Journal of Agricultural Science and Environment

EFFECTS OF FERTILIZER TYPE AND CROPPING SYSTEM ON GROWTH AND DRY MATTER YIELD OF PHYSIC NUT (Jatropha curcas L.) IN THE RAINFOREST AGRO-ECOLOGY OF NIGERIA

A. I. MAKINDE, A.G. NWOKOCHA, O.O. OYEKALE, O. M. BABALOLA — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Productivity of crops depends largely on the suitability of soil environment in supplying the needed resources for growth and the competitive capacity of the component plants. A field experiment was conducted during the growing seasons of 2019 and 2020 at Ikenne and Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria to assess the effects of fertilizer type and cropping system on the growth and dry matter yield of Jatropha. The experiment was a split-plot arrangement in a Randomized Complete Block design, replicated three times. Fertilizer types (NPK; Organic; Organic + NPK (50:50) and control were the main plots while cropping systems of sole okra; sole Jatropha and Jatropha/okra intercrop were sub-plots. Data collected to determine Jatropha growth include plant height, number of leaves/plant, canopy width and dry matter yield. At Ikenne, organic fertilizer consistently produced more leaves (209) followed by organic + NPK (134) and the least from the control plant (87). Tallest plant was from organic (181.2 cm) followed by organic + NPK treatment (176.2 cm) as well as highest canopy width of 169.8 cm from organic followed by 130.9 cm from organic + NPK. At Ibadan, all the fertilizer sources had comparable effects on jatropha growth but were significantly higher than control plant. Growth of Jatropha expressed as canopy width, number of leaves/plant and plant height had similar values either as a sole crop or as intercrop. Jatropha had similar number of leaves/plant as a sole crop (31) and in intercrop (26) with okra at Ikenne. Similar trend was observed at Ibadan where at 56 WAS, sole jatropha produced 47 leaves which was similar with 33 from the intercrop. Similarly, in both locations, cropping system did not have significant effect on plant height and canopy width, indicating the compatibility of both crops at both sites. Dry matter yield was not affected by cropping system but was improved by fertilizer application. With higher root dry weight of between 5 and 35 % than the shoot dry weight, Jatropha was able to establish better via improved water and nutrient absorption resulting in proper plant establishment against possible soil erosion. Inclusion of Jatropha into cropping system in the rainforest zone and application of organic fertilizer, is therefore recommended.

EFFICACY OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI Beauveria bassiana AS BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENTS OF INSECT PESTS OF OKRA (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench)

C. O. FILANI, A. O. ADEOTI, J. BALOGUN, M. I. TANIGBOLA, M. A. JIMBA — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Okra production is greatly hampered by numerous insect pest infestations during the various stages of its growth, resulting in poor yield. The study, therefore, aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Beauveria bassiana in controlling insect pests and improving yield of two okra varieties under field conditions at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, during 2021 and 2022. The experiment was laid out in 2 × 3 factorial fitted into randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The factors were okra varieties (Jokoso and V35) and spraying regime (B. bassiana (1.25 kg in 500 liters of water to form a concentration of 2 x 10⁸ CFU/gm min), lambda-cyhalothrin (25 g a.i/ha) and No spray - control). Application of B. bassiana significantly reduced the population densities of insect pests on okra, regardless of the variety or planting seasons. Okra plants treated with B. bassiana exhibited significantly lower leaf and fruit damage compared to untreated plants. Levels of leaf and fruit damage in B. bassiana and lambda-cyhalothrin-treated plots were similar across both okra varieties and planting seasons. Application of B. bassiana led to a five-times increase in fruit yield compared to untreated plants in 2021 and a three-times increase in 2022 but similar to lambda-cyhalothrin-treated plots in both years. Insect pest populations displayed a significant positive correlation with leaf and fruit damage, while no negative effects on agronomic traits or proximate composition were observed. Application of B. bassiana effectively reduced infestation of insect pests, minimized damage, and enhanced fruit yield in okra without adversely affecting its agronomic traits. Based on these findings, B. bassiana can be used as a substitute for synthetic chemicals and can therefore form an integral component of integrated pest management strategies for okra cultivation.

IDENTIFICATION AND GENETIC DIVERSITY OF TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum L.) GERMPLASMS IN IBADAN METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

A.S. OYELAKIN, O. C. OLABIYI, D. O. OLABIYI, I.A. KEHINDE, F. O. BABALOLA — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0100

The adoption of invasive tomato cultivars by peasant farmers has led to a decline in the cultivation of landraces. Presently, a huge number of tomatoes in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria are either hybridized or foreign cultivars which are difficult to identify and classify. It is likely that new varieties may have arisen through anthropogenic influences and natural hybridization. This negligence of landraces has contributed to the limitation on the extent of their genetic diversity for effective breeding and conservation for present and future uses. Consequently, six tomato germplasms were collected from local farmers in Ibadan and had their genetic diversity assessed for improvement, identification, and documentation purposes. The germplasms had their young leaves subjected to DNA extraction, PCR analysis, Sanger sequencing at Inqaba Biotec West Africa, Ibadan. Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) was used to confirm the identity of the landraces on the NCBI Genbank. The nucleotide sequences submitted to GenBank were assigned accession numbers: OR809185.1, OR809186.1, OR809187.1, OR809188.1, OR809189.1, and OR809190.1. The Bootstrap phylogenetic tree revealed genetic and evolutionary variation among accessions. The result of BLAST confirmed the identities of the germplasms with accessions in the Genbank as Grape tomato, Heirloom tomato, Red Brandywine, Red Beefsteak, and Cherry tomato for OR809185.1, OR809186.1, OR809187.1, OR809188.1, OR809189.1, and OR809190.1, respectively. The finding showed that variation by phylogenetic tree could be a potential source of genetic diversity for tomato crop improvement. It also documented Grape tomato, Grape tomato, Heirloom tomato, Red Brandywine, Red Beefsteak, and Cherry tomato as tomato varieties available in Ibadan metropolis.

GERMINATION, AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS AND YIELD OF CITRULLUS COLOCYNTHIS (L.) SCHRAD AS AFFECTED BY OSMOPRIMING AND NUTRIPRIMING

O.O. FAWIBE, U.T. SOKUNBI, A.S. OYELAKIN, O.I. LAWAL, I.O. OLAOLUWAPO — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Melon (Citrullus colocynthis) is an economic plant known for its nutritional and medicinal purpose. However, seed dormancy and low germination rate have been identified as major drivers for it low yield production. Therefore, the study investigated the influence of osmopriming and nutripriming on seed germination, growth and yield of C. colocynthis. Seeds of C. colocynthis were soaked in priming agents NaCl and KNO₃ (osmopriming) at 0.5 g/L, 2.5 g/L, and 4.5 g/L; Zn and K (nutripriming) at 0.01%, 0.05% and 0.15% for 12 hours while unprimed seeds served as the control. Percentage germination and germination index were calculated while chlorophyll content, biomass, fruit diameter and yield were obtained using standard procedures. The results showed that application of KNO₃ at 4.5 g/L and Zn at 0.05% increased percentage germination by 39.1% and 41.6%, respectively compared to the control. Using NaCl at 4.5 g/L significantly increased fruit diameter and yield of C. colocynthis by 3.4% and 19.3%, respectively; the least C. colocynthis yield was obtained under KNO₃at 0.5 g/L. K at 0.01% also increased the fruit diameter and yield of C. colocynthis by 4.5% and 10.7%, respectively compared to the control. Among the nutripriming treatments, K at 0.05% and Zn at 0.01% produced the least yield, but with comparable results with the control. In conclusion, priming C. colocynthis seeds with NaCl at 4.5 g/L (osmopriming) and K at 0.01% (nutripriming) significantly increased agronomic characteristics and yield of C. colocynthis and could be recommended to agriculturists for optimum yield of C. colocynthis.

IDENTIFICATION AND INTENSITY OF OCCURRENCE OF FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH SPOILAGE OF TOMATO FRUITS IN SOME MAJOR MARKETS IN OGUN STATE NIGERIA

T. T. JOSEPH-ADEKUNLE, , S. I. AGBOYINU , A. O. OGUNLEYE — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) fruit has high moisture content and very soft exocarp which predisposes it to mechanical damage and subsequent microbial infections that lead to spoilage. The condition is worsened with the postharvest and marketing/retail practices in the open markets; hence the experiments were carried out to isolate and identify the fungi causing deterioration of tomato fruits in major markets of selected Local Government Areas in Ogun State. Partially-deteriorated tomato fruits were collected from the markets for laboratory analysis using serial dilutions and pour plate method to isolate, identify and determine the frequency of occurrence of the fungi species present. Presence of Penicillium notatum, Aspergillus flavus, Alternaria spp and Fusarium oxysporum was established. Frequency of occurrence ranged between 17.14 and 65.71% while average fungi load count was 2.0 × 10³. Occurrence was highest in metropolitan open daily market and least percentage in village weekly market.

IMPACT OF HIGH RATES OF THREE ANIMAL MANURES ON SOIL EXCHANGEABLE SODIUM AND POTASSIUM AND WILD OKRA (Corchorus olitorius L.) PERFORMANCE

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0100

There is paucity of information on effects of manure-induced factors on soil owing to high application rates. This necessitated the study to evaluate effects of three animal manures on soil K⁺and Na⁺, and Corchorus olitorius L. The experiment was a randomized complete block design, replicated three times, in three cycles and six weeks per cycle. Cattle, goat and poultry manures were applied solely at the rates of 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 120 and 150 t ha^-1. During first cycle, percentage increases of soil K⁺bi-weekly over the control, were 550, 802, 763 % for cattle; 650, 783 1,086 % for goat and 380, 386, 500 % for poultry manure treatments at first, second and third cycle, respectively. Highest increase in soil Na⁺content at 6 weeks after planting of first, second and third cycles, were 9.36, 7.14, 4.83 cmol⁺ kg^-1for cattle; 8.74, 5.65, 4.49 cmol⁺ kg^-1 for goat and 6.08, 4.80, 3.34 cmol⁺ kg^-1for poultry amendments, respectively. At third cycle of planting, average reduction of soil Na⁺content for cattle, goat and poultry manure treatments, were quadrupled, cubic and doubled that of second cycle, respectively. Increase in Corchorus olitorius (L). leaf area irrespective of manure rates at second and third cycles doubled the values of first cycle. From the study, addition of cattle, goat and poultry manures above 60 t ha^-1 increased soil K⁺and Na⁺but hindered Corchorus olitorius L. performance at first cycle and their residual effects enhanced the performance at second and third cycles.

INFLUENCE OF HOME AND MUNICIPAL-SORTED SOLID WASTES ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCES OF TWO TOMATO VARIETIES (Solanum lycopersicon MILL) IN ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA.

M.M. ONAOLAPO, C.O. ADEJUYIGBE, F.A. OLOWOKERE, A.A. OYEKANMI, H.A. SAKA — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Field experiment was conducted at the Directorate of University Farms, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria during the early and late cropping seasons, 2019. Treatments were: composted municipal solid waste (CMSW); composted home sorted waste (CHSW); pyrolyzed municipal solid waste (PMSW) and pyrolyzed home sorted waste (PHSW) all applied at the rate of 10 t ha^-1, set up in a 5 × 2 factorial arranged in randomized complete block design in three replicates. Roma VF and Ibadan-local tomato varieties were test crops. Data were collected on plant height (PH), stem girth (SG), number of leaves (NL), number of flowers (NF), total number of fruits (TNFr) and cumulative fruit yield (CFY). Data were subjected to Analysis of Variance and means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at p<0.05. Treatments had significant effects on growth performance of tomatoes. Incorporation of PHSW enhanced PH, SG, NF and NFr in both planting seasons while CHSW enhanced only NL in both planting seasons. Plots amended with PHSW enhanced CFY at early (1019 t ha^-1) and late (269 t ha^-1) seasons compared to other amendments. However, Roma VF performed better at early season while Ibadan local responded well at the late season probably due to their adaptability and physiological factors during growing period. It is concluded that composted and pyrolyzed home sorted wastes improved growth performance in organic tomato production while planting of Roma VF at early season and Ibadan local at late season are therefore recommended for optimal production of tomato.