Asian Journal of Research in Agriculture and Forestry
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Determinants of Medicinal Plants Usage for Traditional Herbal Medicine among Villagers in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
No full textoai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/1The study was designed to access the determinants of medicinal plants for traditional herbal medicine among villagers living at the perimeter fence of International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The multistage sampling procedure was adopted for the study. A total number of four hundred and eight respondents comprising of farmers, hunters, herbalists and herb sellers were randomly selected and interviewed using copies of a well-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Probit and Tobit regression analysis. The study showed that the average ages of farmers and hunters were 55 and 57 years while the average age of herb sellers was 43 and herbalist 63 years. Majority of the respondents pooled together were males, married with an average age of 55 years and household size of 7 members. The larger percentage of them were native of the study area, not educated, not employed, but having the monthly income between 12,000- 20,000 naira and closer to the forest by 1-9 km. The study further revealed that there was a significant relationship between the use and intensity of use of medicinal plants for traditional herbal medicine and factors that determine it. Variables such as age, religion, sex, believe in traditional herbs, forest medicinal plants used in treating any ailment in the past, nearness to the forest, the presence of healthcare medical centre, poverty status and income were significant at 1% probability level. Household size and occupation was significant at 5% level while the location was significant at 10% level of significance. The study, therefore, recommends that conservation and domestication of these valuable medicinal plants should be a priority to prevent their extinction and ensure their continues supply to people that need them
Development of Triploid Callus of Hevea brasiliensis Using Endosperm
No full textAim: To generate a pathway for development of Hevea triploids using endosperm tissue as an explant.
Study Design: Standardization and optimisation of various parameters for isolation and culture of endosperm tissue and protoplast. Completely randomized design for data from different treatment. Ploidy of the obtained culture was determined.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biotechnology, Rubber Research Institute of India and duration of the study 12 months.
Methodology: Endosperm tissues were collected from Hevea seeds of different developmental stages. Somatic embryogenesis from endosperm tissue using callus mediated embryogenesis and direct method of embryogenesis were carried. Endosperm tissue from both immature and mature seeds was cut into thin slices and subjected to enzymatic digestion for the release of protoplasts. Different concentrations and combinations of cell wall digestion enzymes and osmotic agents experimented. The callus obtained from endosperm tissue was subjected to cytological analysis and flow cytometric analysis.
Results: Endosperm tissue from immature fruits was found to be ideal one week between (8-10 weeks) both for somatic embryogenesis and for the release of large amount of protoplasts. Of the two basal media tried, Nitsch medium favoured callus induction, 6 % callus induction from mature endosperm tissue in presence of 2,4-D (6.3 µM) and Kin (12.1 µM) and 10 % callus induction from immature endosperm tissue in presence of BA (4.4 µM) and NAA (2.2 µM). Direct embryogenesis (2 %) has been obtained from immature endosperm in MS basal medium along with GA3 (2.0 µM) and BA (11.1 µM). A few of the endosperm protoplasts showed division when cultured over K&M medium with NAA (0.1 µM) 2,4-D (0.2 µM) and BA (0.4 µM).
Conclusion: Endosperm can be used for the development of triploids of Hevea brasiliensis. The ploidy variants i.e. triploids, developed through these in vitro techniques can be further used in Hevea brasiliensis breedin
Assessing the Status of Yandev Forest Reserve Using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) Techniques
No full textThe study was conducted to assess and predict Land use and Land cover changes of Yandev Forest reserve in Gboko, Benue state Nigeria. The study utilised Landsat images for 1986, 2001 and Nigeriansat-X was used for 2012, The images were obtained from the National Centre for Remote Sensing Jos. A supervised classification was used after the images were subjected to different e processing techniques. The land use and land cover was classified into five (5) classes of Built up, Bareland, Cultivated area, Forest and Shrubland. The trend of land use/land cover in the reserve revealed that Bareland increased from 0.60% in 1986 to 0.67% in 2012, built up area increased from 0.73% in 1986 to 1.78% in 2012, Shrubland, increased from 7.63% in 1986 to 12.51% in 2012. Forest area decreased from 66.6% in 1986 to 40.32% in 2012. Cultivated area increased from 24.44% to 44.72% in 2012. Forest area lost 5003.02ha within the 26 years period to other form of land use. All the other land use/landcover classes increased during the period with cultivation area having the highest increase of 3858.99ha and bare land with the least area of change of 13.32ha. The study established that tremendous land use/landcover changes are going on in the Yandev forest reserve which could be linked to rapid urbanization of Gboko town. Enrichment planting of reserve, massive awareness against deforestation and sustainable use of the reserve is recommended
The Role of Soil Seed Bank in Forest Regeneration
No full textForest degradation and deforestation disrupts the structure and functions of the ecosystem with negative impacts on biodiversity and natural regeneration of the forests. In Nigeria, forests are lost through burning, shifting cultivation and logging of trees, thus reducing the potential of the forest to naturally regenerate and perform ecosystem functions as expected in a forest reserve. There have been insufficient knowledge about the role soil seed bank plays in forest restoration, and this will play an essential role in the natural regeneration of forest reserves. Seed bank performs tremendous roles in the restoration of degraded forest reserves, which includes donation of propagules, conservation of genetic diversity, the composition of the understorey plant community and recovery of biodiversity. These ecosystem functions are dependent on the dynamics of the soil seed bank as well as favourable environmental conditions
Effects of Desiccants on the Quality and Conservation of Seeds of Tree Species in a Ghanaian Forest
No full textA study was carried out to determine the effects of seed desiccants on seed quality of three very important indigenous forest tree species. The experimental period was December, 2015 to February, 2016. Seeds were collected from the Bobiri Forest Reserve. This Forest Reserve is located in the south-east sub-type of moist semi-deciduous (MSSE) forest in Ghana, covering an area of about 5,445 ha. It is located on the main Accra - Kumasi Highway at the village of Kubease, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from Kumasi. Seed desiccation experiment was set up in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three (3) replications. Germination percentage, seed vigour, 1000 seed weight, moisture content, seed health analysis, carbohydrate, protein and oil contents were determined before and after seed desiccation. The study revealed that the Zeolite beads® dried the seeds of Pericopsis elata within 2 days and 3 days for Sterculia rhinopetala but Guarea cedrata seeds were dried within 12 days. This rate of drying was much faster than the rest of the desiccants without any deleterious effect on the physical and chemical properties of seeds. P. elata and S. rhinopetala showed orthodox seed storage behavior by surviving drying to a lower moisture content which can enhance their long term storability. G. cedrata seeds however, exhibited recalcitrant seed behaviour and lost viability significantly after desiccation. G. cedrata seeds unlike P. elata and S. rhinopetala cannot be dried to lower moisture contents and stored for longer period under ambient conditions