Proximate, phytochemical and mineral compositions of Aframomum melegueta, Dacryodes edulis, Dialium guineense, Gambeya albida and Garcinia kola were studied at Umudike, Nigeria. Fruits of these five plant species were collected in separately labeled and marked polythene bags at the rainforest at Umudike, Nigeria. The edible parts were separated from the non edible parts. The edible parts were put in labeled envelopes and dried in an oven set at 65 °C for 24 hours. The proximate, phytochemical and mineral compositions of each sample were analyzed at the laboratory of the Department of Chemistry, University of Agriculture, Umudike. There were differences between species in the percent carbohydrate, ash, protein and fibre contents. All the fruits/seeds contained between 3.94 and 11.18 percent moisture, 26.67 and 89.92 percent carbohydrate and between 0.26 and 5.97 percent fat. Iron had a low concentration ranging from 36.43 to 117.83 mg/kg. Nickel and mercury were in trace amount in Dialium guineense and Aframomum melegueta. Calcium ranged from 0.06 to 2.56 mg/100 mg, magnesium ranged from 0.22 to 0.98 mg/100 mg, potassium ranged from 0.26 to 1.05 mg/100 mg, sodium ranged from 0.18 to 0.85 mg/100 mg and phosphorus ranged from 0.14 to 0.76 mg/100 mg. The order of lead contents is as follows: Garcinia kola > Aramomum melegueta > Dialuim guineense > Dacryodes edulis > Gambeya albida. It was concluded that little quantity of Aframomum melegueta, Dialium guineense, Gambeya albida and Garcinia kola should be taken when the need arises as these contain reasonable amount of copper, zinc, lead and mercury. These metals could have adverse effects on the liver and kidney of the consumers when a large quantity is taken.

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The proximate and phytochemical composition of some browse plant species were studied at the rainforests at Oban National Park and Umudike, Nigeria to determine their suitability as feeding material for wild and domestic animals. Questionnaire was served to 50 individuals who are either hunters or rear upto six goats or sheep within Umudike and Oban National Park enclave to know the plant species fed upon by wild animals and domestic animals. Two 10-hectare blocks were laid at Oban National Park and the rain forest at Umudike. Leaves of all the plant species eaten by vertebrate animals within the 10 hectare blocks were collected and identified to species level at the Forest Herbarium, Forestry Research Institute at Jericho, Ibadan, Nigeria. Out of 27 plant species eaten by animals, 17 plant species were selected at random for study of their leaves proximate, phytochemical and mineral composition. It was observed that moisture content ranged between 8.08 and 11.10 per cent. The dry matter ranged between 88.90 and 91.92 per cent. The percent crude protein was highest in Uvaria chamae (21.88%) and least in Andropogeon tectorum (10.50%). The crude fat ranged from 1.38 percent in Gmelina arborea to 10.26 in U. chamae. The crude fibre was highest in Ficus exasperata (38.04%) and least in U.chamae with 8.96 per cent. The percent ash ranged from 5.98 to 9.44. The carbohydrates ranged from 37.76 to 54.56 per cent while the energy ranged from 226.08 to 387.30. In all of the studied plant species, the percent alkaloid, saponine, flavanoid, tannin and steroid were often less than 10 per cent. However, the Hydrogen cynide ranged from 0.05 in Uvaria chamae to 0.93 in Aspilia africana. The percent Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Lead, Cadmium and Manganese were often less than 5.0 percent. Mercury was in trace amount. Based on the contents of the leaves, these plants: Allophylus africanus, Costus afer, Uvaria chamae, Myrianthus arboreus, Carpolobia lutea, Ficus exasperata and Hannoa klaineana having upto 10% per cent crude protein, 5.00 percent crude fat and high palatability should be used in the establishment of fodder bank. The use of leaves of Treculia africana as fodder should be discouraged as it contains little quantity of Cadmium and Chromium which could have cumulative adverse effects.

Observations on the biology of Callosobruchus maculatus ( Fab.)

No abstract

Measurements of temperature, red, far red wavelength of light and the ratio red to far red were made at every 10 minutes interval at marked points along a 15 m transect using thermometers and a Skye 660/730 Radiation Detector and Measuring unit (SKR100: SKR110) at Umudike, Nigeria. Readings were made during the dry and wet seasons under the forest floor of a secondary forest regrowth, under the crowns of Treculia africana, Dacryodes edulis, Irvingia gabonensis and in a 1-year old abandonded farmland. Readings were taken at a height of 50cm above the ground. Plant species within 2.5 X 2.5m 2 quadrats were enumerated every two months. Data revealed that there were variations within and between the red and far red wavelength at the studied sites. The ranges of the far red during the dry season were from-0.30 to 18.77;-0.42 to 10.18;-0.40 to 7.70;-0.60 to 1.36 and-0.39 to 0.31 in abandoned farmland, under the crowns of Treculia africana, Dacryodes edulis, Irvingia gabonensis and a secondary forest regrowth, respectively. The ranges during the wet season were

Relationships between fruits and seeds sizes; seed germination and early seedling growth of seedlings of 25 plant species were studied at the University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria. The destruction of Nigeria rainforest without an assured method of naturally regenerating it, has contributed to some edible plant species being either fewer per hectare or endangered in abandoned farmlands. Fruits of 25 plant species were collected from the rainforest at Umudike, Nigeria. For each plant species 100 fruits and seeds were selected for the study. All the fruits contained between 1 and 30 seeds. The length, width and weight of fruits and seeds of the plant species varied within and between plant species. The biggest fruits were those of Pentaclethra macrophylla with length ranging of between 435.22 and 508.52 mm while the biggest seeds were those of Plukernetia conophora each had length range of between 60.39 and 98.14 mm.. The length and width of each fruit and seed were measured using Digimatic Mitutoyo caliper. For each fruit and seeds, the weight was measured using electric weighing balance, Ohaus Corporation, Model Scout Prospu 402. Broadcast of 100 seeds of each plant species was done on germination boxes of size 30 x 60 cm, and watered twice daily. All the viable seeds germinated, however, mechanical dormancy was observed in the fruits of Spondias mombin, Tetrapleura tetraptera and Canarium schweinfurthii, whose seeds were covered by fibrous material. There was no co-relationship between seed size and germination rate because both small and big seeds started germination within the same week. The observed seedling types were Phanerocotylar -epigeal -reserve, (52.9%), Phanerocotylar -epigeal -foliaceous (20%) and Cryptocotylar -hypogeal -reserve (12.0 %), Phenerocotylar -hypogeal -reserve (8) and Cryptocotylar-epigeal-reserve (8%). There was a significant different in the growth rate of seedlings of the plant species. The rate of growth of 0.05 m per month of seedlings of Persea americana and Dacryodes edulis was comparatively high presumably because of the food stored in the seed. The rate of growth of 0.001 m per month of Dialium guineense seedlings was very poor presumably because of the relatively small quantity of food stored in the seed. Carpolobia lutea produced numerous branches exhibiting shrubby characteristics. It is recommended that fruits should be collected from different provenances and their proximate composition analysed. Fruits having desirable qualities should be genetically improved.

The effect of Sitophilus zeamais infestation on tryptophan content was evaluated on ten (10) maize varieties, comprising nine Quality Protein Maize (QPM) varieties and one non-QPM which served as check. One hundred grammes of each maize variety were infested with ten pairs of newly emerged S. zeamais in separate kilner jars. The number of F, and F2 progeny, percentage damage, percentage weight loss and effect of kernel hardness were evaluated for each maize variety. The tryptophan content of the maize varieties were determined before and after infestation with S. zeamais to determine the amount of losses incurred as a result of feeding by S. zeamais .The result showed that at 45 days after infestation with S. zeamais, FLINT-Q (24.63) was relatively the most susceptible variety with the highest mean number of F1 progeny while SAMMAZ 17 (12.63) had the least amongst the QPM varieties. At 90 days after infestation with S. zeamais, DENT-Q (51.63) had the highest mean number of F2 progeny whereas SAMMAZ 17 (19.25) had the least. The highest mean number of damaged grains with emergent holes were observed in FLINT-Q (36.50) followed by DENT-Q (34.88). The highest weight loss was also observed in FLINT-Q (7.78) followed by DENT-Q (7.59). A maximum reduction in tryptophan as a result of feeding by S. zeamais was found in FLINT-Q (42.86 %) which decreased from an initial value of 0.07 % to 0.04 % at 12 weeks of storage. Minimum reductions in tryptophan (11.11 %) amongst the QPM varieties were observed in SAMMAZ 17 which decreased from 0.09 % to 0.08 %. The results on the determination of grain hardness showed that SAMMAZ 17 appeared to be relatively harder than all the .other QPM varieties. It can therefore be concluded that SAMMAZ 17 variety with relatively hard kernel is the most tolerant variety to S. zeamais infestation which can be stored for 90 days with minimum insect infestation and reduction in tryptophan content.