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Agromorphological and nutritional quality profiles of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F.) as influenced by cultivar, growing medium and soil amendment source
53-59.Views:346Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F.) is popular as food and feed around the world. Sixteen treatments were developed from factorial combinations of three factors: cultivar (ugu elu and ugu ala), growing medium (garden soil (GS) and white sand (WS)), and soil amendment source (poultry manure, NPK, supergro and no amendment). A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the agromorphological and nutritional traits of fluted pumpkin obtained from the treatments. Fresh leaves were analyzed for crude protein, crude fibre, crude lipid, total ash, phytate and nitrate concentrations. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and principal component analysis. Mean plots were used to explain the effects of the three factors and profiling was done using the GYT biplot. There were significant (p≤0.05/0.01) mean squares for measured traits, suggesting the possibility of selection among the treatments. Plants in GS consistently out-performed those in WS for shoot weight, leaf length, and number of leaves per plant possibly due to greater availability of nutrients in the GS. Inconsistent patterns observed in the proximate concentrations of pumpkin from the 16 treatments showed the role of interaction among the three factors. Principal component analysis identified some traits as contributors to differences among the treatments which can be basis of selection. Treatments 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 might be useful to improve vegetative yield while 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 could improve nutritional values of the fluted pumpkin.
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Influence of time of planting on yam performance and pest infestation in humid rainforest of southwestern Nigeria
77-84.Views:43Yams (Dioscorea spp.) are annual or perennial tuber-bearing and climbing plants that belong to the family Dioscoreaceae. Only six principal species are grown for human consumption, while several others are produced for medicinal purposes. This study was designed to determine the influence of time of planting on yam performance and pest infestation in humid rainforest of southwestern Nigeria. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three treatments replicated five times. The planting materials are dipped into wood ash and allowed to dry up. The number of yam setts required for this work is 4 pieces, each of white yam sett, seed yam, and 4 pieces of water yam setts for the different planting times. The planting is done in five (5) phases. In each phase 12 heaps are planted, 4 white yams (seed yam), 4 yam setts (white yam) and 4 water yam setts. No significant difference was observed in 50% sprouting both in treatments and replication. There is significant difference in yield both in treatment and block. Yam planted in April (R5) has the highest yield with 3.7 kg, followed by those planted in ending March (R4) with 2.83 kg, followed by those planted in mid-February (R1) with 1.43 kg, then those planted in February ending (R2) with 1.2 kg and those planted in mid-March (R3) with 1.17 kg respectively. The highest level of destruction was witnessed in white seed yam planted in Mid-March and Mid-April as well as white yam sett planted in Mid-February. The lowest level of destruction was found in water yam sett planted in February ending. Shifting planting date can reduce larval survival and pest populations in yam tuber.
Keywords: Dioscorea spp., pest infestation, destruction, sprouting, yam performance.
