Aubria subsigillata (Dumeril 1856) is a frog under increasing threat that is intensely harvested by Beninese people. The aim of this study was to develop a captive breeding program to repopulate the natural habitat of frogs in Benin Republic in view to conserve anuran biodiversity. The methodology adopted consisted of combining broodstock not injected with ovulin (hCG) in netted cages (natural reproduction) and broodstock injected with ovulin in tanks (assisted reproduction). In vitro fertilization of unfertilized female eggs by male milt was also carried out (controlled reproduction). In natural reproduction, A. subsigillata eggs or tadpoles are not produced. The concentration of 0.2 IU/g administered by intra-femoral injection resulted in the release of gametes in both sexes. Assisted reproduction enabled eggs to be obtained from the three coupling tanks after a post-injection lag time varying between 93 and 94 hours (Tank one = 304 eggs; Tank two = 125 eggs; Tank three = 56 eggs) and at a water temperature of 26°C; however, there was no incubation of eggs. For controlled reproduction, the average time between injection and first spermiation was 13 hours for males and 27 hours for females post-injection at a temperature of 28.5°C. Fecundity varied between 56 and 329 eggs. The eggs had an average weight of 1 mg and were incubated between 164 and 168 hours after fertilization. However, the incubation rate decreased on the 5th day due to infection of the eggs by Saprolegnia sp. These results suggest that the experiment is partially viable: while hormonal stimulation can induce spawning and fertilization under controlled conditions, the success of incubation and development remains limited, highlighting the need for improvements in biosecurity and egg management to ensure full viability of captive breeding efforts.
Pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Meril) processing in Benin's agri-food industries generates waste with high potential for energy production. The present study assessed the biogas production potential of pineapple cakes and crowns in mono and co-digestion with cow dung. The methodology used is based essentially on the Simplex-Centroid Designs mixing scheme designed in Minitab.19. Anaerobic digestion tests were carried out with seven formulations in triplicate. Temperature, pH and biogas volume were monitored. A predictive model of biogas production according to mixing ratios was developed. Results indicate that digesters operating at mesophilic temperatures ranged from 23°C to 33°C, with an average of 26.5°C±0.33. The best-performing mixture in terms of biogas volume generated contained 50 g cake:50 g cow dung. This resulted in the production of 9.62 liters of biogas/kg of waste. Therefore, it has been established that pineapple waste and cow dung can be used efficiently for biogas production. The results also reveal the importance of maintaining some physico-chemical parameters of the waste mixtures in order to optimize biogas production. The model approximates average biogas production, with an R² correlation coefficient over 80%. In total, pineapple waste can be used to produce biogas. The exploitation of this energy resource in agri-food industries can contribute to the use reduction of conventional energy and fossil fuels.
Background Ocimum gratissimum and Vernonia amygdalina are used in traditional medicine for their various biological properties, but few studies have assessed their antioxidant and anticoccidial capacities and toxicity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant capacity, anticoccidial activity (against Eimeria magna and Eimeria media), phytochemical content and toxicity of leaves extracts from two plants. Methodology: Aqueous and acetonic extracts of the leaves of both plants were prepared and analysed for their polyphenol, flavonoid and tannin contents. Antioxidant activity was measured via the DPPH method. The anticoccidial effects of increasing concentrations of extracts were tested on Eimeria oocysts and sporozoites. Toxicity was assessed by mortality tests on Artemia salina larvae and clinical tests on rats. Result The results show that extracts of V. amygdalina leaves have greater antioxidant and anticoccidial capacities than those of O. gratissimum. The acetone extracts of the two plants presented lower EC50 values (2.4025 ± 0.0385) for O. gratissimum and 3.541 ± 0.112 for V. amygdalina) than did the aqueous extracts. With respect to anti-ocyst activity, acetone extracts of V. amygdalina inhibited sporulation of E. magna oocysts by up to 91% at 40 mg/mL (p˂0.05). Toxicity tests revealed that the extracts were not toxic to Artemia salina. No major histological changes were observed. O. gratissimum and V. amygdalina extracts have significant antioxidant and anticoccidial properties and are nontoxic for antioxidant and anticoccidial applications. Conclusion This study shows that extracts of O. gratissimum and V. amygdalina possess antioxidant and anticoccidial properties, with superior efficacy for V. amygdalina. These extracts have potential as natural alternatives for the management of coccidiosis in farm animals, helping to reduce the use of synthetic antiparasitics and promote sustainable agricultural practices. Further studies on their long-term effects and their application in livestock farming are required.
This work focuses on traditional ovens used in several regions, notably in Benin, for the production of wheat flour pancakes, soya croquettes and mini-croquettes, sweet breads and cakes. To provide some solutions to the many difficulties encountered by users of these ovens, this document proposes a simple and improved traditional oven integrating an automated system for controlling and regulating the internal temperature, cooking management and ventilation for fuel combustion. The objective of the work is to preserve the environment and the health of users of these traditional ovens. Specifically, it is firstly a question of replacing the wood used as fuel with palm nut shells and secondly of eliminating accidents, smoke inhalation and losses experienced by users of the oven. The oven is easily reproducible because it is built with locally available materials and non-complex techniques. Tests on the improved traditional oven carried out show that in four minutes of heating, the internal temperature rises to 300 °C. After stopping the ventilation system, thus stopping combustion, the temperature slowly decreases and drops to 100°C after a period of 1 hour 05 minutes. Keywords: Words: Oven, energy efficiency, deforestation, combustion, temperature regulation.
Uvaria chamae is a medicinal plant traditionally used in West Africa to treat various ailments, including blood-related disorders. However, limited systematic scientific information is available regarding its genetic diversity and mode of action. This study aimed to provide important molecular tools to support the conservation, domestication, and utilization of U. chamae as a medicinal plant with potential anti-sickle-cell properties. Genomic DNA was extracted from 19 U. chamae accessions collected across Benin. PCR amplification was performed using ten pairs of SSR primers derived from Annona senegalensis. These transferable markers were then used to assess genetic variation within the species. The PCR products were analyzed on 3% agarose gels to confirm successful amplification at each locus. UPGMA and PCoA analyses were conducted using NTSYS v2.11a to evaluate genetic structuring among the accessions. Among the selected markers, nine were transferable, and four were polymorphic. LMCH29 was the most polymorphic marker, revealing six alleles. The polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.00 for markers LMCH4, LMCH6, LMCH43, LMCH78, and LMCH79 to 0.8335 for LMCH29, with a mean PIC of 0.3354. Observed heterozygosity (Ho) was consistently high (1.00) across all markers, while the fixation index (Fis) values were negative for all polymorphic loci, indicating a surplus of heterozygosity. The average deviation from panmixia was -0.331. Cluster analysis identified two major groups, roughly corresponding to accessions from the southern and central-northern regions of Benin, with a similarity rate of 65%. These groups were further subdivided into five subgroups at a 78% similarity level. These findings highlight a moderate yet structured genetic diversity within U. chamae populations in Benin. The successful transfer of SSR markers from A. senegalensis provides valuable molecular tools for genetic studies of U. chamae. Overall, this study lays a solid foundation for the conservation, domestication, and sustainable utilization of this medicinal plant, which has been traditionally used for its anti-sickle-cell properties.
