Authors:Alui Konan Alphonse, Diarrassouba Nafan, Yao Saraka Didier Martial Pages: 1 - 13 Abstract: Aims: The present study aims to evaluate the effect of some abiotic factors on the quality of seed germination of shea tree, a plant of great economic interest for the rural populations in Northern Côte d'Ivoire. Study Design: The trials were conducted in a nursery where two factors were considered. These were the substrate, with six modalities and shelter with two modalities. Six small pits, each of size 60 x 60 cm, surface 3600 cm2 and 15 cm of depth were dug and then filled with different substrates. Place and Duration of Study: The work was carried out in 2018 in the district of Korhogo in Northern Côte d'Ivoire. Methodology: Each treatment received 36 seeds of shea tree giving a total of 216 seeds per test. The seeds used were all dark brown, ellipsoid in shape with masses ranging from 10 to 11 g. The experiment was carried out with a total of 12 treatments, six under a greenhouse hermetically covered with transparent polyethylene plastic and six under a shade made up of a rack covered with maximum Panicum leaves. Results: The first germination was observed at the level of the organic manure treatment at 6 months of degradation installed under the greenhouse (ManB_G = 28 days). The lowest final germination rate was obtained with the organic fertilization at 3 months of degradation installed under the shade (FGP ManA_S = 2.95%) while the highest was observed in the sawdust installed under the greenhouse (FGP S_G = 64.18%). Conclusion: It is concluded that for each substrate, soil or biowaste, the seeds of shea tree have a better ability to germinate under a greenhouse than under a shelter covered with straw. PubDate: 2020-01-03 DOI: 10.9734/aprj/2019/v3i230064
Authors:K. U. Ekwealor, C. B. Echereme, T. N. Ofobeze, C. N. Okereke Pages: 1 - 11 Abstract: Weeds are plants that are unwanted in a given situation and may be harmful, dangerous or economically detrimental. They are responsible for substantial losses of farm production and extensive damage to the environment. Weeds, through competition with other plants, would almost always have deleterious effects on them and can have a lethal effect on livestock through consumption of weeds containing poisonous chemicals in the pasture. Weed invasion has become the most dreaded and deleterious impact of weeds in nature; it adversely affects agriculture, alters the balance of ecological communities, disrupts the natural diversity and interferes in the aesthetic value of the environment. Weeds can interfere in water management, thereby reducing the economic value of water. Weeds, however, besides their deleterious impacts in nature, have many beneficial properties, which include, but not limited to benefits of weeds to companion plants, ethnomedical and ethnopharmaceutical uses of weeds, ethnobotanical uses of wild edible weeds, and the use of weeds as feed for livestock. In the light of myriads of deleterious effects and benefits accompanying weeds, it is suggested that more studies should be carried out on weed control and weed management. Also, further explorations on the potential uses of weeds to man, his environments and livestock should be undertaken. PubDate: 2019-12-13 DOI: 10.9734/aprj/2019/v3i230063
Authors:Abiodun Oluwabusola Adedeji, Patrick Kunle Orisadiran, Abdulfatai Abdulrahman, Thomas Kehinde Adenowo Pages: 1 - 11 Abstract: Aims: The present study assessed the morphology of re-epithelized skin following experimental open wound in rat model treated with Vitellaria paradoxa oil. Place and Duration of Study: Anatomy Department, Olabisi Onabano University, Ago Iwoye and Biochemistry Department, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria between June, 2018 and March, 2019. Methodology: Excision wounds were surgically created on three groups of ten rats each (II-IV). Group I was assigned as normal control (no surgery), Group II was treated with Vitellaria paradoxa oil, Group III was treated with Dermazin and Group IV was treated with distilled water. Area (cm3) of the wound were measured on days 3, 6 and 9, the rate of wound healing, re-epithelization of the skin were assessed histologically while the thickness of the granular cells layer and the organization of the epidermal squamous cells were evaluated morphologically, the level of collagen was determined in the wounds treated with Vitellaria paradoxa oil and compared with the collagen level in wound treated with distilled water and dermazin. Results: The wound areas significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in V. paradoxa oil treated group indicating the comparative efficacy of V. paradoxa oil. Histological observations indicated gradual and complete re-epithelization of the skin in Vitellaria paradoxa oil treatments group. Increased in collagen deposition in V. paradoxa oil treated group is also observed (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this morphology indicated that V. paradoxa oil is a good potential in re-epithelization of open wound with no clinical disadvantage such as body weight, rectal temperature, packed cell volume using rats as animal model. PubDate: 2019-12-07 DOI: 10.9734/aprj/2019/v3i230062
Authors:Mahmudul Karim, Md. Abul Kashem, Azmul Huda, Md. Abdul Aziz, Bani Krishna Goswami Pages: 1 - 9 Abstract: The experiment was carried out at Sunamganj district during November 2016 to May 2017 to observed the effect of urea fertilizer on the yield of boro rice varieties in haor areas of Bangladesh. Two factors experiment viz. Varieties BRRI dhan29 and BRRI dhan58; and six urea fertilizer levels including: 340 (F1), 320 (F2), 300 (F3), 280 (F4), 260 (F5), and 165 kg ha-1 (F6) [Farmer’s practice (FP)] were used. In case of F1-F5, the MoP-TSP-CaS04-ZnS04 as 127-112-75-11 kg ha-1 were used while Farmers’ practice (FP) was done with only 82 kg ha-1 TSP. The experiment was laid out in two factors randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three farmers’ replications. Data were collected on growth, yield and yield contributing characters of boro rice. Plant height varied at harvest stage in relation to variety and fertilizer. The tillers production hill-1 varied at harvest in case of variety and urea application. Higher plant height was found in BRRI dhan58 (93.9 cm) in comparison to BRRI dhan29 (90.3 cm). Plant height was also influenced due to urea fertilizers application. The higher tillers hill-1 (15.9), effective tillers hill-1 (12.3) and longer panicle length (21.1 cm) were produced by BRRI dhan58 at harvest compared to BRRI dhan29. The longest panicle (21.4 cm) was produced in the treatment F3 (300 kg urea ha-1). Higher number of sterile spikelets panicle-1 (58.5) and 1000-grain weight (23.2 g) was produced by BRRI dhan58. Higher number of grains panicle-1 (137.5) was produced by BRRI dhan29. The highest grain yield (6.7 t ha-1) and straw yield (7.91 t ha-1) were obtained in the treatment F3 (300 kg urea ha-1). The experimental soil analyses showed that the nutrient contents in post-harvest soils were higher compared to initial soil due to balanced fertilizer application. It is concluded that 300 kg urea ha-1 promoted highest grain yield. PubDate: 2019-11-09 DOI: 10.9734/aprj/2019/v3i230061