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Evaluation of yield, quantitative and qualitative attributes of three amaranth species grown under organic medium enclosed Trough system
Get PDFThesis (M.A. Agricultural Management (Plant Production)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Amaranth species are a highly popular group of vegetables rich in primary and secondary metabolites, with potential to significantly reduce food insecurity and malnutrition. Yet, their production levels in South Africa (SA) remains unknown and limited to small scale farming where water scarcity is also a problem. Although the production rate of Amaranth is unknown in RSA, the consumption Amaranth has increased over the last few years. The Organic Medium Enclosed Trough (OMET) system is a non-drainable growing technique. OMET system supports and promotes organic and sustainable farming. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of the OMET system on growth and yield in three Amaranth species, including: A. caudatus, A. cruentus and Amaranthus Spp. Data collected for the growth attributes were seedling height, stem diameter, leaf length, root length and time of flowering; whereas for yield attributes, mass of the aerial parts was determined. The nutritional composition data was acquired from determination and quantification of carbohydrates, protein, minerals (Ca, Zn, P, Se, Mg, and Mn) and amino acids. The amount of water used on the OMET and non-OMET (control) was recorded until termination. T-test at 5% level of significance was used to analyse data using computer statistical software, Statistix 10.0. This study revealed that the OMET system had significant impact on the growth and yield of all the three species as shown by the improved and increased growth and yield attributes of the Amaranth. The OMET system increased the stem diameter, plant height and leaf length of A. caudatus by 2.8%, 10.5% and 2.6% respectively; A. cruentus by 25.2%, 21.6% and 11.2% respectively, by 32.4%, 41.2% and 39.6% respectively in Amaranthus Spp. The OMET system increased the root length of A. caudatus, A. cruentus and Amaranthus Spp. by 8, 50.1 and 94.5% respectively. Furthermore, the OMET system significantly increased the mass of aerial parts of A. caudatus, A. cruentus and Amaranthus Spp. by24.4, 12.6 and 91.9% respectively.
The nutritional and phytochemical (targeted and untargeted) compositions of the three Amaranth species were quantified/determined and compared independently for each Amaranth species grown under OMET and control. The essential and nonessential amino acids were determined and quantified, and it has been shown that they are highly available in OMET grown A. cruentus. Furthermore, both A. cruentus grown
under non-OMET and Amaranthus Spp. grown under OMET system showed to be the second potential sources of amino acids compared to other Amaranth species grown under distinct treatments. The levels of phenylalanine (2.54 mg/kg), leucine (2.21 mg/kg), valine (1.45 mg/kg), isoleucine (1.29 mg/kg) and threonine (1.15 mg/kg) were dominant in all three Amaranth species but highest in A. cruentus grown under OMET system The results of this study indicate that the OMET system has enhanced the concentration of carotenoids and chlorophyll, although this increase is not significant inin Amaranth species grown under both treatments (OMET and non-OMET). The highest caretonoid (59.56 mg/kg) and chlorophyll (48.08 mg/kg) were obtained in A. caudatus grown under non-OMET and OMET system respectively. The other targeted metabolites including phenolics, flavonols and tannins were measured highest concentrations in Amaranth species that were grown under non-OMET system compared the same species grown under OMET system. The total phenolics, flavonols and tannins were specifically dominant in A. cruentus (276.88 mg GAE/100 g DW), A. cruentus (448.56 mg CA/100 g DW) and A. caudatus (10.5 mg CA/100 g DW).
The study also revealed that the OMET system utilised less water than the non-OMET system.In addition, OMET system improvedthe growth attributes such as stem diameter, plant height, leaf length, and fresh biomass and nutritional composition of the three Amaranth species. On the other hand, the OMET system decreased the accumulation of the secondary metabolites such as total phenolic acids, flavonols and tannins. But the non-OMET system (control) significantly increased the concentration of the above mentioned targeted metabolites in the three Amaranth species. The OMET system is a sustainable and organic growing technique that produces more yield relatively on a small area while utilizing less water, making it a brilliant strategy to conserve and utilise water sustainably and effectively. This can be important for smallholder farmers who can potentially cut production costs such as irrigation, weeding and fertilizers costs while increasing yield on a relatively small area.National Research Foundation (NRF) and
Department of Science and Innovation (DSI
Antimicrobial properties and phytochemical analysis of medical plants used for the treatment of ear infections
Get PDFThesis (M.Sc. (Botany)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Ear infections are a major health concern that negatively affects the health and welfare of individuals across the globe. The infection is caused by a wide spectrum of bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens. Treatments of ear infections involve the use of antimicrobials such as antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals. However, most microbial pathogens have developed resistance to the available antimicrobial drugs. Hence, the study aimed to identify plant species used in traditional medicine as a remedy for ear infections and investigate their antifungal activities against the selected fungal pathogens (Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans). These fungal pathogens cause ear infections in humans. Eight plant species including Carpobrotus edulis L., Cotyledon orbiculata L., Dichrostachys cinerea (L.) Wight & Arn., Erythrina lysistemon Hutch., Flacourtia indica (Burm. f.) Merr., Psidium guajava L., Ricinus communis L., and Sansevieria hyacinthoides (L.) Druce were selected from the ethnomedicinal plant's database of over 300 medicinal plants used for therapeutic purposes in humans.
Fresh and dried leaves of selected plants were extracted with solvents of various polarities such as acetone, hexane, methanol, and water. In the current study, methanol extracted a larger quantity (30.75%) of plant materials followed by acetone (6.5%) from dried leaf extract of C. edulis and P. guajava. Acetone extracted more plant material (8.05%) from fresh leaf extract of C. orbiculata. Acetone was the second-best solvent for extracting a larger quantity of dried leaf materials as compared to other solvents.
Thin layer chromatography (TLC) was used to analyse the phyto-constituents of different plant extracts. The TLC plates were developed using different eluent solvent systems such as Benzene: ethanol: ammonia hydroxide (BEA), Chloroform: ethyl acetate: formic acid (CEF) and Ethyl acetate: methanol: water (EMW). The TLC chromatograms were visualized under UV radiation at 360 nm. In TLC chromatograms separated with BEA, chemical components with a similar Rf value of 0.88 were observed in acetone, hexane, and methanol-dried leaf extracts of R. communis and S. hyacinthoides. Surprisingly, TLC chromatograms separated in BEA, dried leaf extracts contained the highest number of phyto-constituents with a total of 73 followed by 30 in CEF and EMW (29). However, in chromatograms of fresh leaf extracts a total
of 12 compounds were visible in BEA, followed by 5 compounds in EMW, and 1 in CEF. Therefore, the BEA solvent system was the best eluent for separating compounds. In addition, different bands were observed after spraying the TLC plates with vanillin reagent.
Antifungal activities of plant extracts were determined using serial microdilution assay against the selected fungal pathogens (Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans). Noteworthy activities (0.02 mg/ml) against C. albicans were observed from P. guajava acetone extract and S. hyacinthoides acetone fresh leaf extracts. The methanol-dried leaf extract of C. edulis was active against A. fumigatus with MIC of 0.02 mg/ml while fresh leaf extract was active with MIC of 0.31–2.5 mg/ml. The dried leaf water extracts of C. edulis and D. cinerea had an excellent activity of 0.02 mg/ml against A. fumigatus.
The bioautography assay was used to determine the number of active components in different plant extracts. Antifungal compounds were visible in dried leaf extracts of P. guajava, R. communis, and S. hyacinthoides. A total of 19 antifungal compounds were observed against A. fumigatus. Dried leaf extracts of P. guajava, R. communis, and S. hyacinthoides had an active component with an Rf value of 0.88 against A. fumigatus. In TLC bioautograms developed in BEA, two active compounds with similar Rf values of 0.20 were visible in acetone and methanol extract of P. guajava against C. albicans.
The results of this study support the traditional use of the selected plant species to combat ear infections and related ailments in humans. The crude extracts have the potential to serve as an ototopic. The antifungal compounds also have the potential to be isolated and used in the formulation of ototopical drugs that may help lift the health burden caused by ear infections across the globe.University of Limpopo and
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Inter-Bursary Support (CSIR-IBS
Gendered spaces: students’ experiences of the social school spaces in high schools in Hhohho Region, Eswatini
Get PDFJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning (APORTAL) Vol 7 (1) (2023)Background: This article makes a social constructionist exploration of student experiences of gendered social school spaces in high schools in the Hhohho region, Eswatini.
Methods: The study utilsed a qualitative narrative inquiry methodology. Individual and focus group semi structured interviews were used to generate data. The participants were 24 purposively selected students (12 boys and 12 girls) from four high schools in Hhohho region. Participants ranged in age from 16 to 18 years of age. Results: Boys and girls experienced the school's social spaces differently. The social school environments had an impact on the students' academic performance. The teachers' poor treatment of the students, according to the students' complaints, caused them to despise school. They griped about the numerous strict regulations that teachers upheld. The students proposed that teachers should relax their strict restrictions and give the students more autonomy so that the social school spaces would be more responsive, particularly in terms of relationships with teachers. According to the social constructionism theory that guides this study, societal and interpersonal influences shape how people live their lives (Gergen, 1985). The relationships students establish with teachers are what make their lives meaningful
Curriculum development for online teaching and learning : academics’ perspectives from a rural-based university in South Africa
Get PDFJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning Journal (APORTAL) Vol 7 (1) (2023)This study sought to explore academics’ perceptions of the development and delivery of curriculum for online teaching and learning in a rural-based university. Technology integration into teaching and learning in higher education is receiving more attention, thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic that has forced all facets of lives to look for alternative methods of operation instead of face-to-face contact. The pandemic saw most institutions of higher learning move their mode of curriculum delivery from face-to-face to multimodal learning using technology. This, however, was done without considering whether the existing curriculum that was accredited to be delivered face-to-face will perfectly fit into multimodal learning. The exploratory research design within the qualitative research methodology was applied in this paper. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were applied to sample a rural university in Limpopo province of South Africa, and academics respectively. Semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis were employed for data collection and analysis for this paper. The study revealed there is a relationship between curriculum development and the mode of delivery used for teaching. Some of the academics indicated that a lack of technological skills poses a threat to adopting new technologies for teaching. In light of this, the study recommends ICT infrastructure investment and human resource capacitation for proper integration of technology for teaching and learning
An autoethnography of the feminist pedagogical strategies used in teaching and learning to promote inclusive classrooms
Get PDFJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning Journal (APORTAL) Vol 7 (2) (2023)Although institutions of higher learning in South Africa have made progress in policies and
programming that curb the ideological hegemonic positions inflicted by the Apartheid
education system, higher education is still grappling with gender inequalities and inequities in the classroom context. This article reflects on my journey and pedagogical experiences as a student and later a feminist lecturer. Feminist pedagogues are promising approaches for social transformation in institutions of higher learning. I focused on my experiences, exploring the tensions that have shaped my praxis. I employed an auto-ethnographic research approach through an autobiography research method to illustrate my experiences as I transitioned from being a student to a tutor and a feminist lecturer within institutions of higher learning in South Africa. Findings from this paper show that to disrupt normative classrooms, lecturers need to harness classroom strategies that can enhance inclusion, equity, social justice, and equality. These might include but are not limited to reflexive journaling, negotiating, and listening, dialogue, mutual vulnerability to challenge conventional power relations in institutions of higher learning. The article recommends that feminist pedagogy can work towards solving potentially unequal relations and discriminatory learning environments. This can be done by disrupting normative power hierarchies in the classroom by allowing both lecturers and
learners to negotiate the process of ‘being listened to and ‘being heard in the teaching and learning environments and thus creating room for plural voices and more inclusive learning spaces
“Pathetic ccholarship” in Gukurahundi and related studies : a silver lining from
Get PDFJournal article published in African Perspectives of Research in Teaching & Learning Journal (APORTAL) Vol 7 (2) (2023)“In every dark cloud, there is a silver lining”.
In this context, the perceived prevalence of pathetic scholarship in Gukurahundi studies and other cognate fields is cause for concern among scholars and practitioners. However, pathetic scholarship is not uniformly understood by interested parties, who largely base their arguments on Euro-American perspectives that only provide a partial understanding of this phenomenon. Against this backdrop, this paper seeks to critique pathetic scholarship, whether real or imagined, in Gukurahundi Studies, Media, Politics, Conflict, and Peace Studies, just to mention a few. For this paper, pathetic scholarship is understood as studies of sub-standard in terms of set criteria. Methodologically, this paper employs conversations and interdisciplinary discourse analysis with an alternative Afrocentric approach. In this paper, it is argued that pathetic scholarship has not yet reached a crisis point. In fact, pathetic scholarship (in its current form) carries the hopes and aspirations for interdisciplinary richness in tackling difficult subjects such
as Gukurahundi and apartheid
Perceptions of community members in Lephalale Area, Limpopo Province, towards water conservation: towards the development of a psychological model
Get PDFThesis (Ph.D. (Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Despite interventions by various governments to regulate water demand and address water scarcity, literature shows that billions of people across the world continue to struggle with access because not everyone contributes equally to conservation efforts. Behavioural factors such as individual and collective aspects of cognition and commitment have been found to play an important role in water conservation. The present study aimed to explore the perceptions of community members in the Lephalale area, Limpopo province, towards water conservation to develop an explanatory psychological model of water conservation. Twenty (20) participants who relied on communal taps to access water in Lephalale Local Municipality, Limpopo province were selected through purposeful sampling. In-depth, semi-structured, individual face-to-face interviews were used to gather data and were analysed utilizing Thematic Content Analysis (TCA). The following themes were extracted from the participants’ narratives: meanings attached to water, psychological effects of water scarcity, coping strategies to handle the issue of water scarcity, participants’ experiences of water conservation, behaviours that hinder water conservation, and behaviours that promote water conservation.
The study findings showed that people have attached symbolic and significance-based meanings to water which affects their water consumption behaviours. The research findings also revealed that there are various psychological effects of water scarcity on communities such as emotional distress, interpersonal conflicts, and disruptions of daily activities of living. Additionally, the study results showed that the coping strategies developed by participants to deal with water scarcity included adopting alternative water use behaviours as well as adjusting current behaviours and lifestyles. Various behaviours that hinder as well as those that promote water conservation were identified by study participants.
Derived from the study findings, a psychological model of water conservation was developed. The model incorporates some ideas from the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory and the Afrocentric theory. The model suggests that people’s worldviews, including their values, beliefs, and culture are significant determinants of their pro-environmental behaviours. For instance, it was found that peoples’ perceptions, views as well as meanings they attach to water affected their water consumption behaviours. The study recommends that authorities and policy-makers should consider psychological factors when developing water management programmes, strategies, and interventions. The study further recommends that psychology experts need to be included and consulted when such programmes are developed.National Research Foundation (NRF
Training and development challenges in the Office of the Premier, Limpopo Province
Get PDFThesis (MPAM.) -- University of Limpopo, 2023The accomplishment and success of organisational goals and objectives depend on
the performance of the employees. Hence, it is essential for an organisation to invest
in training and development to improve employee performance. Training and
development primarily deal with improving employees’ skills and knowledge needed
to perform their tasks at the workplace and again to increase and grow them for the
future levels of management. The organisation must have skilled employees who
have the capacity to reach the objectives and future challenges of the organisation.
This study aims to identify training and development challenges (T & D) in the Office
of the Premier, Limpopo Province and to suggest possible strategies to address
those challenges. The qualitative research design method was used in the study.
Data was collected using a semi-structured interview, which consisted of openended
questions. Based on the findings of this study, it was discovered that there are
challenges that impede service delivery in the Office of the Premier T&D. The
implementation of training and development in the Office of the Premier significantly
led to an increase in the performance of employees.
The study focus was limited only to the Limpopo Office of the Premier, but the
findings and the recommendations may benefit other provincial departments and be
of interest to scholars of Public Administration and Management as well. The
challenges identified in the study include; an insufficient budget, a lack of staff,
limited support from the management; no post-appraisal training methods; and nonutilisation
of HRD benefits by the employees in the Office of the Premier.
Recommendations and possible solutions were made regarding the identified
training and development challenges, which may be of value for possible future
research
An evaluation of the concordance between mammography and histopathology findings in women with breast lesions at Mankweng Hospital, Limpopo Province
Get PDFThesis (M.Med. (Diagnostic Radiology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2023BACKGROUND: Breast lesions in women can be caused by any disease process or physical injury occurring at any age. The lesions may be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) with the cancerous lesions having a more ominous implication when diagnosed. Mammography is usually performed as the initial investigation for breast cancer followed by histopathology as the confirmatory investigation. Therefore, the agreement between mammography and histopathology findings is critical in determining the correct management of patients with breast lesions.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the concordance between mammography and histopathology findings in women with breast lesions at Mankweng Hospital.
METHOD: Data was collected at Mankweng Hospital from the records of patients who underwent mammography and subsequent histopathological diagnosis. The qualifying data was entered onto Microsoft Excel and data analyses were conducted in STATA version 15. Continuous variables such as age, were summarised by means and standard deviations. Categorical variables were described with frequencies and percentages. Agreement between mammography and histological diagnoses were assessed by Kappa statistics. Performance of mammograph as a screening test for malignant breast disease using histology as the gold standard was evaluated by computing sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
RESULTS: Total of 41 patient records were part of the study. Findings indicated a high degree of concordance between mammogram findings and histology report when using a BIRADS cut-off of 5. A lower but still statistically significant concordance was realised when using BIRADS cut-off of 4.
CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated agreement between mammography and histopathological diagnosis of breast lesions categorized as BIRADS 4 and 5. The PPV findings are comparable with those of ACR BIRADS guidelines. The result demonstrates that reporting of mammography findings of breast lesions according to BIRADS lexicon in Mankweng Hospital is in keeping with standardized BIRADS reporting guidelines
Prevalence and determinants of diabetic patience readmissions at Seshego District Hospital, Capricorn District, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Get PDFThesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2023Background: Diabetes mellitus is a public health concern epidemiolocally and
economically. The rates of readmission in diabetic patients are reported to be high
as compared to non-diabetic patients. With many factors contributing to readmission
of diabetic patients, there are preventable and non-preventable factors. A good
understanding of the causes and risk factors associated with readmission is
necessary in order to prevent/reduce readmission rates.
Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted which followed a
quantitative approach. This study used secondary data from patient clinical records
from the paediatrics, male, female and TB ward in Seshego Hospital. The data was
analysed using STATA and descriptive statistical analysis was undertaken to identify
frequencies and percentages of answers to the research questions. For logistic
regression, the independent variables were socio-demographic factors such as age,
gender, marital status, race, and employment status. The dependent variable was
the diagnosis of diabetes and its readmission into the hospital. The statistical
significance of the relationships between the selected variables was determined
using the t-test. The level of significance was set at 0.05 and 95% confidence
interval will be used to judge statistical significance. Results: The prevalence of diabetic patients’ readmission is very high in the current
study. The prevalence of readmission of diabetes increased with increasing age both
in males and females patients. The prevalence increased from 6.7% in age group
between 18 and 29 years followed by 10%, 13.3% and 70% in males aged 30 – 49
years, 50 – 59 years and above 60 years respectively. The study showed that
employment status, number of medication and type of medication are significantly
associated with readmission while those high white blood cells count, comorbidities,
level of education and marital status were more likely to be readmitted, although they
were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The study revealed high prevalence of readmission of diabetic patients
and showed that employment status, number of medication and type of medication
are significantly associated with readmission while those with high white blood cells
count, comorbidities, level of education and marital status were more likely to be
readmitted, although they were not statistically significant.
Recommendations: the current study revealed that there is a need for a primary
data to further investigate the causes of readmission in diabetic patients for effective
intervention in order to reduce the rates of readmission