Search

Peanut [Arachis hypogea (L.)] is a valuable legume crop that is widely cultivated in Northern Nigeria. The yield of this crop is affected by root rot disease caused by the fungal pathogen (Macrophomina phaseolina). This study was carried out to assess the efficacy of Zinc (Zn) (1.76, 3.59, 4.71 and 6 mg kg−1) and Manure [M (2% and 4%)] in a complex interaction to manage the disease and improve yield. Two genotypes of peanut were selected for this study on the basis of their susceptibility to M. phaseolina (severely infected UGA 2) and (moderately infected ICGV 86015). The results showed that M. phaseolina suppressed the plant defense action through the activities of malionaldehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) thereby hindering identification of the pathogen elicitor. It was observed that manure enhanced the microbial activity and physicochemical properties of soil, which induced plant defense and antimicrobial protein against reactive oxygen species (ROS) thereby reducing the susceptibility of the pathogen to the peanut plant. The co-factor ability of Zn enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes to scavenge ROS molecules in the pathogen stressed cells, improve photosynthetic efficiency and prevent the plant from death. Therefore, this study has revealed that Zn and manure inhibits the multiplication of M. phaseolina in the peanut seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined team approach education counselling in secondary schools as an enzyme for national peace building. It pointed out that adolescents can do a lot when properly guided. Adolescents can help in promoting peace spirit and culture among themselves in the school and communities. National peace can be achieved by inoculating the adolescents against violence, teaching them skills to manage conflicts nonviolently, and by seeking and creating a desire to seek peaceful resolutions of conflicts. The need for Behavioural Inoculation, Behavioural First Aid and Behavioural Treatment in order to promote peaceful co-existence in the society was emphasized. Also, the enzymic nature and role of team approach peace education counselling for adolescents in secondary schools in Nigeria was discussed and challenges facing the programme were highlighted. Based on the challenges, suitable recommendations were made among which are: team approach, involving the home, peer group, mass media, churches/mosques, schools and significant others should be employed in peace education counseling tofacilitate National Peace Building.Tthe counsellor as the technical head of the team should serve as the strategist, consultant, trainer and coordinator. In addition, the government at all levels should train and redeploy qualified counsellors and peer facilitators to secondary schools to be conducting workshops on diversity and enhancing peace skills. Also, facilities, instructional materials for the programme such as computers should be put in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kraft lignin contributes to the toxicity of the pulping plant effluent and is known to resist microbial treatment. The lignin component must be removed from lignocellulose biomass to enhance the release of fermentable sugars for the production of biofuel and other value-added end products. Lignin-degrading bacteria provide an advantage due to their ease of isolation, wider tolerance of environmental conditions and genetic manipulations compared with their fungal counterparts. There is no documented evidence on the degradation of kraft lignin by bacteria in the tropical estuarine ecological niche in Nigeria. Bacterial growth and assessment of kraftlignin degradation in submerged fermentation was carried out for a period of 10 days using Streptomyces spp isolated from a tropical lagoon as the inocula. The organisms utilized 23 to 99% kraft-lignin at the rate of 2.3?10-5 to 9.9?10-5 g.d-1cm-3 with specific growth rates of 0.020 - 0.084 h-1and doubling times of 8.3 - 35.1 h. Maximum values obtained for laccase and peroxidase activities were 9.5x10- 2 and 400 _ mol mg -1min -1 respectively. The aim of this study was to obtain evidences for Kraft lignin degradation by indigenous tropical estuarine Streptomyces species from Lagos, Nigeria. The Autochthonous bacterial species of the Lagos lagoon utilize kraft lignin as a sole carbon source and may be good candidates for biotechnological purposes. The outcome of this study has bridged an information gap in the tropical environment and will complement existing global data because the information on the degradation of kraft lignin by marine Streptomyces is not common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

48 six weeks old crossbred weaner rabbits were randomly allocated to four treatments to determine the effect of enzyme and probiotic supplementation of maize processing wastebased diets on performance and nutrient digestibility of weaner rabbits. Four experimental diets were formulated such that diet 1 (T1) contained 0% MPW while diet 2 (T2) contained 50% MPW without supplementation. Diets 3 (T3) and 4 (T4) contained 50% MPW supplemented with 200 mg of enzyme (grindazym) and probiotic (yeast) per kilogram of feed respectively. Results showed significant (P < 0.05) differences in body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), crude protein, dry matter, crude fibre and ether extract digestibility among the rabbits. Rabbits fed enzyme (T3) and probiotic (T4) supplemented diets had significantly (P < 0.05) superior BWG, FCR and PER. compared to other treatment groups. Rabbits fed 50% MPW diet without supplementation (T2) recorded higher BWG and better FCR than those fed 0% MPW diet (T1) There was no significant (P > 0.05) difference among the groups in daily feed intake (DFI), daily protein intake (DPI) and ash digestibility. Economic analysis favoured the inclusion of MPW, enzyme and probiotic in weaned rabbits diets. However, cost saving in percentage was higher for the supplemented diets. Results of this study suggest that up to 50% maize in rabbit diet could be replace with MPW and that enzyme and probiotic supplementation of MPW-based diet enhanced the performance of the rabbits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study evaluates the effect of water contaminated with phthalate, benzene and cyclohexane (major components of municipal waste in Nigeria) on the cellular system of Clarias gariepinus. Standard enzyme assays were conducted for alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase of selected tissues of C. gariepinus cultivated in contaminated water over a period of 56days. Generally, a significant decrease in the activity of the enzymes of the tissues of C. gariepinus cultivated in contaminated water was observed relative to the control (p <0.05). Particularly, activity of alkaline phosphatase of liver of C. gariepinus cultivated in phthalate contaminated water was found to be 8.26±1.42 while that of control was 14.42±1.09. The activity of serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase of serum of the same group of fish was found to be twice that of control. It could be inferred that membrane integrity of the tissues studied are compromised and that tissue dysfunction may result. Consumption of C. gariepinus cultivated in water contaminated with phthalate, benzene and cyclohexane could pose threats to public health. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]