Status of accumulated heavy metals in soils from organic and conventional farms in Akinyele Local Government, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

The risk associated with the presence of heavy metals in soil is their potential toxicity and ability to enter the ecosystem through the food chain. Total heavy metal content of a soil is inadequate for predicting the toxicity of heavy metals in soil. Therefore, the current study was designed to determine the various forms in which the selected heavy metals: Chromium (Cr), Lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), and Cadmium (Cd) exist in the soil to ascertain the available forms for plant uptake. Soils samples were randomly collected from selected organic and conventional farms in Akinyele local government, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, at different depths (0-15, 15-30 and 30-45 cm) using random sampling method. Routine analysis was carried out to determine the textural classes and chemical properties of soil samples. The total heavy metals of the soil samples were determined and their fractions were analysed using sequential extraction method. Cadmium was not detected in most of the soil samples. Residual fraction was predominant in all the analysed heavy metals. In addition, Cr was more associated with the oxidizable fraction having a range of 0.1 mg/kg from Ajibode organic farm (AO) at 30-45 cm depth. Pb and Ni were both more associated with reducible fraction with Pb having a range of 2.7 mg/kg in Ajibode conventional farm (AI) at 0-15 cm depth and 0.1 mg/kg in (AI) at 30-45 cm depth. Reducible values of Ni ranges from 4.3 mg/kg in AI at 0-15 cm to 1.4 mg/kg in AO at 30-45 cm. The apparent mobility and bioavailability for these heavy metals in the studied soils were in the order: Pb>Cr>Ni. The result showed that uptake of heavy metals by the plants would be low as the concentration of the exchangeable form of the heavy metals in the analysed soil sample has the least concentration when compared with the other forms.

Genetic analysis of low-n traits in maize (Zea mays L) using triple test cross

Low-N maize variety is developed for its ability to tolerate low nitrogen soil environment. This experiment was conducted to study the genetic implication of Low-N maize variety for grain yield and related traits under low nitrogen soil conditions triple test cross analysis. Inbred lines used for the study were generated from twelve low nitrogen tolerance open pollinated maize varieties after six generations of selfing. Two inbred lines along with their F1 were used as testers for ten inbred lines in a triple test cross pattern to generate 30 crosses. The 30 crosses, their parents and the testers to State University, Ado-Ekiti during 2017 planting season. The experimental design was a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Data were collected on plant height, ear height, days to 50% anthesis, days to 50% silking, incidence of curvularia leaf spot, blight, plant aspect, ear aspect, ear rot, stay green, cob per plant, ear weight, grain moisture content and grain yield. All data were subjected to analysis of variance and complete genetic estimates. Additive and dominants were significant (P < 0.05) for all traits; however, epitasis estimates were not significant for all the traits tested. The degree of dominance component indicated partial dominance for all the traits. Correlation coefficients for days to 50% anthesis and 50% silking, plant height, ear height, number of cobs per plant and grain yield were positive and significant (P < 0.05). Since both additive and dominance gene actions were important for low-N traits, the use of reciprocal recurrent selection procedure can be adopted in incorporating the trait into elite maize varieties.

Stochastic dominance rankings of consumption expenditure amongst arable crop farming households in Delta State, Nigeria

Finessing the question on household settlement choice is to enquire the income/consumption expenditure distribution that either makes her better-off or worse-off. Using 430 household-level micro-data from a three-stage sampling procedure, the study ranked consumption expenditure by household attributes in Delta state, Nigeria on axiomatic poverty measure. Results showed that household heads in the widowed and 0<𝑎𝑔𝑒≤20 years categories in Delta-North first-order stochastically dominated Delta-South (𝑁≻𝑠=1𝑆), 20<𝑎𝑔𝑒≤40 years household heads in 𝑆≻𝑠=1𝐶 and 𝑁≻𝑠=1𝐶, household heads in the widowed, vocational education holder and 0<𝑎𝑔𝑒≤20 years, 20<𝑎𝑔𝑒≤40 years and 𝑎𝑔𝑒>60 years categories in 𝑁≻𝑠=1𝐶, while household heads in the vocational education holder, 0<𝑎𝑔𝑒≤20 years, 20<𝑎𝑔𝑒≤40 years and 𝑎𝑔𝑒>60 years categories in 𝑆≻𝑠=1𝐶. Household heads in the female, single, medium household-size, tertiary education holder and 0<𝑎𝑔𝑒≤20 years categories in 𝑁≻𝑠=2𝑆 and 𝑁≻𝑠=3𝑆. Household heads in the single, medium-size, 20<𝑎𝑔𝑒≤40 years and tertiary education holder categories in 𝑁≻𝑠=2𝐶 and 𝑁≻𝑠=3𝐶. Household heads in the separated spouse and small household-size categories in 𝐶≻𝑠=2𝑁 and 𝐶≻𝑠=3𝑁 while household heads that are in the single category in 𝐶≻𝑠=2𝑆 and 𝐶≻𝑠=3𝑆. There is, generally, no stochastic dominance between pairwise comparisons by district in the state, in terms of consumption expenditure, except by other household attributes.

Effects of gender-based roles on farm households’ food security status in rural areas of Kogi State, Nigeria

Gender is one of the key issues of discourse among policy experts, research scholars and government as part of the sustainable development goals. In this paper, we examined gender roles in food security among farming households in Kogi state, Nigeria. First, we assessed the food security status of the farm households. Second, the contributions of gender in household security status were identified. A three-stage sampling technique was used to select 120 farm households and data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire. In the study we employed the use of food security index, chi square test and logistic regression analysis. The results revealed that only about 35% of the households are food secure (>2470 kcal/AE/day). The logistic regression model shows that fitted model is statistically significant with the log likelihood of 118.691 and Chi-square of 59.19 (P value < 0.05) with the R2 of 0.61. Household size, access to credit and membership of social groups are significant factors influencing households’ food security status. Therefore, the study recommends that women empowerments should be inculcated into the mainstream of any government policy targeted at ensuring food security of rural households.

Economic analysis of improved variety of groundnut production in north-western Nigeria

This research was conducted to analyse the economics of improved groundnut seeds’ production in North-Western, Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed for this study. Data were collected from 125 producers of improved variety of groundnut seeds in Bunkure Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano State using well-structured questionnaire. The data collected were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistics result revealed that respondents were active, mostly males and that they were mostly literate. The result revealed that the marketing of improved variety of groundnut seeds was efficient and that the enterprise was considered viable. Age, household size, farm size and access to credit were the factors that influenced the net marketing margin to producers of improved groundnut seeds. The study recommends that adequate credit facilities should be made available and improved variety of groundnut seeds should be subsidized so that producers can be motivated to use and adopt them.

Profitability analysis of small-scale fishing along Coastal Areas of Ondo State, Nigeria

This study evaluated the profitability analysis of small-scale fishing along coastal areas of Ondo State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 400 small-scale fishermen which were selected via multi-stage sampling procedure. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics and profitability indicators. Results revealed that mean age of respondents was 39 years, among the fixed assets for fishing, outboard engine has the largest percentage cost (88.32%) while among variable assets, fuel has the largest percentage cost (67.16%). Profitability indicators such as Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) 1.29, Gross margin ₦1,261,476.60k/fisherman/year, Return on Investment (ROI) 0.29, Net Profit Margin (NPM) 0.23 and Gross Revenue Ratio (GRR) 0.77 were used to estimate the profitability of small-scale fishing. The findings further revealed that fishing boat (1.284), outboard engine (0.352), fishing nets (1.342) and fuel (0.193) were positively and statistically significant at p<0.05 level with fish output level while accessories (floats, sinks and hooks) (0.142) was positively and statistically significant at p<0.1 with fish output level. The R2 value was 72.1% showing that the independent variable was well explained by the exogenous variables. Problems encountered by small-scale fishermen include inadequate infrastructural facilities, poor road networking system and inadequate credit facilities. Based on the findings, it was recommended that small-scale fishermen should organize themselves into cooperatives in order to increase their credit accessibility. Likewise, government should embark on construction of good road network in order to ease transportation of fish harvested to the neighboring towns.

Assessment of social media utilization by poultry and fish farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria

The study attempted to assess the utilization of social media (online newspaper, Agricultural blog, Email, Facebook, Twitter and Wikipedia) by poultry and fish farmers in Oyo state. A random selection was used to select 110 respondents. Data were collected through structured questionnaire and analyzed with frequency count, percentage, and chi-square test statistics. Findings revealed that respondents are at various level of usage of social media. WhatsApp (84%) and Facebook (78%) were accessed and used social media for livestock farming purposes. Incidences of not able to access information were 43% for agricultural blogs, Emails and Twitter, 46% for online newspapers. Further analysis revealed that visiting agricultural Blogs, Wikipedia and Email and Instagram have significant relationship with the level of education of the farmers. The study posited that basic education do serve as an enhancer to the utilization of social media.

Comparative morphology and ph of the alimentary tract in Archachatina marginata and Achatina achatina

A study was carried out to investigate the comparative morphology and pH of the gut in the Giant African Land Snails, in Archachatina marginata and Achatina achatina respectively. The crop is long, distended and less fleshy with reddish brown coloured juice (5.8 ml volume) in A. marginata, while it is short, compact and fleshy with greenish brown coloured juice (3.2 ml volume) in A. achatina. The digestive gland was heavier (17.36 vs. 15.74 g) in the latter than the former. The absolute weight of the crop in A. marginata was significantly (p<0.05) higher than in A. Achatina, however, the absolute and relative weights of the digestive gland in A. achatina was significantly (p<0.05) higher than in A. marginata. There were significant (p<0.05) differences in linear measurements of the salivary gland and crop for absolute values and the salivary gland, crop, stomach and digestive gland for relative values. Archachatina marginata had significantly (p<0.05) longer salivary gland and crop than Achatina achatina for absolute length values and significantly (p<0.05) longer salivary gland, crop and digestive gland for relative length values. However, the relative stomach length in A. achatina was significantly (p<0.05) longer than in A. marginata. The gut pH was more acidic in the crop (5.38 and 4.83) than in the mouth (6.93 and 6.82) where it tended towards neutrality in A. marginata and A. achatina respectively. The pH profiles in the two species, decreased by 1.65 and 1.99 from the mouth to the crop while it increased by 1.46 and 1.97 from the crop to the distal digestive gland in A. marginata and A. achatina respectively. In the herbivorous snails, the pH along the gut regions remained acidic all through (5.38 – 6.93 and 4.83 – 6.82) in A. marginata and A. achatina respectively, confirming the herbivorous habits in these snail species. The longer gut and distended crop with higher volume of crop juice in A. marginata, implies its ability to store, utilize and digest more food materials than A. achatina. These results provide the basis for a better understanding of the physiology of the digestive processes in these snails.

General and specific combining ability studies of yield and yield character of sweet potato weevil in predominant and non-predominant environments

Combining ability for marketable sweet potato root yield were carried out using ten sweet potato varieties and their F1 hybrids in Cylasformicarius endemic (Landmark University, Omu Aran) and free (University of Ibadan) environments during 2012 cropping season. Both general combining ability and specific combining ability play significant role on traits such as marketable root yield, non- marketable root yield, and total number of storage root/plant and marketable storage root, root size, percentage of tuber damage and weight of total roots, as well as the incidence and severity were generally low, suggesting the role of additive and dominant gene action in tolerances to Cylasformicarius. Hybrids from the parents Resisto, TIS 87/0087 displayed high performance in term of Cylasformicarius tolerance. These parents and their hybrids appeared to have gene pools for Cylasformicarius tolerance that can be manipulated for developing promising hybrids in South west, Nigeria.

Comparative Egg Production, Quality and Hatchability in Three Chicken Genotypes under Humid Tropical Conditions

Comparative study on egg production and hatchability characteristics in Nigerian local (NL; n=24), FUNAAB-α (F-α; n=24) and Transylvanian naked neck (TNN; n=24) chickens aged 25 weeks old was carried out for 4 weeks. Three hundred and sixty hatchable eggs each were used for quality characteristics determination and for incubation. F-α had significantly (P<0.001) higher egg production (90.3%) than TNN (76.9%) while TNN was higher than NL (58.3%). Egg weight (EWT), length, width and surface area, albumen height, weight, percentage and index, shell weight, color and internal quality unit (IQU) were significantly (P<0.001) affected by genotype. These followed the pattern: NL<F-α<TNN. F-α and TNN had significantly (P<0.001) higher values than NL in egg shape index, yolk weight, height and diameter. Yolk colour index was significantly (P<0.01) higher in TNN than in F-α. Yolk percentage and yolk-albumen ratio followed the pattern: NL>F-α>TNN. NL had (P<0.001) thicker and higher shell percentage (SP) than F-α and TNN. Higher Haugh unit (HU) was recorded in TNN than in NL and F-α. Fertility was significantly (P<0.05) higher in F-α than in TNN. Hatchability was not (P>0.05) affected by genotype. Chick weight and chick: egg ratio were significantly (P<0.001) by genotype. TNN had higher chick weight and yield than F-α and NL chicks. In conclusion, F-α laid more eggs than others, exhibited higher fertility with longer chicks at hatch. TNN is superior in EWT, HU, IQU and chick yield. NL had higher SP than others. Keywords: Egg production, Egg quality, FUNAAB alpha chicken, Hatchability, Transylvanian naked neck chicken.