Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Ixora Coccinea Leaf Extract for Ethanol Vapour Sensing

This article reports the effects of natural plant proteins on the morphology of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) prepared via a precipitation method. Green synthesised ZnONPs have a wide range of uses such as biomedical applications, water purification, optical devices and gas sensors. The non-toxic and economical technique described in this article is favourable for large-scale production too. ZnONPs were produced from a zinc acetate precursor with dye extract of Ixora Coccinea (IC) leaves as a capping agent. The as-prepared ZnONPs were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV-visible (UV-vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques. The XRD analysis showed an average crystallite size of 23 nm. The SEM analysis revealed a reduction in aggregation of ZnO crystallites due to addition of dye extracts of IC. EDX and UV-vis results confirmed the formation of pure ZnONPs. Finally, the gas sensing properties of ZnO films, prepared by doctor blade method, were used to detect ethanol vapour. The results showed gas response ratios of 28.7 and 5.4 at 800 ppm and 40 ppm exposure, respectively. Furthermore, the response time and recovery time were found to be 24 sec and 47 sec, respectively at 200 ppm exposure of ethanol vapour.

Ixora coccinea (flame-of-the-woods).

A datasheet on Ixora coccinea covering, as an economically important tree, its taxonomy, importance, silviculture, distribution, biology and ecology, uses, products and pests.

Assessment of small scale horticultural nursery enterprises in some selected Local Government Areas in Ibadan Metropolis, Oyo State, Nigeria

The study assessed some selected small scale horticultural nursery enterprises in Ibadan metropolis. Data was collected through the use of well-structured questionnaires from 32 respondents and analysed using descriptive statistics and cost and return analysis. The result revealed that 93.7% of the respondents were male, 31.3% were between the ages of 31-40years with mean age of 43years,84.4% were married, 75% had between 1-5 household size with a mean house size of 5 persons. About fifty three percent (53.1%) of them were involved in horticultural practices as their primary occupation, 46.8% had tertiary education, however, majority 93.7% of them had one form of formal education with 14.5% mean years of experience, 75% of them belong to horticultural associations,81.2% source their credit through personal savings, majority (68.8%) rented their land through government, 50% source the seeds through other farmers while only 34.4% source their seeds through research institutions, categories of seedlings raised by the respondent are ornamental seedling (100%), forestry seedling (78.1%), medicinal seedling (65.6%) and agricultural seedling (81.3%) while Ixora (Ixora coccinea) (40.6%) was the most common species of seedling found in the nursery. On the average, the profit realized was ₦578, 925.00k per annum with Benefit cost ratio (BCR) of 4.8. Major problems confronting the enterprise were pest and insects, weeds, credit facilities, weather, transportation, low marketing patronage, cost of agrochemicals as well as availability of quality seeds. Keywords: Assessment, Horticultural, Enterprise, Gross Margin, Oyo, Nigeria

Enraizamento de estacas de mini-ixora (Ixora coccinea L. var. compacta) sob diferentes substratos e estimuladores de desenvolvimento radicular

A mini-ixora é uma planta ornamental propagada comercialmente por meio de estaquia e apreciada para uso em paisagismo. O enraizamento das estacas, no entanto, ocorre em baixa porcentagem, resultando em baixa produção de mudas nos viveiros. Visando otimizar a propagação vegetativa desta espécie, avaliou-se o efeito de diferentes estimuladores de desenvolvimento radicular e substratos sobre o enraizamento de estacas da mini-ixora. As estacas semi lenhosas com 10 cm de comprimento foram cultivadas em estufa climatizada. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 2 x 6, sendo dois substratos (S1: 100% de areia lavada e S2: 50% de bagaço de cana + 50% de vermiculita) e seis estimuladores de enraizamento (água - testemunha; extrato de tiririca; hormônio comercial; AIB 1000 mg/L; AIB a 2000 mg/L e AIB a 4000 mg/L). Utilizaram-se quatro repetições e dez estacas por parcela experimental. Após 120 dias, foram avaliados os seguintes parâmetros morfológicos: estacas enraizadas (%), mortalidade (%), comprimento do sistema radicular, qualidade do sistema radicular e número de brotos por estaca. A propagação vegetativa das estacas de mini-ixora utilizando como substrato a mistura de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar com vermiculita proporciona maior porcentagem de enraizamento, comprimento radicular e menor porcentagem de mortalidade das estacas. O cultivo das estacas de mini-ixora no substrato composto de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar e vermiculita dispensa o uso de estimuladores de enraizamento para a obtenção de estacas com melhor qualidade do sistema radicular. Palavras-chave: Estaquia. AIB. Produção de mudas. Propagação vegetativa. Rooting of mini-ixora cuttings (Ixora coccinea l. var. compacta) under different substrates and stimulators of radicular development Abstract Mini-ixora is an ornamental plant commercially propagated by cuttings. It is a species appreciated for use in gardens. The rooting of the cuttings, however, occurs in a low percentage, which results in low production of plants. In order to optimize the vegetative propagation of this species was studied the effect of different stimulators and substrates on rooting of mini-ixora cuttings. Cuttings with 10 cm were grown under controlled conditions. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a factorial scheme 2 x 6; two substrates (S1: 100% washed sand and S2: 50% sugarcane bagasse + 50% vermiculite) and six rooting stimulators (water; tiririca extract; commercial hormone; IBA 1000 mg/L; IAB 2000 mg/L and IBA 4000 mg/L). We used four replications and ten cuttings per experimental plot. After 120 days, we evaluated the following morphological parameters: percentage of rooted cuttings, percentage of mortality, length of the root system, root system quality and number of shoots per cutting. The vegetative propagation of the mini-ixora cuttings using as substrate a mixture of sugarcane bagasse with vermiculite provided the highest percentage of rooting, root length and lower percentage of mortality of the cuttings. The cultivation of mini-ixora cuttings on the substrate composed of sugarcane bagasse and vermiculite does not require the use of rooting stimulators to obtain cuttings with good quality of the root system. Keywords: Cuttings. IBA. Seedling production. Vegetative propagation.

Casca de arroz carbonizada como substrato alternativo na propagação por estaquia de ixora (ixora coccínea)

A ixora (Ixora coccínea) é um arbusto muito utilizado na floricultura e se destaca pelo seu uso como bordaduras, cercas vivas entre outros. O substrato comercial, embora apresente qualidade indispensável para produção de mudas, torna o custo final bem mais elevado e uma forma de superar essa limitação é a utilização de substrato regional ou alternativo. Visto que o mercado de flores tem crescido no ramo paisagístico do agronegócio, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a utilização da palha de arroz carbonizada como substrato para a produção de mudas de ixora via estaquia. Adotou-se delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com cinco tratamentos e quatro repetições referente a utilização de substrato a base de casca de arroz carbonizada (CAC). Para todos os tratamentos, realizou-se a formulação de substratos (S) nas seguintes proporções: S1- 100% de areia; S2- 20% de CAC + 80% de areia; S3- 40% de CAC + 60% de areia; S4- 60% de CAC + 40% de areia; S5- 80% de CAC + 20% de areia. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância pelo teste 'F', para diagnóstico de efeito significativo e os tratamentos comparados entre si pelo teste de Duncan a 5% de probabilidade. Os substratos de casca de arroz carbonizada apresentaram resultados satisfatórios na propagação vegetativa das estacas de ixora. Recomenda-se, para propagação das estacas de ixora, a utilização de 80% de casca de arroz carbonizada acrescida a 20% de areia, como substrato alternativo para produção de mudas de ixora.