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The bioactive components of Telfairia occidentalis Hook F. leaf grown in both geoponic (GM) and non-circulating hydroponic (HM) media were assessed. The bioactive components assessed were vitamins, proximate composition and amino acids. Standard procedures were followed in the analyses. The percentage vitamins showed that cobalamin content was the highest (40.29%), followed by beta-carotene (19.89%), riboflavin (13.25%), ascorbic acid (10.33%), thiamine (9.78%), pyridoxine (6.13%), niacin (3.46%), tocopherols (2.66%) and Vitamin K (1.46%) in that order for HM while the sequence for GM was beta-carotene (17.27%), cobalamin (12.70%), thiamine (6.13%), ascorbic acid (3.16%), pyridoxine (2.12%), niacin (1.25%), tocopherols (0.97%), riboflavin (0.80%) and Vitamin K (0.63%). The proximate composition of T. occidentalis varied in HM and GM. The percentage protein were 0.53% and 0.30%, crude fat (0.90% and 0.30%), moisture (83.36% and 81.42%), crude fibre (2.09% and 4.76%) and ash (0.37% and 0.47%) for HM and GM, respectively. The carbohydrate composition (12.76%) remained same for both treatments. The essential and non-essential amino acids ranges from 0.11-3.44% and 0.01-2.51% for HM and 0.05-1.73% and 0.01-1.26% for GM, in that order. The percentage total amino acids of T. occidentalis grown in HM and GM were 19.07% and 9.77%, respectively. The study therefore support the growing of T. occidentalis in hydroponic nutrient medium with the aim of improving the bioactive components, directly providing the nutritional requirements of humans and thereby addressing an aspect of food security challenges.

The seed dormancy of Senna obtusifolia was investigated through various methods, namely pretreatments in concentrated sulfuric acid, 2% potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ), 99% ethanol, 99% methanol, and in hydrogen perioxide; examination of the seed coverings; and the determination of water uptake by the seeds in order to ascertain the most effective technique for breaking dormancy and also determine the dormancy type. The results showed that sulfuric acid treatment recorded the highest germination (100%); followed by 2% hydrogen peroxide treatment (24%) in 15minutes immersion. The methanol and ethanol pretreatments gave 18.33% and 16.5% germinations respectively. Pretreatment in 2% potassium nitrate gave the lowest germination (8.50%), while the intact seeds of S. obtusifiolia (control) gave 0% germination. The anatomy of the seed coat indicated the presence of hard, thickened and specialized cells of cuticle, macrosclereids, osteoscereids, and disintegrated parenchyma layers. The water uptake of intact seeds was low (13.5%) after 24 hr imbibitions. These findings revealed that the seed coat acts as barrier to germination by preventing water absorption, possibly gaseous diffusion in and out of the seed and conferring mechanical resistance to the protrusion of embryo. Pretreatments, such as immersion in H 2 SO 4 will soften the seed coat and permit germination. Seed dormancy in S. obtusifolia can be considered of physical nature and classified as physical dormancy. The results obtained in this study may serve as useful information in the production and improvement of S. obtusifolia seedlings, as knowledge on seed dormancy and germination is a critical factor and requirements to the understanding of the propagation of this plant either in situ or ex-situ, in view of the economic potentials/attributes of this species.

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The seed germination of Capsicum frutescens L. was investigated through various methods, namely, washing and air dry storage treatments, applications of gibberelic acid (GA3), Kinetin, potassium nitrite (KNO2) and potassium nitrate (KNO3) to improve germination of seeds in view of poor germination reported. The seeds were subjected to the following treatments namely washing to remove the slimy coverings; air-drying at various time-intervals; incubated in different concentrations of GA3, Kinetin, KNO2 and KNO3. The treatments were subjected to light or dark germinations at 300C and radicle emergence scored after 15days. The various results showed that washing treatment, and light germination had a significant effect on the germination of Capsicum frutescens seeds. For air-drying treatment, germination increased from 0-48hrs and decreased after 72hrs, 48hrs air-drying duration gave the highest percentage germination. Application of GA3, kinetin, KNO2 and KNO3 in low concentrations promoted the germination of freshly harvested Capsicum frutescens seeds. Generally the KNO2 and KNO3 gave the best germination results. The findings of this study have significant implications in the commercial production of Capsicum frutescens in view of its economic and medicinal importance.Keywords: Growth regulators, Nitrogenous compounds, Capsicum frutescens

We investigated the effects of gibberellic acid (GA3) and kinetin on seed germination of S. sesban L. and S. rostrata L. The matured seeds used for this study were obtained from International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, Nigeria. The seeds were harvested in 2014 and stored dry in a glass container and kept (15°C) in the refrigerator. The viability of the seeds were determined by floating the intact seeds in water and water uptake (imbibition) was carried out. Four replicates of 20 seeds per replicate were germinated and the seeds observed daily and final count was recorded after 14 days of incubation at 30°C. Intact seeds were soaked in gibberellic acid (GA3) and kinetin for 24h and germination percentage taken. The results from the water absorption demonstrated that the seeds of S. rostrata is more permeable compared to S. sesnban as indicated by higher water absorption of seeds of S. rostrata (70%) to S. sesban (25.4%) after 24hrs of incubation. The anatomy of the seed coats indicated the presence of water and gas impermeable tissues namely cuticle, macrosclereids, osteosclereids and disintegrated parenchyma layer. Generally, 0.1 mM kinetin and GA3 enhanced significant germinations compared to the control with 0% germination for the 14 days period of germination. The percentage germination of seeds of S. sesban and S. rotrata subjected to different treatments and germinated in 0.1 mM GA3 and water showed a progressive decrease in germination. From our study, 0.1 mM GA3 and Kinetin significantly enhanced seed germination of S. sesban and S. rostrata.