Abstract/Overview Strong seasonal variability in African carbon source/sink relationship is considered the continent’s most significant contribution to the global carbon cycle. Alternating dry and wet periods dictate ecosystem carbon exchange and productivity of tropical African savannah. We examined the seasonal and daily trends in ecosystem CO2 exchange in the herbaceous layer of a humid Kenyan savannah devoid of grazing. Microclimate, soil moisture, soil and tissue nitrogen, abovegro...
Abstract/Overview We found 33, 17, and 20 Alba genes in Gossypium hirsutum, Gossypium arboretum, and Gossypium raimondii, respectively. The Alba protein lengths ranged from 62 to 312 aa, the molecular weight (MW) from 7.003 to 34.55 kDa, grand average hydropathy values of −1.012 to 0.609 and isoelectric (pI) values of −3 to 11. Moreover, miRNAs such as gra miR8770 targeted four genes, gra-miR8752 and gra-miR8666 targeted three genes, and each and gra-miR8657 a, b, c, d, e targeted 10 ...
Abstract/Overview Small cabbage white butterfly Pierisrapaeis one of the most destructive specialist herbivores of the Brassicaceae plants. Chemical application has been used for a long time to control P. rapae but this has been shown to have major draw backs. Owing to their disadvantages, we investigate in this study, the host plant resistance as an alternative control measure for specialist insect P. rapae. T-DNA mutant Arabidopsis plants were screened for their variation in response to...
Abstract/Overview Solanum section Solanum, centering on the species commonly known as African nightshade, and botanically known as the “Solanum nigrum complex” is composed of a large number of morphogenetically distinct taxa, with certain common features. Their wide tolerance of habitat types, early flowering and prolific fruit production are adaptive features for success in the wild, semi-wild or weedy forms. In most parts of Africa and south-east Asia, their consumption, demand and ...
Nature deposited in Nigeria several beneficial plant materials especially medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) for the treatment of ailments through herbal preparations, and for other culinary, traditional, medical and pharmaceutical uses. Preparation of natural medicine and production of herbal remedies by use of MAPs have proved to be a great alternative to the substandard production, cost and inaccessibility of synthetic orthodox medicines to rural dwellers. Despite the opportunities, ther...
Hibiscus sabdariffa is a non-timber-forest-plant (NTFP) that has the potential of producing fibers good in paper-making. Germination and growth potentials of H. sabdariffa under farmland, fallowland, plantation and forest ecosystems were studied. Seeds of H. sabdariffa were sown to assess germination percentage, germination rate, germination time and velocity coefficient on established plots of each ecosystem. Seedlings were randomly selected to measure growth and yield parameters of hei...
In vitro assessment of biological control of Trichoderma harzianum against Penicillium purpurogenum isolated from rotted yam tubers (Dioscorea rotundata Poir) in storage was conducted in the Advanced Plant Pathology Laboratory, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria. The antagonist and the pathogen were paired in dual culture at different times (antagonist same time with the pathogen, 2 days before the inoculation of the pathogen and 2 days after the inoculation of the pathog...
Studies on the influence of pedological regimes on plant distribution in a lacustrine wetland in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria revealed variations in density and frequency of plant species as a function of the soil parameters. A quadrat size of 5m x 5m through systematic sampling was used to sample the vegetation spaced at regular intervals. The vegetation parameters determined were density and frequency. Soil samples were collected at different depths (0 – 15 cm and 15 – 30 cm) and ana...