Yield instability and pod shattering are the major problems associated with soybean production in Nigeria. To study Genotype × Environment interaction effects on seed yield and pod shattering behaviour of some soybean genotypes in Nigeria, an experiment was conducted in three (3) environments within the country. In each environment, the experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. During the harvest, pod shattering evaluation was conducted using the sun-dry method. Data were collected on seed yield and pod shattering percentage and analyzed using Additive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) and Genotype plus Genotype × Environment Interaction (GGE) bi-plot analyses. Genotypes NCRI SOYAC18, NCRI SOYAC78, NCRI SOYAC9, NCRI SOYAC20, NCRI SOYAC61, NCRI SOYAC22, NCRI SOYAC28 and NCRI SOYAC76, with yields above 1.23 ton/ha recorded high and stable yield across environments. For pod shattering resistance, nine genotypes (NCRI SOYAC3, NCRI SOYAC69, NCRI SOYAC77, NCRI SOYAC29, NCRI SOYAC9, NCRI SOYAC7, NCRI SOYAC67, NCRI SOYAC76 and NCRI SOYAC22) had stable pod shattering resistance across environments. Therefore, only three genotypes (NCRI SOYAC9, NCRI SOYAC22, and NCRI SOYAC76) were stable in both high yield and resistance to pod shattering. Consequently, any soybean breeding programme that involves high yield and pod shattering resistance could consider these three genotypes.

Background: Cassava production faces threat from postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD). The PPD is usually observed within the first 72 hours of harvest. Therefore, extending the shelf-life of cassava root-tubers by few days could reduce appreciable financial losses. Objective: This study is aimed to investigate effects of sucrose and ascorbic acid on induction and shelf-life of micro-tubers of cassava cultivars using an In-vitro model. Method: Effect of sucrose (30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 g/L) on the micro-tuber induction was determined after 45 days in these cultivars (TME 1333 and TME 2060). The optimal level was later combined with ascorbic acid (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 mg/L) to investigate its effect on micro-tubers shelf-life during a 10-day storage. Each study was laid out in factorial under CRD with 5 replications. Results: The 30 g/L sucrose (control) produced the utmost number of micro-tubers (4.33), highest length (6.68 cm), and fresh weight (0.1495 g). The cultivar ‘TME 2060’ had longer (5.26 cm) and higher fresh weight (0.1079 g) than ‘TME 1333’ with 5.04 cm and 0.0977 g respectively. Ascorbic acid (100 mg/L) significantly delayed the discolouration of micro-tubers over a 10-day storage. Also, the 100 mg/L ascorbic acid produced the least percentage of deteriorated micro-tubers. Conclusion: Results demonstrate the roles of sucrose and ascorbic acid in micro-tuber formation and antioxidant activity in delaying PPD. Therefore, we propose for In-situ production (via breeding strategy) of vitamin C-fortified cassava varieties in order to control the incidence of PPD and in turn improve farmer`s economy.

Plants are constantly exposed to a variety of different environmental stresses, including drought, salinity, and elevated temperatures. These stress cues are assumed to aggravate in the future driven by the global climate change scenario which we are currently experiencing. These stressors have largely detrimental effects on plant growth and development and, therefore, put global food security in jeopardy. For this reason, it is necessary to expand our understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which plants respond to abiotic stresses. Especially boosting our insight into the ways by which plants balance their growth and their defense programs appears to be of paramount importance, as this may lead to novel perspectives that can pave the way to increase agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner. In this review, our aim was to present a detailed overview of different factettes of the crosstalk between the antagonistic plant hormones abscisic acid (ABA) and auxin, two phytohormones that are the main drivers of plant stress responses, on the one hand, and plant growth, on the other.

Plants are constantly exposed to a variety of different environmental stresses, including drought, salinity, and elevated temperatures. These stress cues are assumed to intensify in the future driven by the global climate change scenario which we are currently experiencing. These stressors have largely detrimental effects on plant growth and development and, therefore, put global food security in jeopardy. For this reason, it is necessary to expand our understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which plants respond to abiotic stresses. Especially boosting our insight into the ways by which plants balance their growth and their defense programs appear to be of paramount importance, as this may lead to novel perspectives that can pave the way to increase agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner. In this review, our aim was to present a detailed overview of different facets of the crosstalk between the antagonistic plant hormones abscisic acid (ABA) and auxin, two phytohormones that are the main drivers of plant stress responses, on the one hand, and plant growth, on the other.

The present study aimed to investigate an In-vitro effect of some plant extracts and synthetic fungicide in the control of cocoyam leaf necrotic fungi in Nigeria. Cocoyam leaves of two tropical crops, taro (old cocoyam, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) and blue or purple taro (new cocoyam tanier, Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott), were collected from farmers' fields in two communities in Anambra State's Ekwulobia local government area. Ula and Okpo were among the communities. The causative pathogen was isolated from cocoyam leaves and petioles with tiny dark-brown or black lesions. Aspergillus niger was identified as the fungus found on the diseased cocoyam leaves. This bacteria could have gotten into these cocoyam leaves by wounds caused by harvesting tools and pests. The antifungal effects of ethanol, methanol, and petroleum ether extracts of lemon grass leaves and stalks (Cymbopogon citratus) and fruits of pepper fruit (Dennettia tripetala) on the growth of Aspergillus niger were studied in vitro at concentrations of 1, 1.5, and 2 g/ml, with the synthetic fungicide (Apron plus) serving as a control. ANOVA was used to examine the data collected. Split – split – plots were employed in a completely randomised design with three replications, and means were separated using least significant difference (LSD) at a 5% probability level. The result of this research showed that the antifungal activity of the phytochemicals increase with increase in concentration where 2.0 g/ml had the highest percentage growth inhibition value in day 1, this trend occurred in all the days of the culture. The fungus was suppressed by all plant extracts and Apron plus. Apron plus had the highest amount of inhibition (75 percent), followed by lemon grass (49.04 percent), and pepper fruit had the lowest level of inhibition (25 percent) (39.48 percent ). The study also found that the higher the concentration, the greater the inhibition, with 2g/ml having the greatest inhibition (72.58 percent) for synthetic fungicides. In the days of the culture, the extract of lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) had a greater percentage inhibition value, whereas Soxhlet extraction utilising Pet ether as the extracting solvent had the maximum level of inhibition (53.03 percent ). Thus, the plant extracts used in this research could be suggested as an alternative to synthetic fungicides. More research on these plant extracts should be conducted to identify their active ingredients in order to facilitate commercial production and availability to farmers, as these extracts are expected to be biodegradable and may reduce the rate of application of synthetic fungicides, which are harmful to human health and persist in the environment.

A sound breeding program for maize improvement is very important to meet the demands of the growing population. Therefore, combining ability and heterosis were studied in a 4 x 4 full diallel cross in maize for growth attributes, yield and its contributing traits. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replicates was used to study the general combining ability of parents, specific combining ability of F1s (including reciprocals) and heterosis of the F1s over commercial check variety on selected agronomic characters. Genotype was highly significant for all the traits studied. The combining abilities (GCA and SCA) and reciprocal mean squares were highly significant for most studied characters. The ratio of GCA/SCA was not less than unity for studied traits excepted for days to anthesis and ear height. The results indicated that the additive genetic effects were more important and played major role in studied traits. Thus, results revealed GCA effects for the parental lines (PL). Where ‘PL2’ was excellent combiner for number of tassels and cob circumference and ‘PL3’ was good combiner for days to silking and grain yield (t.h-1). While ‘PL4’ for short height. Majority of the F1s from the GCA effects showed high SCA effects. This F1 (PL2 x PL3) performed best amongst. However, several reciprocals were not desirable. Heterosis estimation was carried out using a commercial check, Oba super II. When commercial check was used, the percent heterosis especially on grain yield varied from -8.89 to 22.62%. Among the twelve F1s, nine of the crosses exhibited significant positive heterosis for grain yield (t.h-1). Those F1s that showed significant positive and/or negative desirable traits for SCA effects and significant positive heterosis could be used for varietal development in maize breeding. And conservation of those parents that exhibited high GCA effects be considered as well.

The research was carried out to test the effect of turmeric and garlic extracts on seed borne fungi pathogens of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean) in Awka South of Anambra State Nigeria.Seed health test of Bambara groundnut seeds sampled from Awka main market was achieved by blotter paper method.The potentials of the isolated organisms to cause diseases was tested in a pathogenicity test using Koch's procedures.Antifungal effect of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of tumeric (Curcuma longa) and garlic (Allium sativum) was investigated in an in-vitro experiment against the isolated seed borne pathogens of Bambara groundnut and synthetic fungicide (Mancozeb) as a standard control.The result of pathogenicity test revealed that Aspergillus niger, isolated from Bambara groundnut seeds was pathogenic.The result also showed that all the two plant extracts and synthetic fungicide were effective in inhibiting radial growth of Aspergillus niger which was the only fungi pathogen isolated.Curcuma longa performed closely rated to Mancozeb in the in-vitro experiment, having (75.00, 75.00 and 75.00%) and (72.56, 60.82 and 50.94%) respectively in the three days in culture.The higher the concentration the higher the inhibition values as 30 g/ml consistently gave the highest inhibition values.Also Soxhlet extraction method did better than cold maceration in days 2, 3 in culture.The research have shown that fungitoxic compounds from Curcuma longa could be explored as an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fungicide (Mancozeb) in the control of Aspergillus niger on Bambara groundnut seeds.

The experiment was conducted in 2010 and 2011 planting seasons in an upland location. The experiment involved the planting of faro 48 which was most susceptible to the common fungal diseases as revealed by the seed health test done in earlier experiment. One variety of maize (Oba Super 2), hybrid maize and one variety of soybeans commonly planted in the area TGX 1448260 were used. Three treatments of Rice + Maize, Rice + Soybeans and Sole Rice as control were used in the experiment. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated 12 times. Effective planting area of each block was 6m x 2m, giving 12m2 while each plot in a block was measured 2m x 2m, giving 4m2. A total area of the farm with the paths was 12m x 4m which equals 48m2. The experiment was sited at the eastern farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike and research farm of National Cereal Research Institute, Amakama Umuahia South LGA. The land was ploughed and harrowed and later ridges were made. The ridges were converted into bed measuring 2m x 2m with 50cm path between each and 1m path between each block. The rice was planted four seeds per stand at a distance of 20cm x 20cm. This gave a plant population of 250,000 stands per hectare. Soybean and maize were planted at the distances of 25cm x 50cm and 25cm x 75cm respectively in between the rows of rice plants in a staggering arrangement. The plant population for soybean was 80,000 stands / ha while maize had 53,333 stands / ha. Relevant data collected from the rice crop include: Plant height, number of tillers, leaf area, root length, panicle length, one thousand seed weight, and yield per plot and disease assessment. Data collected were subjected to ANOVA in RCBD using GenStat software. The results showed that there was a significant effect of intercropping on the yield of rice. The highest yield (290.07g) was obtained in rice + soybean mixture. This was significantly higher than the other mixtures, followed by (235.13g) obtained in rice only. This was significantly the same as the least (220.44g) obtained in rice + maize mixture .There was a significant effect of intercropping on disease incidence on rice plants. The highest disease incidence of (64.10%) obtained in rice + soybean which is significantly higher than (50.90%) obtained in rice + rice but not different from (37.20%) obtained in rice only in Umudike. There was a significant effect of intercropping on disease severity on rice plants, where the highest disease severity of 3.25 occurred in rice + soybean mixture. This was significantly higher than the least disease severity value (1.92) obtained in rice only as well as 2.00 obtained in rice + maize. It is therefore recommended that rice and some complementary crops such as soybean be intercropped to increase yield in order to maximize profit.