scholarly journals Concentrations of Trace Metals in Three Leafy Vegetables (Telfairia occidentalis, Amaranthus viridis and Pterocarpus erinaceus) during the Dry Season in Enugu, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
pp. 38-45
Author(s):  
A. O. Onah ◽  
G. I. Ameh ◽  
C. D. Nwani ◽  
E. N. Anumudu ◽  
J. U. Anukwu
Keyword(s):  
Trace Metals ◽  
Room Temperature ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Plant Tissues ◽  
Vegetable Samples ◽  
Telfairia Occidentalis ◽  
Pterocarpus Erinaceus ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
Enugu State

Aims: To investigate the trace metals, manganese (Mn), Nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) in vegetable samples (Telfairia occidentalis, Amaranthus viridis and Pterocarpus erinaceus) from three senatorial zones in Enugu state, Nigeria during dry season period. Place of Study: The leaf samples were collected from three senatorial zones (Enugu north, Enugu west and Enugu east) of Enugu State Nigeria. Methodology: The samples were collected fresh in January, February and March. Prior to analysis, each of the collected samples were dried at room temperature, pulverized using a ball mill and stored at room temperature. They were digested using the wet digestion method and individual metals analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: The results of the findings revealed that the concentrations of trace metals in the plant tissues were in the following decreasing order Fe > Zn > Mn > Cr > Co > Cd. Amaranthus viridis had the highest accumulation of trace metals while P. erinaceus had the least. Enugu East senatorial zone had the highest accumulation of Mn and Co in all the vegetable samples while Enugu West senatorial zone showed the highest accumulation of Ni, Cr, Zn and Fe in all the plant tissues. Enugu north senatorial zone had the least level of trace metals accumulation in the three plant tissues. Manganese contamination could be a result of mining, battery and automobile fume pollution which dissolve into the soil and are absorbed by plants more effectively during dry seasons. Conclusion: To mitigate the unwanted increase of these metals in vegetables during the dry season, it is necessary to strengthen environmental waste disposal laws.

scholarly journals Prevalence of intestinal parasites in vegetables sold in major markets in Ibadan city, south-west Nigeria

1970 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-12
Author(s):  
A Adejumoke ◽  
O Morenikeji
Keyword(s):  
Intestinal Parasites ◽  
Strongyloides Stercoralis ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Plant Tissues ◽  
Green Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Vegetable Samples ◽  
Sedimentation Technique ◽  
South West ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
The City

Studies were carried out in Ibadan City, South-West Nigeria between March and June 2011, to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in vegetables sold in various markets within the city. Fifty samples each of 5 different vegetable types, Cabbage (Brassica deracea), Lettuce (Lactus sativa), Carrot (Daucus carota), Cucumber and green leafy vegetables were bought randomly from five different markets and examined for parasites in the laboratory using sedimentation method. Results show that 29(11.6%) out of the 250 vegetable samples examined had intestinal parasites. The prevalence of intestinal parasites in these plant tissues was found to be 22.0% in Cabbage, 14.0% in Carrot, 12.0% in lettuce and 10.0% in Green leafy vegetables. No parasites were detected in the 50 cucumber samples. Intestinal parasites detected included ova of Ascaris lumbricoides (51.7%), Hookworm larvae (27.6%) and larvae of Strongyloides stercoralis (20.7%). This study shows a high prevalence of intestinal parasites on vegetables in Ibadan markets and the need for public enlightenment campaigns on the danger of consuming inadequately washed and raw vegetables.KEYWORDS: Intestinal parasites, vegetable, market, sedimentation technique, South-West Nigeria.

Rising ecosystem water demand exacerbates the lengthening of tropical dry seasons

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Xu ◽  
Xu Lian ◽  
Ingrid Slette ◽  
Hui Yang ◽  
Yuan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Demand ◽  
Potential Evapotranspiration ◽  
Central Africa ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Land Area ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Factor Governing

Abstract The timing and length of the dry season is a key factor governing ecosystem productivity and the carbon cycle of the tropics. Mounting evidence has suggested a lengthening of the dry season with ongoing climate change. However, this conclusion is largely based on changes in precipitation (P) compared to its long-term average (P ̅) and lacks consideration of the simultaneous changes in ecosystem water demand (measured by potential evapotranspiration, Ep, or actual evapotranspiration, E). Using several long-term (1979-2018) observational datasets, we compared changes in tropical dry season length (DSL) and timing (dry season arrival, DSA, and dry season end, DSE) among three common metrics used to define the dry season: P < P ̅, P < Ep, and P < E. We found that all three definitions show that dry seasons have lengthened in much of the tropics since 1979. Among the three definitions, P < E estimates the largest fraction (49.0%) of tropical land area likely experiencing longer dry seasons, followed by P < Ep (41.4%) and P < P ̅ (34.4%). The largest differences in multi-year mean DSL (> 120 days) among the three definitions occurred in the most arid and the most humid regions of the tropics. All definitions and datasets consistently showed longer dry seasons in southern Amazon (due to delayed DSE) and central Africa (due to both earlier DSA and delayed DSE). However, definitions that account for changing water demand estimated longer DSL extension over those two regions. These results indicate that warming-enhanced evapotranspiration exacerbates dry season lengthening and ecosystem water deficit. Thus, it is necessity to account for the evolving water demand of tropical ecosystems when characterizing changes in seasonal dry periods and ecosystem water deficits in an increasingly warmer and drier climate.

scholarly journals Fruiting phenology and consumption by birds in Ficus calyptroceras (Miq.) Miq. (Moraceae)

2002 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. RAGUSA-NETTO
Keyword(s):  
Food Resource ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Frugivorous Birds ◽  
Fruiting Phenology ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
Seed Dispersers ◽  
Wet And Dry Seasons

Figs are a remarkable food resource to frugivores, mainly in periods of general fruit scarcity. Ficus calyptroceras Miq. (Moraceae) is the only fig species in a type of dry forest in western Brazil. In this study I examined the fruiting pattern as well as fig consumption by birds in F. calyptroceras. Although rainfall was highly seasonal, fruiting was aseasonal, since the monthly proportion of fruiting trees ranged from 4% to 14% (N = 50 trees). I recorded 22 bird species feeding on figs. In the wet season 20 bird species ate figs, while in the dry season 13 did. Parrots were the most important consumers. This group removed 72% and 40% of the figs consumed in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. No bird species increases fig consumption from dry to wet season. However, a group of bird species assumed as seed dispersers largely increases fig consumption from wet to dry season, suggesting the importance of this resource in the period of fruit scarcity. The results of this study points out the remarkable role that F. calyptroceras plays to frugivorous birds, in such a dry forest, since its fruits were widely consumed and were available all year round.

Effects of Phosphorus and Carbofuran on the Growth and Nitrogen Fixation of Azolla pinnata and the Yield of Rice

1988 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. P. Singh ◽  
P. K. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Nitrogen Uptake ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Rice Grain ◽  
Azolla Pinnata ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Nitrogen Yield ◽  
Matter Production ◽  
Dry Seasons

SUMMARYThe effects of phosphorus fertilizer and the insecticide carbofuran on the growth and N2-fixation of Azolla pinnata and on the growth, grain yield and nitrogen uptake of intercropped rice were examined in a wet and a dry season. Treatment with phosphorus or carbofuran increased the biomass of Azolla and the amount of nitrogen fixed (nitrogen yield) in both seasons, but the response was much better in the dry season. Azolla inoculation at 1.0 t ha−1 resulted in a greater bio mass and nitrogen yield than inoculation at 0.5 t ha−1. In the dry season, a combination of phosphorus and carbofuran enhanced the growth and N2-fixation of Azolla more than either treatment alone. Carbofuran treatment slowed the rate of decomposition of Azolla, particularly in the dry season. The plant height, leaf area index and dry matter production of rice at flowering time were increased in the plots treated with phosphorus or carbofuran in the wet season and these treatments increased rice grain yield and nitrogen uptake in both the wet and dry seasons.

scholarly journals The economics of phosphorus supplementation of beef cattle grazing northern Australian rangelands

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 683
Author(s):  
M. K. Bowen ◽  
F. Chudleigh ◽  
R. M. Dixon ◽  
M. T. Sullivan ◽  
T. Schatz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Cattle Herd ◽  
Annual Business ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
P Deficiency ◽  
Business Profit ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
Land Types

Context Phosphorus (P) deficiency occurs in beef cattle grazing many rangeland regions with low-P soils, including in northern Australia, and may severely reduce cattle productivity in terms of growth, reproductive efficiency and mortality. However, adoption of effective P supplementation by cattle producers in northern Australia is low. This is likely to be due to lack of information and understanding of the profitability of P supplementation where cattle are P-deficient. Aims The profitability of P supplementation was evaluated for two dissimilar regions of northern Australia, namely (1) the Katherine region of the Northern Territory, and (2) the Fitzroy Natural Resource Management (NRM) region of central Queensland. Methods Property-level, regionally relevant herd models were used to determine whole-of-business productivity and profitability over 30 years. The estimated costs and benefits of P supplementation were obtained from collation of experimental data and expert opinion of persons with extensive experience of the industry. The economic consequences of P supplementation at the property level were assessed by comparison of base production without P supplementation with the expected production of P-supplemented herds, and included the implementation phase and changes over time in herd structure. In the Katherine region, it was assumed that the entire cattle herd (breeders and growing cattle) grazed acutely P-deficient land types and the consequences of (1) no P supplementation, or P supplementation during (2) the dry season, or (3) both the wet and dry seasons (i.e. 3 scenarios) were evaluated. In the Fitzroy NRM region, it was assumed that only the breeders grazed P-deficient land types with three categories of P deficiency (marginal, deficient and acutely deficient), each with either (1) no P supplementation, or P supplementation during (2) the wet season, (3) the dry season, or (4) both the wet and dry seasons (i.e. 12 scenarios). Key results In the Katherine region, year-round P supplementation of the entire cattle herd (7400 adult equivalents) grazing acutely P-deficient pasture resulted in a large increase in annual business profit (+AU$500000). Supplementing with P (and N) only in the dry season increased annual business profit by +AU$200000. In the Fitzroy NRM region, P supplementation during any season of the breeder herd grazing deficient or acutely P-deficient pastures increased profit by +AU$2400–AU$45000/annum (total cattle herd 1500 adult equivalents). Importantly, P supplementation during the wet season-only resulted in the greatest increases in profit within each category of P deficiency, comprising +AU$5600, AU$6300 and AU$45000 additional profit per annum for marginal, deficient and acutely P-deficient herds respectively. Conclusions The large economic benefits of P supplementation for northern beef enterprises estimated in the present study substantiate the current industry recommendation that effective P supplementation is highly profitable when cattle are grazing P-deficient land types. Implications The contradiction of large economic benefits of P supplementation and the generally low adoption rates by the cattle industry in northern Australia suggests a need for targeted research and extension to identify the specific constraints to adoption, including potential high initial capital costs.

Effects of seasonal variation and locations on microbial load in sediment and water of a polluted ecosystem

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-105
Author(s):  
A.N. Okereke ◽  
J.C. Ike-Obasi
Keyword(s):  
Heterotrophic Bacteria ◽  
Standard Procedure ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Microbial Load ◽  
Seasonal Effects ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Different Seasons ◽  
Dry Seasons ◽  
Total Fungi ◽  
Hydrocarbon Utilizing Bacteria

Seasonal effects on microbial load of sediment and water at different locations along Bonny Estuary of Niger Delta was investigated for a period of 12 months. All analyses followed standard procedure. Results revealed that total fungi counts in sediment and water at different locations were not significantly different (p > 0.05) at both wet and dry seasons while hydrocarbon utilizing fungi showed significant differences (p < 0.05) at both seasons in both sediment and water samples. During the wet season, total faecal counts ranged from 5.0 to 10.0 x 105 CFU/g for sediment and 4.0 to 7.0x 105 CFU/g in water. In dry season, the concentration of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria in the sediment ranged between 0.1 x 105 CFU/ml/g and 8.0 x 105 CFU/ml/g in wet season while in dry season, the concentration in water ranged between 0.1 x 105 CFU/ml/g and 6.0 x 105 CFU/ml/g at Abuloma. At Okwujagu, total heterotrophic bacteria counts in sediment ranged  from 0.1 to 8.0 x 105 CFU/g in dry season. This was higher than the range 0.1 to 6.8.0 x 105 CFU/ recorded in Abuloma, Okwujagu and Slaughter at dry season. The highest vibrio counts in water (11.0 x 105 CFU/ml) for wet and (10.0 x 105 CFU/ml) for dry seasons were recorded at Slaughter. In Oginiba, the feacal count recorded 3.0 x 105 CFU/ml in water during the wet season and 2.0 x 105 CFU/ml for dry season. Generally, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the bacterial concentrations in both sediment and water. This showed that different seasons favour the growth of certain microbial types.

scholarly journals Monitoring Land Surface Temperature Change with Landsat Images during Dry Seasons in Bac Binh, Vietnam

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 4067
Author(s):  
Thanhtung Dang ◽  
Peng Yue ◽  
Felix Bachofer ◽  
Michael Wang ◽  
Mingda Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Land Surface Temperature ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Landsat Images ◽  
Surface Temperature Change ◽  
Green Vegetation ◽  
Dry Seasons

Global warming-induced climate change evolved to be one of the most important research topics in Earth System Sciences, where remote sensing-based methods have shown great potential for detecting spatial temperature changes. This study utilized a time series of Landsat images to investigate the Land Surface Temperature (LST) of dry seasons between 1989 and 2019 in the Bac Binh district, Binh Thuan province, Vietnam. Our study aims to monitor LST change, and its relationship to land-cover change during the last 30 years. The results for the study area show that the share of Green Vegetation coverage has decreased rapidly for the dry season in recent years. The area covered by vegetation shrank between 1989 and 2019 by 29.44%. Our findings show that the LST increase and decrease trend is clearly related to the change of the main land-cover classes, namely Bare Land and Green Vegetation. For the same period, we find an average increase of absolute mean LST of 0.03 °C per year for over thirty years across all land-cover classes. For the dry season in 2005, the LST was extraordinarily high and the area with a LST exceeding 40 °C covered 64.10% of the total area. We expect that methodological approach and the findings can be applied to study change in LST, land-cover, and can contribute to climate change monitoring and forecasting of impacts in comparable regions.

Osmo-predried fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) leaf and its nutri-economic evaluation

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence Olusegun Ajala ◽  
John O. Igidi ◽  
Temitope Omolayo Fasuan ◽  
Chidinma Emmanuel Ominyi
Keyword(s):  
Economic Evaluation ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Sodium Chloride ◽  
Leafy Vegetables ◽  
Corn Syrup ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fluted Pumpkin ◽  
Telfairia Occidentalis ◽  
Nutritional Qualities ◽  
Osmotic Agents

Purpose Leafy vegetables are known to be highly perishable because of high moisture content, which had resulted in applications of different preservative methods. However, these methods were not without certain limitations during storage. Osmotic pre-dehydration had been proved to be a better alternative because of high retention and improvement in nutritional qualities and stability during storage. This study aims to investigate the osmotic pre-dehydration of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) leaves. Design/methodology/approach Fluted pumpkin (T. occidentalis) leaves were pre-dried using sucrose, corn syrup and sodium chloride solutions as osmotic agents, while unosmo-predried leaves were used as the control. Both osmo-predehydrated and unosmo-predried leaves were dried in a hot air oven, whereas the effect of the osmotic agents on the nutritional qualities was investigated using standard protocols. Findings There were significant differences (p-values ranged from 0.001 to 0.030) in the proximate compositions of samples. Osmo-predried leaves recorded higher mineral contents in Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn and Na. Osmotic pre-dehydration by NaCl had a significant effect (p = 0.02) on ascorbic acid. The amino acid profile of the oven-dried leaves (unosmo-predried) showed that histidine and cysteine recorded high amino acid scores of 120.42% and 135%, respectively. Threonine (43.73%) recorded the highest essential amino acid score (without histidine). The economic evaluation indicated the percentage cost index difference of leaves treated with NaCl as 2.08%, sucrose (11.19%) and corn syrup (16.43%). Originality/value The high proportion of beneficial elements such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and appreciable chemical compositions of the osmo-predried leaves compared to unpre-dried leaves proved osmotic pre-dehydration as a value-added technique for preservation of leafy vegetables. The best osmotic agent was sodium chloride. This process could be applied on a small scale for the development of self-entrepreneurs and home-scale industries.

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