Asian Journal of Research in Biosciences
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Natural Climate Solutions in a Developing Economy: the Case of the Nigerian Niger Delta
Get PDFThe response to climate change depends on level of technology, socio-economic factors and location. In this regard, interventions especially in developing countries may be different from the advance countries. This is more so as climate change interventions in developing countries will require economic empowerment to reduce poverty, promote food production and enhance nutrition. The human threat to climate change adaptation and mitigation in developing countries is not deliberate, but as means of daily livelihood and survival. In order to address the issues of climate change on sustainable bases, survival factors will be considered. In low technology environment as in Nigeria, natural climate solutions are top priority. The context of natural climate solutions is very wide and will depend on local conditions of well-being and environment. The Niger Delta of Nigeria is devastated by crude oil prospection/exploitation and climate change. It is agrarian and the vegetation is Rain and Mangrove Forests. The bulk of the Rain Forest has been degraded due to climate change leading to irreversible grassland called derived savannah, with severe socio-economic consequences. The Mangrove Forest is devastated by climate change and the crude oil industry, with prospects of rehabilitation. In both cases, the natives are helpless and survival instinct leads to further degradation. The application of suitable natural climate solutions will address poverty and ensure sustainable forests. The objective of this paper was to present agro-based local intervention measures to enhance quality of life of the natives and ensure sustainable environment
Effect of Two Tillage Practices on Disease and Grain Quality of Durum Wheat in Tunisia
Get PDFConservation Agriculture constitutes a promising sustainable production strategy for the Mediterranean area to improve yield and quality traits for cereal as durum wheat. No-tillage and the conventional tillage are the most used tillage technics by Tunisian farmers. These two practices were studied under rainfed conditions in North-West of Tunisia on three landraces and two improved durum wheat genotypes. The foliar disease and grain quality as test weight (TW), protein content (PC), gluten rate (GR), yellow berry (YB) and water content (WC) were assessed during 2019-2020 cropping season. No tillage system has increased the disease severity of Zymoseptoria tritici, Pyrenophora tritici-repentis and Puccinia striiformis for all tested genotypes. This increase was notable for improved varieties as Karim and Maâli ranging from 33 to 50% compared to 8% in average for landraces. In addition, the different analyzed grain traits increased for the varieties tested but mainly with landraces as Jneh Khotifa, Mahmoudi and Beskri from 3 to 46% under no tillage practices. These results have emphasis the importance of no tillage practice to sustain grain quality. Therefore, further research would be necessary in shaping variability of durum wheat grain quality traits and the incidence of disease under field conditions
Studies on Asetivation of Aspongopus viduatus (Fabricius) (Dinidurdae, Hetroptera) in Rain Fed Areas, North Kordofan, Sudan
Get PDFAspongopus viduatus is the most destructive pest threatening Citrulus lanatus (Thuab.), the pest is a troublesome in watermelon in Western States of Sudan, causes severe losses to the crop leading to a total failure. The insect disperses from watermelon crop in summer to find sheltering sites for aestivation to synchronize activities and allowing insects to continue unfavorable conditions while being ready to take advantage of good conditions as rapidly as possible. In general, very little knowledge in the aestivation of A. viduatus had been known therefore, this study was initiated to investigate some aestivation relations, namely, population density of aestivating insects, sex ratio, and loss in body weight as well as fat reserves depletion during aestivation. Field experiments were conducted at En-nahod North Kordofan State, Sudan. Plants (grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees) were sampled randomly, aestivated A. viduitus were handpicked, placed in polyethylene bags (50 x 40cm) and taken to the laboratory. Samples were counted to determine population density/ tree, male and female ratio /tree, male and female weighed, insect body fat extract was also determined. The results revealed that, there was a decrease in population density of both sexes with the progress of the aestivation period and that there were more females than males and that, the body weight and fat reserves declined as the aestivation period progressed, females were heavier and had more fat deposited than the males
Effect of Effective Contact Tracing in Curtaining the Spread of Covid-19
Get PDFSeven (7) compartmental deterministic model of mathematical epidemiology is considered, using S, E, Iu, Id, J, Q, R to gain insight into how to curtail the spread of COVID-19 using contact tracing. Positivity analysis shows the model is mathematically and epidemiologically well posed. Basic Reproduction number R0 is evaluated using next generation matrix method, it shows corona virus dies when the threshold R0 is less than unity but spreads if R0 exceeds unity. It is shown that disease free global stability of the model is stable whenever basic reproduction is R0 less than unity but unstable when it is beyond unity i.e. (R0 > 1). The endemic equilibrium is shown to be stable using logarithmic Lyapunov function. Sensitivity analysis is performed on basic reproduction number to check the importance of each parameter on the dynamical transmission of corona virus. Numerical simulation of the model shows that effective contact tracing will reduce/forestall the dynamical spread of Covid-19 when inter-state lockdown is fully implemented for proper and effective tracing
Variability of Rhizosphere Microbial Biomass, Mineral Nutrients, and Yield Performance as Affected by Durum Wheat Cultivars and Water Salinity Irrigation
Get PDFDurum wheat salinity tolerance under the effect of rhizosphere microorganisms was investigated in situ in semi-arid areas using contrasted irrigation water salinity (6 and 12 dS m-1). Six durum wheat cultivars were tested: three landraces (“Bayadha”, “Souri”, and “Agili Glabre”) and three modern varieties (“Razzek”, “Karim”, and “Maali”). The microbial biomass carbon (MBC), mineral nitrogen (MN), mineral phosphorus (MP), and grain yield (GY) and its components, were under durum wheat genotypic effect under salinity stress. Interestingly, soil biota of the cultivars “Agili Glabre” and “Maali” increased under saline conditions (12 dS m-1) mainly at tillering growth stage. The principal component analysis discriminated “Agili Glabre” from other cultivars with higher MBC and MP under saline conditions. Stepwise regression analysis showed that predictors of GY depend on salinity conditions, cultivars (landraces or modern varieties), and growth stage. Overall, the present study revealed the importance of microbial activity (MBC) and MP at tillering and flowering growth stages. These two parameters might be considered as effective indicators to assess durum wheat genotypic performance to salinity tolerance
Antibiotic Spectrum of Characterized Probiotic Lactic Acid Bacteria Obtained from Domestic Dahi Samples
Get PDFIn this study thirteen lactobacilli isolates possessing probiotic characteristics such as acid and bile tolerance were screened out of forty Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) isolates which were obtained from fifteen domestic dahi samples. These acid and bile tolerant lactobacilli isolates further, were identified phenotypically and genotypically as Lb. rhamnosus (5 Nos). Lb.fermentum (3 Nos), Lb. plantarum (3 Nos) and Lb. delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus (2 Nos). The identified cultures were subjected for the antibiotic test using the disc diffusion technique against Penicillin (10μg), Gentamycin (10 μg), Streptomycin (10 μg), Chloramphinicol (10 μg), Kanamycin (30 μg) Erythtomycin (15 μg) and Bacitracin (10 μg). All the five strains of Lb. rhamnosus strains were susceptible to all the seven antibiotics tested as they showed more than 10 mm diameter inhibitory zone. Similarly all the three strains of Lb. plantarum, Lb. fermentum and Lb. delbruckii ssp. bulgaricus were susceptible to all the antibiotics to varying degrees. In this study the results clearly demonstrate the susceptible nature of the probiotic Lactobacilli isolates against the commonly used antibiotics
Response of Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum) to Root Exudate Autotoxicity and Osmotic Stress Depends on Variety Combination
Get PDFThe problem of autotoxicity is known in cereal crop residues, and is one of the major reasons for reduced growth/yield under continuous monoculture practice. However, investigation on the autotoxic effects of wheat root exudates is scarce. This is the first report on autoinhibition activity of durum wheat roots during seedling establishment stage. Nine variety combinations were tested according to two experimental protocols, ‘seed-to-seed’ and ‘seed-after-seed’, under water stress applied at different osmotic pressures (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 g l-1) using the polyethylene glycol ‘PEG6000’. Comparing the two protocols, our finding showed that durum wheat root exudates cause autotoxicity. Coleoptile growth seems to be more sensitive to high PEG6000 concentrations (100, 150, and 200 g l-1) than that of radicle. The magnitude of the inhibitory action depended on the combination of donor and receiver plants, which may be of the same or different varieties. Notably, Nasr-Karim, Maali-Maali, and Maali-Khiar were the most affected combinations by root exudate autotoxicity and water stress effect, while combinations with the same variety, such as Sculpture-Sculpture, Khiar-Khiar, and Nasr-Nasr were the least affected
Preparation of Probiotic Chocolate and Jelly with Bacillus sp. and Lactobacillus sp. Isolated from Fermented Gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica) and Indian Scramberry (Flacourtia jangomas)
Get PDFChocolates and Jellies are the most craved food among all ages, which may have significant market potential and health benefits when incorporated with probiotics. The probiotic organism's hub is fermented products. This research emphasizes the isolation of probiotic organisms from fermented Gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica) and Indian Scramberry (Flacourtia jangomas). Gram-positive and catalase-negative isolates were selected for the probiotic characterization viz., tolerance to acid and bile, bacteriocin production, fermentation of sugars, antibiotic sensitivity test, aggregation and in vitro cholesterol assimilation. The maximum viability was recorded in Jelly incorporated with Bacillus velezensis (86.3%) and in chocolate was depicted by B.clausii (80%) after a week of storage. Hence Chocolate and Jelly can act as an excellent delivery vehicle of probiotics. Incorporating probiotics in chocolates and Jelly would drive the wholesome effects and attract all age populations
A Review of Antimicrobial Activities of Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica)
Get PDFTreatment with medicinal and aromatic plants and the use of their biologically active products, especially as anti-microbial, has become a very important and urgent matter due to the need for new anti-microbe drugs, as a result ofthe emergence of some strains of parasitesresistant to chemotherapy. Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) is an amazing multipurpose plant that has been used for thousands of years in almost all parts of the world for use as food, therapy,and other purposes. It belongs to Cactaceae family and is important in agricultural economies throughout arid and semi-arid regions. This paper reviews its traditional medicine to treat so many types of diseases. The paper also reviews the antimicrobial activity of cactus. Cactus is consumed by humans in different forms including raw, jam, juice, and in other formulated safe food products whose ingredients include cactus. This comprehensive review clearly shows that cactus is indeed a very valuable plant of the past and the future
Isolation and Identification of Azospirillium zeae from Acacia tortilis at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Get PDFThe Study was conducted at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Isolate and Identify the Azospirillium zeae from Acacia tortilis. Useful bacteria associated with the plant roots have the potential to alleviate the burden of using costly and harmful agrochemicals in harsh environments. Finding of novel and appropriate bacteria for enhancing plant growth is among the main primary challenges involved in achieving the agronomic application of plant beneficial bacteria. A bacterium isolated from the rhizospheric soil of the legume Acacia tortilis was described based on several biochemical, morphological and molecular analyses. The bacterium H1P is motile, negative in biotin medium, no growth in 3% NaCl, negative D-Ribose, positive D- glucose. Identification of the isolate via 16s rDNA via the BLASTn revealed that the isolate is an Azospirillum species with a 96.9% similarity to Azospirillum zeae H1P. Phylogenetic analyses with MEGA6 software showed that the isolate shares an ancestor with Azospirillum zeae, eventually branching off into a separate taxon. Azospirillum zeae isolated from Acacia tortilis it is considered first report