Ricinodendron heudelotii, a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, is a valuable plant in Africa, particularly for the people of Côte d’Ivoire, because of its numerous food, medicinal, and socio-cultural uses. A significant proportion of the income of local communities is derived from the sale of their kernels on national and international markets. Despite its importance, there is no national conservation policy for the sustainable management of this species in Côte d’Ivoire, and limited molecular research has been conducted on it. Using four Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers, this study aimed to assess the genetic diversity of R. heudelotii populations from two agro-ecological zones. Leaves from 118 trees collected in these zones, western Côte d’Ivoire (Man) and southeastern Côte d’Ivoire (Agboville) were used for genomic DNA extraction following the cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) protocol. After DNA extraction, PCR amplification was performed, and the amplification products were visualized by 1% agarose gel electrophoresis at 100 V for one hour to confirm successful amplification. The effective number of alleles was 1.088, while the mean number of alleles ranged from 1.283 to 1.761. The mean genetic diversity was estimated at 0.060, and the mean Shannon diversity index ranged from 0.101 to 0.130. A total of 92 bands were detected, including 30 monomorphic and 62 polymorphic bands, corresponding to a polymorphism rate of 67.44%. Molecular analysis of variance (AMOVA) revealed that most of the genetic variation occurred within populations (98%). Cluster analysis of all sampled trees identified two distinct genetic groups composed of individuals from both populations. Genetic differentiation between the two populations was low (FST = 0.02). Group I comprised 24 trees from the Man site and six from the Agboville site, while Group II included 82 trees, consisting of 49 from Agboville and 33 from Man. In situ conservation is therefore essential to ensure the sustainable management of R. heudelotii. Furthermore, agroforestry policies that promote the use of trees from all genetic groups could reduce human pressure and help prevent the extinction of this species. Key words: Ricinodendron heudelotii, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), agroecological zones, Côte d’Ivoire.

Low soil Phosphorus is considered to be one of the major limiting factors to pearl millet production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This study seeks to establish the extent of genetic variability in the pearl millet mapping population and maintainers under varying levels of phosphorus. A set of twenty-four pearl millet mapping population and maintainer lines were evaluated at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Minjibir experimental station under two levels of Phosphorus application to determine the genotype responses and to identify major traits involved in Phosphorus tolerance. The experiment was laid out in an alpha lattice with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences for all 11 characters studied. The study identi?ed phosphorus-tolerant lines, P1449-2, PT732B-P2, ICMB 89111, ICMB 90111, and susceptible lines; H77/833-2 P5 (NT), Tift 186, and H77/833-2 (reselected), which could be utilized in developing QTLs to aid in marker-assisted breeding. Phosphorus fertilizer application resulted in significantly higher grain and grain yield components. Phosphorus application significantly increased heritability and genetic advance values in most of the yield and yield components. High heritability (60.12) coupled with high genetic advance (317.56) was found for head weight, followed by grain weight with high heritability (44.45) and high genetic advance (99.46), indicating that most likely the heritability is due to additive gene effects, and selection based on these characters would be effective for further pearl millet mapping population improvement program. Key words: Pearl millet, phosphorus, heritability, genetic advance, quantitative trait loci, marker-assisted selection.

Ginger plant (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is an essential and universally used spice in Nigeria and globally, producing a pungent, aromatic rhizome. Major diseases affecting ginger are mostly carried and spread via contaminated seed rhizomes. Exploring the possibility of producing clean and disease-free rhizomes using tissue culture is attractive. Hence, a crucial need to produce disease-free rhizomes in large quantities within a relatively short period of time and space using the plant tissue culture technique to ensure an uninterrupted supply of disease-free planting material for commercial use. Therefore, the use of the temporary immersion systems for ginger micropropagation presents an option to reduce labor, increase plant development, and improve plant quality. Using a Temporary Immersion Bioreactor (TIB) system helps in preventing major diseases affecting ginger seedlings, such as rhizome rot, bacterial wilt, and soft rot, by raising them in sterile conditions, thereby reducing pathogen exposure. In this study Medium Supplemented (MS) with different concentrations of auxin benzyl amino purine (BAP) was used to evaluate shoot multiplication and elongation. Micro shoots were cultured on MS with varying concentrations of BAP. From our results, 3 mg/L BAP was seen to produce the highest number of shoots, while 6 mg/L BAP was seen to enhance shoot length. This is ideal for proliferation and for elongation, respectively. This study has authenticated a working and consistent protocol for in vitro propagation of ginger. Key words: Micro propagation, ginger, bioreactor, temporary, tissue culture, in vitro, benzyl amino purine (BAP).

Maize being an important staple food crop is widely consumed in Kenya but its production remains low due to biotic and abiotic challenges that have not been addressed sufficiently through conventional breeding. This study sought to optimize the establishment of cell suspension and protoplast cultures for 10 tropical inbred maize genotypes in order to identify genotypes that can readily establish in liquid cultures and those whose cell suspensions and protoplasts are capable of in vitro regeneration. Callus were induced using immature zygotic embryos on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3 mg/L 2, 4-D, 5 mg/L dicamba or 5 mg/L picloram. Dicamba and picloram induced friable calli that readily dispersed into cell suspensions in liquid MS medium supplemented with 0.1 g/L asparagine and either 0.4 or 0.8 g/L proline. Cell growth was determined by packed cell volume (PCV) every seven days. The highest PCV (240 µl/ml) was recorded in genotype EO4 followed by CML 216 (188 µ/ml). Optimal growth was observed in cells maintained in MS Amended with 0.4 or 0.8 g/L of proline in combination with 0.1 g/L asparagine compared to medium without proline. It was also observed that cells cultured in media with reduced Ammonium Nitrate (12 fold reduction) recorded higher PCV values than controls. Protoplasts were generated from the resulting cells using 2% cellulase and 0.5% pectolyase in an enzyme digestion cocktail containing Mannitol and Calcium Chloride (MaCa) and washed in MS with vitamins containing Mannitol (MSMa). Only cell clusters of genotype EO4 gave rise to plants with a regeneration frequency of 42.51%. In conclusion, success was achieved in callus initiation, formation of cell suspension cultures and their eventual regeneration into whole plants for selected tropical maize genotypes.

Perryl) extracts in the control of Dermestes maculatus larvae infesting stored fish (Clarias gariepinus) were investigated under laboratory condition (28±3°C and 65±5% RH). The extracts were tested by application of 2.0 µL each to ten third instars larvae using micro pipette at a concentration of 6.00, 10.00 and 20.00% each of the plant extracts (methanol, n-hexane and ethyl acetate). Mortality was recorded at 1, 2, 3 and 7 days of post treatments. The observed mortality was dose and exposure-dependent. All the extracts significantly enhanced larval mortality (P>0.05) when compared with the control. The n-hexane and ethyl-acetate extracts of P. guineense at 20% concentration induced the highest mortality of 86.66%, lowest mortality of 56.66% was observed on methanol fraction treated larvae after 7 days of post treatments. The n-haxane of E. aromaticum extracts recorded highest mortality (80.0%), followed by ethyl-acetate (76.66%) and methanolic (7.00%) fractions treated larvae at 20% concentration after 7 days of post-treatments. The results showed strong insecticidal activity in control of larvae of hide beetles infesting dried fish.

Presently, the snail shells produced wastes that are detrimental to clean immediate environment while over reliance on synthesized polymer are suicidal to environment because they are not degradable. Hence, biological production of polymer through shells of snail recycling will signal an ending to consequences associated with wastes and polymer synthesis. Therefore, the current study is targeted at chitosan extraction, production and characterization from shells of snail. Shells of snail were obtained in Ilesha, Osun State, Nigeria and dried for 24 h in sun and later ground using grinding stone. Extraction of chitin and production of chitosan were both achieved from shells of snail powdery form (10 g). A standard method was employed for determination of physicochemical and functional properties. Chitin and chitosan of 5.50 and 2.46 g were observed with percentages of 55 and 44.73 through decolorization, demineralization, deproteinization and deacetylation (DCMPA) methods. The recorded properties (physicochemical and functional) are: content of nitrogen (1.45%), composition of ash (0.14%), content of moisture (4.84%), viscosity (942cP), solubility (83.65%), deacetylation degree (26.55%), capacity of emulsion (9.54%), density of bulk (0.89 g/ml), capacity of water binding (816.43%) and capacity of fat binding (356.45%). The best and high quality chitosan was produced with references to quantities and properties through DCMPA methods.

The current study assessed the anticoccidial efficacy of chitosan nanoencapsulated bromelain (CNB) against coccidiosis in goats. Bromelain was extracted from the pineapple peels using standard methods while oral solution of CNB was prepared using standard manufacturing methods. The in vivo study was done on fifteen healthy male goats naturally infected with coccidia. The goats were divided into three groups consisting of three treatment groups (90 and 270 mg/Kg CNB, Diclazuril, 5 mg/Kg). The drugs were administered orally for 3 days. Fecal Oocyst Counts (FOC) determined using the modified McMaster technique. The goats were observed for clinical signs on daily basis while body weight was recorded weekly. The level of packed cell volume (PCV), aspartate aminotransferases (AST), alanine aminotransferases (ALT), urea, and creatinine were assessed weekly. At the end of the study, goats were euthanized and gross pathology and histopathology conducted. The results showed that at day 28 post-treatment there was a significantly reduction of FOC of 98.42 and 82.30% for Diclazuril and 270 mg/Kg treatment groups, respectively. The reduction of FOC percentage was significantly higher (p ≤ 0.01) in Diclazuril group than that in 270 mg/Kg. During the monitoring period, there was no mortality or clinical signs observed in the goats. The PCV, AST, ALT, creatinine and urea were in normal ranges for goats. There were no pathological lesions on the goat organs. In conclusion, CNB had high anticoccidial efficacy and was safe for use in goats. Strategies to improve the efficacy of this potential drug should be further investigated.   Key words: Anticoccidial efficacy, bromelain, chitosan, goat, nanoencapsulation.

The aim of the research was to investigate the antibacterial activities and the phytochemical properties of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Mango (Mangifera indica) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves, on clinical isolates of Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi A, B and C, in Lafia, Nigeria. The agar well diffusion technique was used and the analyses were done in triplicates. At the highest aqueous and ethanolic extract concentration of 80 mg/ml, S. typhi, showed inhibition zones of 29.4±0.1mm and 30.0±0.01 mm respectively, while S. paratyphi A, B and C, exhibited inhibition zones of 14.4±0.2, 21.2±0.4, 13.4±0.1 mm and 18.0±0.03, 20.0±0.04, 21.0±0.04 mm, respectively. At aqueous and ethanolic lower extract concentration of 10 mg/ml, S. typhi, exhibited inhibition zones of 8.4±0.01 and 9.0±0.1 mm, respectively, while S. paratyphi A, B and C, showed inhibition zones of 9.5±0.01, 9.1±0.01, 6.2±0.01 mm and 9.0±0.01, 9.0±0.01, 9.0±0.01 mm, respectively of Neem leaf extract. The MIC and MBC, of aqueous and ethanolic extracts against organisms were 2.5 and 5.0 mg/ml, respectively. The qualitative phytochemical results showed the presence of alkaloids, anthraquinones, carbohydrates, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids and saponins. Conclusively, the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the studied medicinal plant exhibited bactericidal activities against all tested organisms, and this supports the claim by traditional medical practitioners and vendors of the use of the plants for the cure of typhoid fever. Further studies are recommended on the toxicity and safe dosage regimen of the plants since the infusion of the plant is taken orally by people for cure of typhoid fever.   Key words: Salmonella organisms, typhoid fever, phytochemical constituents, bacteria, medicinal plants.

The study was carried out to produce a microcapsule powder of total flavonoids and total total phenols of methanol extract of the cashew, using a complex coacervation encapsulation method. In the search for optimal conditions for encapsulation, a three level factorial design was set up, while taking into account factors like time and proportions in Arabic gum and gelatin. The kinetic of encapsulation follows a kinetic of 2nd order which gives polynomial equations of the second degree. The conditions found are respectively 45 min, 30% Arabic gum and 70% gelatin, for an encapsulation yield is 84.37%; the encapsulation rate is 77.9% for the total flavonoids and 76.5% for the total phenols. The powder obtained has a doubled concentration in total flavonoids and total phenols than the raw bark powder.   Key words: Encapsulation, complex coacervation, total flavonoids, total phenols, Anacardium occidentale.

Cordycepin is one of the most important bioactive compounds; the low productivity and long production cycle of cordycepin are barriers to its commercialization. The optimal media for cordycepin production by Cordyceps militaris BCC 2819 and Cordyceps cicadae BCC 19788, which are potent cordycepin-producing-fungal strains, were determined through statistical experiments. Six nutrients including glucose, adenine, glycine, alanine, casein hydrolysate and vitamin solution were found to influence the cordycepin production by C. militaris BCC 2819, while the same factors were found for the cordycepin production by C. cicadae BCC 19788 except glucose that was replaced by ammonium sulfate. The highest cordycepin production of 1,176.69 ± 263.33 mg/L was obtained by C. militaris BCC 2819 using the central composite design. The highest cordycepin production of 4,259.63 ± 224.20 mg/L was obtained by C. cicadae BCC 19788 using the central composite design. Cordycepin production in 5-L fed-batch fermentation by C. militaris BCC 2819 and C. cicadae BCC 19788 using optimized medium reached maximum production levels of 3,112.50 and 3,587.10 mg/L, respectively, accounted for more than 1.2-fold compared to those in batch fermentation. Furthermore, the highest levels of the bioactive compounds; exopolysaccharide, adenosine and mannitol produced by C. militaris BCC 2819 were 43.90 ± 2.51 g/L, 2,897.40 ± 382.47 mg/L and 5,981.10 ± 254.72 mg/L, respectively. The highest levels of the bioactive compounds; exopolysaccharide, adenosine and mannitol produced by C. cicadae BCC 19788 were 38.10 ± 2.84 g/L, 3,78520 ± 165.70 mg/L and 6,100.20 ± 191.14 mg/L, respectively. These results demonstrated the new isolates produced high amounts of bioactive compounds, especially cordycepin. Interestingly, this process can be applied for cordycepin production for future applications or scale-up studies.   Key words: Batch fermentation, cordycepin, Cordyceps militaris, fed-batch fermentation, Cordyceps cicadae, optimization.