An ethno botanical survey of major ethnomedicinal plants was carried out in the study area (Kano north senatorial district, Nigeria), their knowledge and uses by the local healers was determined. Data was obtained through the use of interviewer administered questionnaires, distributed at random to the traditional healers as the target respondents. Research shows that various plant species from 25 families were reported to be used in the treatment of various human ailments. Majority of these plants (73.2%) were wild, and 40% were harvested mainly for their leaves. Most of the plants were trees (44%). About 45.2% have been reported to be used in dry form. Concoction was the major method of preparation of the medicinal plants (46%). The most reported threat to the availability of medicinal plants was deforestation (43.6%). Many additives like edible oil, honey, butter, porridge, garlic were used in almost 58% of the remedy preparations. In addition, more than one medicinal plant species were used more frequently than the use of single species for medicinal preparations.

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In this study, the relationships between canopy -width, height and trunk size of the following tree species growing in Kano (12 o N, 8.5 -8.7 o E), a town located in the Sudan Savanna Zone of Northern Nigeria were examined: Parkia biglobosa, (Jacq-Benth), Khaya senegalensis (A. Juss), Eucalyptus species, Adansonia digitata (Linn). Cassia siamea (Lam), Azadirachta indica (A. Juss), Delonix regia (Boj, ex Hook) and Acacia nilotica (Linn). Twenty trees of each species ensured to be free from obvious ecological disturbances were selected for the study. Analyses of the data obtained indicate that, with the exception of Eucalyptus sp. and A. digitata, the relationship between height and trunk size is linear. A linear relationship between canopy width and trunk size was also observed in the eight tree species studied, except A. digitata. The canopy width/height study showed a linear relationship in all the tree species. The results are discussed in the context of their adaptive significance and use in determining suitability of the trees for afforestation, forest regeneration and establishment of shelter belts to arrest desertification.

Effects of different types and levels of organic manures on the yield and yield components of garlic (ex-Kofa var) was investigated. Two experiments were conducted under irrigation at the Institute for Agriculture Research (I.A.R) Kadawa in the Sudan Savanna zone of Nigeria during 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 (Nov-Mar) dry seasons. The treatments consisted of five levels (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 tons/ha) of three types of organic manures (poultry droppings (P.D), farm yard manure (FYM) and cow dung (CD) laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. Yield parameters studied included cured bulb weight , average bulb diameter, average number of cloves/bulb, average weight of cloves and cured bulb yield (kg/ha). The results showed Significant (P=0.5) effect of all organic manures with highest yield values obtained from poultry droppings, then cow dung and farmyard manure respectively. Increasing levels of all applied manures from 0-10 tons/ha significantly increased all yield parameters assessed. Thus for optimum yield of garlic at Kadawa, the use of 7.5-10 tons/ha of poultry dropping could be recommended.

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