Seasonal trends in epidemiological and entomological profiles of malaria transmission in North Central Nigeria

The influence of seasonal changes on epidemiological and entomological indices of malaria transmission in North Central Nigeria was elucidated in a series of studies carried out between January 2004 and December 2009. The climate in the study area was divided into three seasonal periods namely, rainy (May-October), dry (December-March) and transitional (April and November), during which larval and adult anopheline mosquito collections were carried out and assessed for densities, sporozoite infection and parity rates and potentials for malaria transmission. The results indicated that the climate in the study area was clearly seasonal, with close similarities in the patterns of distribution of the climatic factors in the study sites. Mosquito densities, both at the adult and larval stages (i.e., 29.35 +/- 5.10 adult mosquitoes/man/night and 10.36 +/- 3.34 larvae/dip, respectively), were significantly (p<0.05) highest during the rainy season. However, while the former varied significantly in the three seasonal periods, the latter was not significantly different during the dry and transitional seasons. Malaria transmission risks, in terms of sporozoite rates and entomological inoculation rates, was significantly (p<0.05) least in the dry season (i.e., 2.89 +/- 1.25% and 0.37 +/- 0.21 infective bite/man/night, respectively) but the two variables were not significantly (p>0.05) different during the transitional and rainy seasons. Adult mosquito daily survival rate and adult longevity were least in the dry season (26.52 +/- 11.80% and 6.80 days, respectively) and significantly (p<0.05) highest during the rainy season (72.28 +/- 4.00% and 16.95 +/- 4.20 days, respectively). Parous rates of the mosquitoes and duration of sporogony had distinct distribution pattern from the other variables investigated. While, significantly highest parous rates were recorded in the transitional season (86.00 +/- 4.30%), duration of sporogony was not significantly (p>0.05) different during the three seasons. The epidemiology of urban malaria in North Central Nigeria was discussed from the view points of the these results and concluded that the findings should promote the development of informed temporally-targeted vector control programs for the area.     

An Assessment of the Biodegradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Contaminated Soil Using Non-indigenous, Commercial Microbes

A study was conducted to determine the efficiency and effectiveness of two commercial microbial based bioremediation products compared to indigenous tropical microorganisms in a small-scale trial. The oil and grease content of the samples was monitored as an indication of the levels of petroleum hydrocarbon during the experiment. The indigenous enriched culture generally biodegraded the petroleum hydrocarbon to a greater extent than the commercial products and media controls early in the bioremediation process (0–5 days). However, as time progressed the extents of biodegradation were not significantly different between treatments until late in the bioremediation process (after 18 days). Of the two commercial products, one was more effective, reducing the level of oil and grease by 52.5% over the 3 week study. However, neither commercial product was able to meet the manufacturer’s stated level of 95% removal within three weeks. Commercial microbial-based bioremediation products may be used with some success in tropical environments, however location-specific trials may be required to ensure that the best commercial product is selected. As an alternative, the selective enrichment of indigenous microorganisms may result in similar performance at a reduced cost.     

Soil application of Trichoderma asperellum strains significantly improves Fusarium root and stem rot disease management and promotes growth in cucumbers in semi-arid regions

European Journal of Plant Pathology - To improve biocontrol approaches in Saudi Arabia, it is necessary to collect and screen suitable native Trichoderma strains. In this study, the biocontrol...     

The Hymenopteran parasitoid complex associated with Coniesta ignefusalis (Hampson) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) on Pearl millet in Mali

Phytoparasitica - Moths of Coniesta ignefusalis (Hampson) were collected by automatic light traps on millet field near Bamako in 2018. The light trap data shows three periods of moth flight. The...     

Family Variation in the Morphology and Physiology of White Spruce (Picea glauca) Seedlings in Response to Elevated CO2 and Temperature

Tree improvement programs aim to develop families that are well-adapted to future growing conditions. To gain insight into the stability of the family genetic response to climate change, white spruce (Picea glauca) seedlings from 60 full-sib families were subjected to a combination of two temperature regimes and two levels of CO₂ over two growing seasons. There was positive effect of warmer temperatures and higher CO₂ on some growth variables but no significant family × treatment interactions. Instantaneous water use efficiency was the only physiological trait that was affected positively by the CO₂ treatment, showing a 51% increase that was consistent across families.     

Changes in the physical properties of two Acacia compost-based growing media and their effects on carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) seedling development

In arid zones, the use of compost for plant production in forest nurseries is hindered by a lack of water. The main objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the physical stability of composts produced from shredded branches of Acacia cyanophylla and A. cyclops subjected to a repeated drying and wetting cycles, similar to those used at the operational scale in nurseries in arid regions and to compare these composts with a standard peat-vermiculite (PV) substrate; (2) to identify the relevant substrate physical variables that correlate with seedling growth. Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) was cultivated during a production cycle of 27 weeks in a completely randomized block experiment. Substrate physical variables were measured at the beginning, middle and end of the experiment. Seedling growth variables were evaluated over the course of the production cycle, while gas exchange and water-relation variables were measured during a wetting and drying cycle at the end of the experiment. All three substrates produced vigorous seedlings with well-developed root systems that colonized the entire root plug. The growth of seedlings produced in the PV substrate was better than those grown in the compost-based substrates. No significant differences in gas exchange capacities and water relation variables were observed among the three substrates at the end of experiment with the exception of net photosynthesis, which was higher for the PV substrate at high substrate matric potential. Excessive drainage was negatively correlated with growth variables while water availability in the early growth phase and air porosity towards the end of experiment were positively correlated. Performance of the two composts could be increased by improving their initial structure and stability and by adjusting the irrigation regime.     

A major QTL for gluten strength in durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum)

Gluten strength is an important characteristic, determining the end product quality of durum wheat semolina. To identify the genetic basis of gluten strength in North Dakota durum cultivars, a doubled haploid population was developed from the cross of a weak gluten cultivar ‘Rugby’ and a strong gluten cultivar ‘Maier’. A framework linkage map consisting of 228 markers was constructed and used with phenotypic data on gluten strength (measured by sedimentation volume) to conduct single- and two-locus QTL analyses. Only one consistent QTL (QGs.ndsu-1B) contributing up to 90% of the phenotypic or 93% of the genotypic variation was detected on 1BS. No QTL × QTL or QTL × environment interactions were observed. The QGs.ndsu-1B was flanked by two DArT markers which were converted to STS markers and used along with SSR and EST-SSRs to develop a map of 1BS. QTL analysis delineated QGs.ndsu-1B in a 7.3 cM region flanked by an STS marker (STS-wPt2395) and a SSR marker (wmc85). The adapted background of this material and availability of PCR-based markers closely associated with this locus represent invaluable resources for marker-assisted introgression of gluten strength into other durum wheat varieties. A single QTL segregating in this population also makes it an ideal target for map-based cloning.     

Egg production, egg quality and crop content of Rhode Island Red hens grazing on natural tropical vegetation

The aim of this experiment was to study the suitability of the outdoor system for Rhode Island Red hens under the tropical conditions of southern Mexico. Twelve floor pens, each containing four birds, were divided randomly into two groups. The first group was raised indoors only, while each of the second group replicates had access to an outdoor area with natural-grown vegetation from 0800 to 1700 hours daily. Both groups fed ad libitum on a commercial layers diet. The results revealed no differences in body weight between treatments. The outdoor group recorded significantly higher egg laying rate (86.90 vs. 78.05 %), higher egg mass (50.66 vs. 45.30 g egg/hen/day), and higher feed intake (103.70 vs. 97.67 g/day) versus the indoor group. The outdoor group had eggs with darker yellow yolks (9.46 vs. 5.46), lower yolk, and higher albumen proportions (P?<?0.05) versus the indoor group. The crop content of the outdoor hens consisted of 86.55 % concentrated feed, 6.30 % plant material, 2.27 % grit stones, 1.69 % snails and oyster shells, 1.25 % seeds, 0.95 % farm wastes, and 0.99 % insects, worms, and larvae. Of the outdoor hens, 43.1 % was observed to be in the range at each scanning time. The outdoor system in the tropics had beneficial effects on Rhode Island Red hen performance, and the hens utilized the outdoor area effectively and obtained various feed items.     

Serological Prevalence of Brucellosis among Donkeys (Equus asinus) in Some Local Government Areas of Yobe State,Nigeria

A cross-sectional study of prevalence of antibody against Brucella organisms was conducted among donkeys in three local government areas of Yobe State, northeastern Nigeria. Three hundred adult donkeys of both sexes were sampled, with 100 samples each from local government areas Bursari, Gaidam, and Machina. The overall serological prevalence of brucellosis among donkeys in the three local government areas by both rose bengal plate test (RBPT) and microtiter serum agglutination test (MSAT) was 15 (5.0%), of which five (1.7%) were male and 10 (3.3%) were female donkeys. The overall prevalence by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) was 10 (3.3%), of which four (1.33%) were male and six (2.0%) were female donkeys. There was a significant association between the female sex of the donkeys and the serological reaction to RBPT, MSAT, and cELISA (P < .05). Of the 100 sera sampled from Bursari, five (5%) were positive by RBPT/MSAT, which comprised two (2%) male and three (3.0%) female donkeys. There was no significant association between the sex of the donkeys and the serological reaction (P > .05). Of the 100 samples from Gaidam, four (4.0%) tested positive by RBPT/MSAT, of which one (1.0%) was male and three (3.0%) were female donkeys (P < .05). Six (6.0%) of the 100 donkey sera samples from Machina tested positive by both RBPT and MSAT, which comprised two (2.0%) male and four (4.0%) female donkeys. There was no significant association between the male sex of the donkeys and the serological reaction (P > .05); however, there was a significant association between the female sex of the donkeys and the serological reaction to both RBPT and MSAT (P < .05). Of the 100 samples from Bursari and the 100 samples from Gaidam, three (3%) from each were positive by cELISA, which comprised one (1%) male and two (2%) female donkeys. There was no statistically significant association between the sex of donkeys and the serological reaction (P > .05). Of the 100 samples tested from Machina, two (2%) male and two (2%) female donkeys were positive for Brucella antibodies by cELISA. No statistically significant association was demonstrated between the sex of the donkeys and the serological reaction to cELISA (P > .05). Because of the importance of donkeys to humans as a source of draft power, infected donkeys could be a source of Brucella infection to humans through close contact, through the respiratory system via contaminated dust or droplets, and through aborted fetuses and discharges from the genitalia.