina . Sodium bicarbonate was evaluated on all the isolates at 2.0 mg/ml and 3.0 mg/ml. The inhibitory effects of these antifungal agents were compared with benlate (a synthetic fungicide) on Potato Dextrose Agar. Benlate totally inhibited all the fungal isolates. Candida species isolated from the two cowpea cultivars were greatly inhibited by the antifungal agents while Trichoderma species isolated from IFE BROWN was the least inhibited. The inhibitory effects of NaHCO 3 and A. indica on Candida spp. were not significantly different and values ranged from 74.5% to 84%. The two concentrations of A. indica had better inhibitory effect on Pythium spp . than NaHCO 3 . Vernonia amydgalina at 1.45 mg/ml inhibited A. niger and Candida spp. by 83.75% and 87.5% respectively while NaHCO 3 at 2.0 mg/ml inhibited Rhizopus stolonifer isolated from Drum by 75%. The study concludes that the two plant extracts and sodium bicarbonate had broad spectrum activities on fungal species and are therefore recommended as alternatives to toxic and synthetic fungicides. Keywords: Cowpea, eco-friendly, fungicide, inhibition

The response of watermelon to Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) under different irrigation methods and water regimes (WRs) was investigated. Watermelon varieties; Kaolak and Sugar baby were irrigated using either sprinkler or basin at 50%, 70% and 100% WRs during the dry season. Results showed that at 3 and 5 weeks after planting (WAP) total irrigation at 100% water regime (WR100) produced the tallest plants with basin irrigation. Mean values of 15.68 cm and 15.85 cm were obtained from Kaolak and Sugar baby respectively with basin irrigation at WR100. However, irrigation at WR50 produced shorter plants with fewer leaves. Complete yield loss was recorded on the field due to severe virus infection. Mixed virus infections were evident in some of the treatments but basin irrigation at WR70 and WR100 had no mix infection of CMV and WMV. Also, varieties were not susceptible to CMV infection at WR70 and WR100 when basin irrigation was used. However, the most severe CMV infection occurred in Sugar baby at WR50 using sprinkler irrigation with virus titre of 1.29. The two varieties were susceptible to WMV irrespective of the irrigation method or WR. The highest WMV titre was 2.88 obtained from Sugar baby at WR50. Total irrigation produced plants with good agronomic parameters compared with deficit irrigation. However, complete yield loss was recorded as a result of either single or double virus infections. Therefore, virus prevention and breeding for virus resistance are best approaches for the control of plant viruses.

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.