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Background: Water stress may alter the seed chemical composition and cause changes in the concentrations of non reducing soluble sugars in seeds and germination performance of chickpea. We evaluated the effect of water stress during chickpea seed development on seed (i) accumulation of non-reducing soluble sugars, and (ii) vigour and germination. Methods: Three chickpea cultivars (Desi-K, Saina-K and ICCV-K) were subjected to two water regimes (water stress- withholding irrigation after flowering and non-stressed- irrigation at 3-day intervals throughout the crop growth) in a completely randomized design with three replications. Seed size, viability, sugars content, solute leakage, germination percentage and mean germination time were determined from seeds harvested at physiological maturity. Result: Water stress increased the raffinose seed content of Saina-K and Desi-K, decreased the raffinose seed content in ICCV-K, but had no effect on sucrose and stachyose content. Electrical conductivity (EC) increased with water stress in all cultivars, but the increase was greater in ICCV-K (57%) compared to Desi-K (18%) and Saina-K (12%). Non-stressed seeds had larger seed size, higher seed viability and germination percentage and lower EC and mean germination time than stressed seeds. Clearly, sufficient water at seed development stage is crucial for productivity of subsequent crops as it affects seed quality. However, we recommend further studies using a wide range of water stress treatments and chickpea cultivars with different seed size, seed color and seed coat texture.

Objetivo: O presente trabalho apresenta uma análise comparativa abrangente dos diferentes tipos de baterias mais utilizadas em sistemas de armazenamento de energia (SAE). O escopo da análise se restringe a aplicações do tipo ponte de energia, atuando conjuntamente com redes elétricas e geradores distribuídos. Métodos: As seguintes tecnologias são consideradas: a) Chumbo ácido (Pb-Ac); b) Níquel Cádmio (NiCd); c)Níquel Hidreto Metálico (NiMH) e d) Lítio-íon (Li-íon). Para cada tipo, apresentam-se os desenvolvimentos tecnológicos e equações eletroquímicas características, exemplos de aplicações e aspectos econômicos. A seguir, um resumo das mais recentes normas internacionais que orientam a aplicações de diferentes tipos de baterias é apresentada. Por fim, avaliações comparativas são efetuadas, destacando-se as características mais marcantes associadas a cada bateria para diferentes cenários de operação e critérios de projeto. Resultados: Estabelecimento de critérios de comparação para os diferentes tipos de baterias, incluindo aspectos como maturidade, ciclos, vida-útil, densidade de energia, eficiência, impacto ambiental, custos e operação para diferentes faixas de temperatura. Adicionalmente, discutem-se dois exemplos de aplicações reais empregando baterias de Pb-Ac e NiCd. Conclusão: A presente análise auxilia a estabelecer, por meio de critérios objetivos, os cenários mais adequados para o emprego de cada tipo de tecnologia de bateria em sistemas de geração distribuída e traz insumos para a condução de pesquisas relativas à aplicação de tais tecnologias nesses cenários.

Traditional Ofada rice varieties from South-West, Nigeria is preferred for its unique taste, aroma and massive potential for export but has low yield. Based on this background, two Ofada rice varieties, FUNAABOR 1 and FUNAABOR 2 were irradiated to create genetic variability as it affects vegetative traits. Seeds from the varieties were exposed to nine levels of 60Co gamma irradiation (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 and 400 Gy). The seeds were nursed for 30 days before M1 seedlings were transplanted into a well tilled soil in a two factorial RCBD with three replicates. Selections from M1 plants were used to establish M2 plants generation. The results revealed diverse effects of 60Co gamma irradiation treatments on different plant vegetative traits. The establishment rates of M1 Ofada rice population were unaffected (p > 0.01) by increasing gamma irradiation from 0 to 300 Gy but decreased at 350 Gy. Above 300 Gy, tiller numbers, plant height, lodging incidence, leaf number, leaf length and leaf angle decreased significantly when compared with control (p < 0.01) in both generations (M1 and M2). Moderately tillered (10 tillers), tall plant (116.9 cm) obtained from 350 dosage rate recorded highest grain weight of 7.8 g per panicle. High phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) promoted by the irradiation dosages in M1 selection indicate the extent of environmental influence. High broad sense heritability observed from leaf number, leaf angle, leaf length, leaf blade colour, basal leaf sheath colour and grain weight per panicle shows possibility of rapid genetic improvement of these characters through selection.

The experiment was aimed at assessing the response of 30 rice genotypes to different levels of salinity using NaCl concentration as salt stress at early seedling stage under hydroponic conditions. The experiment was replicated three times in a Completely Randomized Design for two years. The 30 rice genotypes evaluated for root length, fresh root weight, dry root weight, shoot length, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, seedling biomass and shoot/root length ratio. The four salinity treatments/levels (0, 4, 6 and 12 dS/m) significantly affected the response of the 30 rice genotypes for all the traits evaluated. The interaction between salinity treatments and the genotypes was significant for all traits except fresh root weight, shoot length and dry shoot weight. The genotypic response revealed reduction in performance as the salinity level increases for all the traits, 10 genotypes were tolerant at all salinity levels. The most affected seedling trait due to salinity stress was seedling biomass at 6 dS/m (54.84%) and was expressed by genotype IR29 (susceptible check), followed by ROK 24 at 12 dS/m (54.43%). Eight rice genotypes; CK73, ITA212 (FARO 35), ITA222 (FARO 36), OG0315, OG250315, OW0315, TOG 5681 and Pokkali (Tolerant Check) were classified highly tolerant by both Stress Tolerance Index (SST) and Stress Susceptible Index (SSI), while FARO 61 (NERICA L – 34) and IR72 were moderately tolerant. These rice genotypes have good potentials for further salt tolerance breeding. Keywords: salt stress, genotypes, seedling traits, tolerance index, susceptible index

Identifying and assessing genetic diversity in kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) using agromorphological markers is problematic, thus, necessitating the use of biochemical markers. Thirty five kenaf genotypes were evaluated for genetic diversity using 13 agromorphological characters and seed proteins. The field experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications; the data were subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA) to group the genotypes. The observed genetic diversity among the genotypes based on Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of seed proteins was presented in the form of a dendrogram generated by the UPGMA cluster analysis. The relative effectiveness of the two types of markers in assessing the diversity among the genotypes was investigated. The CA grouped the 35 genotypes into eight clusters; the PCA revealed that the first three principal components accounted for 66.60% of the total variation among the genotypes. Plant height, stalk height, internode distance, number of seeds/pod, basal stem diameter, number of pods/plant, pod length and seed yield/plant were identified as traits that best described the genotypes. The seed protein dendrogram, in addition to grouping the 35 genotypes into four major clusters, was able to identify duplicates within the population.Keywords: Biochemical markers, principal components analysis, dendrogram, duplicates

Genetic similarities, which can be detected with phenotypic and molecular markers, are important for effective use of available germplasm. It provides information on genetic diversity for reliable gene recombination. Thirty accessions of amaranth were assessed for variation with 15 phenotypic characters and 10 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers. Significant (p < 0.05) phenotypic variation was observed among the accession at the vegetative phase and most of the accessions had leaves with green pigmentation. Sink factor such as leaf, stem and root weights, and dry matter, were homogenous traits which contributed significantly to diversity among the accessions. The RAPD primers produced 115 bands with 88 (77%) polymorphic loci. The DNA classification between some of the accessions was similar to the phenotypic diversity. Information on phenotypic diversity and traits contributing to the diversity can be used deductively with genetic diversity to guide effective hybrid program.Keywords: Accession, genetic divergence, Mahanalobis, oligonucleotide, polymorphism, UPGMA

Twenty-four (24) accessions of seven (7) legumes were planted to determine the relationship in their Agro-morphology and to estimate the heritability of plant character, using Randomize Complete Block Design (RCBD). The experiment was carried out at Teaching and Research Farms, Federal university of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. Collection of data was carried out on plant height, stem girth, leaf length, leaf breadth, stem colour, flower colour, leaf shape, 100-seed weight, number of pod per plant, number of seed per pod and pod length. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of variance, inter-character association among the plant characters evaluated was determined using Pearson coefficient correlation analysis, while relatedness was done using dengrogram. Data analyses show significant effect among all the legumes indicating that there is possibility for selection. All plant characters evaluated show high heritability with genotypic variance higher than environmental effect. Number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod were negatively correlated with all traits studied. Hundred seed weight was positively correlated with all traits studied except seedling emergence and number of pods per plant. The linkage clusters shows similarities at various percentage among the twenty-four accessions. All the accessions were distinct from each other at 0.0, while at a distance of 0.50 levels they formed four clusters. Legumes with high yield potential can be considered for selection, while characters with high heritability estimate can be used as criteria for selection during breeding programs. Accessions TVR-28, TVR-39 and TVR-86 with high number of seed per pod and TVA-1 and TVA-2 for pods per plant could be considered during selection and further breeding work. Keywords: Legumes, diversity, relatedness, dendogram

Background: The goal of antenatal care (ANC) is to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. Fewer ANC visits in focused antenatal care (FANC) model can affect maternal and perinatal outcomes in low income settings where the number ANC visits are often low.Objective: To determine the number of ANC visits and their influence on maternal and perinatal outcomes at a rural Kenyan hospital.Study design: Retrospective cohort.Study population: Women who received ANC and were admitted at Longisa District Hospital postnatal ward after delivery at or above 28 weeks gestation.Study site: Postnatal ward, Longisa District Hospital, Bomet County, Kenya.Results: Between 1st July and 31st August 2014, 200 (83%) of the screened postpartum (n=241) women were found to be eligible. Majority (n=122, 61.0%) of the women received less than 4 ANC visits. Most women were: married (83.5%), housewives (65.5%), and had: parity of 2 to 4 (50.5%); primary education (66.5%); live births (93.0%); spontaneous vertex delivery (82.5%); spontaneous onset of labour (n=192, 96.0%) and no complication at or post-partum (n=175, 87.5%). Majority of the neonates had 5 minute APGAR score >7 (88.0%); and were with their mothers after 24 hours postpartum (81.5%). High parity (≥5) was associated with reduced frequency of ANC visits (OR=0.29, 95% CI 0.1-0.87, p=0.027). Early perinatal and maternal outcomes were not significantly associated with the number of ANC visits.Conclusion: In this rural Kenyan hospital, few women had 4 or more ANC visits. Parity of 5 or greater was significantly associated with fewer than 4 ANC visits. Early perinatal and maternal outcomes did not vary with the number of visits. Quality rather than number of ANC visits should be evaluated as a measure of ANC.

Identifying and assessing genetic diversity in kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus L.) using agromorphological markers is problematic, thus, necessitating the use of biochemical markers. Thirty five kenaf genotypes were evaluated for genetic diversity using 13 agromorphological characters and seed proteins. The field experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications; the data were subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis (CA) to group the genotypes. The observed genetic diversity among the genotypes based on Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of seed proteins was presented in the form of a dendrogram generated by the UPGMA cluster analysis. The relative effectiveness of the two types of markers in assessing the diversity among the genotypes was investigated. The CA grouped the 35 genotypes into eight clusters; the PCA revealed that the first three principal components accounted for 66.60% of the total variation among the genotypes. Plant height, stalk height, internode distance, number of seeds/pod, basal stem diameter, number of pods/plant, pod length and seed yield/plant were identified as traits that best described the genotypes. The seed protein dendrogram, in addition to grouping the 35 genotypes into four major clusters, was able to identify duplicates within the population. Keywords: Biochemical markers, principal components analysis, dendrogram, duplicates

Genetic similarities, which can be detected with phenotypic and molecular markers, are important for effective use of available germplasm. It provides information on genetic diversity for reliable gene recombination. Thirty accessions of amaranth were assessed for variation with 15 phenotypic characters and 10 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers. Significant ( p < 0.05) phenotypic variation was observed among the accession at the vegetative phase and most of the accessions had leaves with green pigmentation. Sink factor such as leaf, stem and root weights, and dry matter, were homogenous traits which contributed significantly to diversity among the accessions. The RAPD primers produced 115 bands with 88 (77%) polymorphic loci. The DNA classification between some of the accessions was similar to the phenotypic diversity. Information on phenotypic diversity and traits contributing to the diversity can be used deductively with genetic diversity to guide effective hybrid program. Keywords: Accession, genetic divergence, Mahanalobis, oligonucleotide, polymorphism, UPGMA