Indigenous people especially in southern Nigeria use Corchorus olitorius L. (Jute) as a staple vegetable. Population dynamics, richness and frequency of occurrence of microflora isolates on healthy green leaves of wild okra were estimated within two weeks at weekly intervals using the dilution technique. This study was conducted in the University of Benin intend to show the diversity of microorganisms on the leaves of wild okra. The leaves were categorized based on their period of harvest into old, new and middle with a week interval between each harvest. After serial dilution in distilled water, isolation was done using nutrient agar for bacteria and potato dextrose agar for fungi. After incubation colony forming units per millimeter were counted, isolated, identified and characterized using standard microbiological techniques. The fungal diversity and frequency of occurrence were higher in the first sampling (61.50% and 62.07% respectively) than those of the second sampling (38.50% and 37.93%). Total viable microbial population in the second sampling after two weeks was higher (11.23 X 10 2 cfu/ml) than in the first sampling after one week (10.00 X 10 2 cfu/ml). The total cumulative bacterial count was higher (15.69X 10 2 cfu/ml) than those of fungi (55.40 X 10 2 cfu/ml) during the studies. Bacterial genera isolated included; Staphylococcus, Bacillus, Micrococcus, Serratia and Proteus. Rhodotorula, Mucor, Trichoderma, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Helminthosporium were the genera of fungi isolated. Further studies could help to elucidate major players in wild okra phylloplane ecology.
Six accessions of cultivated okra [Abelmoschus caillei (A. Chev.) Stevels and Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] were evaluated for growth parameters in crude oil contaminated soil. Morpho-agronomic characters such as numbers of days from sowing to germination, dry and fresh weight of the accessions in both soil samples was determined. Others were copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) concentration in plant parts (leaves and fruits). The growth responses of the different accession varied considerably. Soil chemical analysis revealed decreased levels of pH, phosphorus and potassium in the contaminated soil. The chemical analysis of plants grown in these soils showed that heavy metals like Cu, Zn, Mn, Cd and Pb were present in all the organs of the accession.
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