Phytochemical and antibacterial activities of water, methanol and ethanol extracts obtained from the fruit and bark of Calotropis procera were investigated in an attempt to evaluate its medicinal potentials. The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and cardiac glycosides with a very high content in water extracts. The concentration of the phytochemical constituents were in the order of water > methanol > ethanol. Antibacterial activity was determined against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pyrogenes. Water extracts showed inhibition against the tested organisms at 30 mg/ml. Methanol and ethanol extracts did not show an appreciable activity at 30 and 90 mg/ml respectively. The result of this study validates the use of water extract of this species in ethnomedicine and could provide a lead in the isolation of antibacterial agents from water extracts of Calotropis procera.

Survival response of Sarotheron melanotheron fingerlings to various concentration levels of perfkthion was studied under laboratory condition using five concentration levels, 0.0mg/l, 0.7mg/l, 1.4mg/l, 2.8mg/l, 5.5mg/l and 11.2mg/l. Mortality increased with increase in concentration level and exposure time. Ten percent mortality was observed in the control (0mg/l), 3% mortality was recorded after 12 hours and 7% at the end of 36 hours. At the lowest concentration of 0.7mg/l, 27% mortality occurred after 12 hours and 30% mortality occurred after 24 hours. At the 48th hour, the rate increased to 37%, 47% after 72 hours and afterwards no further death was observed till the end of the experiment. At 1.4mg/l, 20% mortality occurred after 12 hours, this increased to 37% after 24 hours, 43% after 36 hours, 53% after 60 hours, 63% after 72 hours, 73% after 84 and 77% after 96 hours. Mortalities occurred in concentration level 2.8mg/l at the rate of 7% after 12 hours, 13% after 24 hours, 20% after 36 hours and 7% mortality after 48 hours. This increased to 43% after 60 hours and remained at 47% mortality from the 72 nd hour till the end of experiment. At concentration level 5.6mg/l, mortality was 43% within 12 hours, this increased to 47% after 24 hours and 50% at the end of the 36 th hour. No further mortality occurred till the 60 th hour when 60% was observed. This continued to 63% after 84 hours and 67% at the end of the toxicity test. At concentration level 11.2mg/l, mortality was 43% at the 12 th hour. It increased to 70% at the 48 th hour and 97% at the 96 hour. There was significant effect of perfekthion on S. melanotheron fingerlings. There was delayed mortality at concentration 2.8mg/l. LC50 was not reached within 12 hours. As exposure time increased, LC50 reduced. The median Lethal Time (LT50) values for concentration levels, 1.4mg/l, 2.8mg/l, 5.6mg/l and 11.2mg/l was 57.85 hours, 91.52 hours, 48.35 hours and 27.61 hours respectively. LT50 increased with decrease in concentration level with the least value (27.61) at the highest concentration of 11.2 mg/l as compared to 57.85 hours at 1.4mg/l. The safe concentration of perfekthion organophosphate insecticide was 0.119mg/l. There were strong positive correlations between concentrations(r = 0.9982 -r = 0.9999). The correlation of pH with total alkalinity was r = 0.9379, total hardness with salinity (r = 0.6705). Weak positive correlations occurred for pH and temperature (r = 0.3516), temperature and TA (r = 0.2572) and; temperature and TH (r = 0.0419). Negative correlations occurred for pH and DO (r =-0.0604), pH and TH (r = -0.7524), pH and salinity (r = -0.6369) and Do with salinity (r = -0.1759). Strong positive correlation existed between mortality and TH (r = 0.7795) and between mortality and salinity (r = 0.8062). Negative correlation existed between mortality and pH, TA (r =-0.7681, r = -0.7977) and in mortality with DO and temperature (r = -0.4479 and r = -0.2288). @ JASEM

No abstract

The effects of organic, inorganic fertilizer and irrigation regime on yield parameters of P. virgatum in upland and lowland areas in Sokoto geoecological region of Nigeria were assessed. Four levels of nitrogen (0, 25, 50 and 75 kg N ha(-1)), three rates of farmyard manure (0, 5 and 10 t ha(-1)) and three irrigation regimes (w2, w4 and w6) were set up as a split -plots design. Farmyard manure and irrigation regimes were combined and allocated as the main plots, while nitrogen rates were assigned to the sub-plots and each replicated three times. Results revealed that raising nitrogen rate from 50 to 75 kg N ha(-1), farmyard manure rate from 5-10 t ha(-1) or irrigation intervals from 2 to 4 days did not show a significant (p > 0.05) increase in yield components evaluated. Dry matter accumulation was significantly (p < 0.05) affected by irrigation regime in both seasons and locations and 2 day interval irrigation had the highest dry matter yield. A significant interaction between nitrogen and manure application was observed only at upland in 2008/2009 and a combination of 75 kg N ha(-1) and 10 t ha(-1) manure produced the highest values in all the parameters evaluated. The study suggest that 50 kg N ha(-1) with 5 t ha(-1) of farmyard manure and 2 day irrigation interval gave the highest yield. A combination of 50 kg N ha(-1), with 5 t ha(-1) of farmyard manure and 2 day irrigation interval were found to be optimum for growth and yield of Switchgrass under both lowland and upland conditions in Sokoto geoecological zone of Nigeria.

This study was aimed to assess the effect of season, habitat and leaf age on proximate composition of leaves of Senna occidentalis L. and S. obtusifolia L. Leaves samples were collected from stands of Fadama Research Farm and Upland (Biological garden) at Permanent Site, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto and analyzed for nutrient contents using oven drying, muffle furnace ashing, soxhlet extraction, distillation and ashing, micro Kjeldahl method, and difference (NFE) methods. Data was subjected to ANOVA and LSD at 0.05% for means separation. The results for interaction effect were all statistically significant (P<0.05) in the leaves of the two Senna species and were influenced variedly by the treatment factors. Specifically, rainy subseason, fadama and upland habitats, young and matured leaves treatments favoured most of the nutrient contents (e.g. moisture, ash, crude fibre and NFE) in the following ranges : Moisture (31.37 -81.07%), Ash (3..50 -80.00%), Crude Fibre (1.00 -12.50%), Ether Extract (1.07-5.47 %), Crude Protein (7.13 -18.94 %) and ). This indicates that season, habitat and leaf age are important factors affecting plant growth and development. The results suggest that the species may be sources of the nutrients studied and could enrich the dietary intake of individuals.