African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12496

Table of Content: 23 April, 2014; 13(17)

April 2014

Review of challenges in the escalation of metal-biosorbing processes for wastewater treatment: Applied and commercialized technologies

Despite the eminent consequences, wastewaters containing toxic heavy metals are still discharged in the environment without prior treatment, certainly because of the high cost associated with the effective management of these effluents. Difficulties emanated from the fact that most of the technologies available for the remediation of the pollution require high capital and operational cost, which cannot be justified for...

Author(s): E. Fosso-Kankeu and A.F. Mulaba-Bafubiandi

April 2014

Micropropagation of an endangered medicinal herb Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant. et Fernand. in bioreactor

Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant. et Fernand. is an endangered herb, the tuberous roots of which are source of medicinally important steroidal saponins. In the present study, propagation of C. borivilianum using a bench top stirred bioreactor with liquid medium via multiple shoot culture has been reported. One week old shoots along with shoot base part (1.5 cm) obtained from shoots regenerated in vitro in liquid medium...

Author(s): Mohd. Zahid Rizvi and Arun Kumar Kukreja

April 2014

Utilization of seafood processing wastes for cultivation of the edible mushroom Pleurotus flabellatus

A study was conducted to examine the utilization of seafood processing wastes for artificial cultivation of edible mushroom Pleurotus flabellatus in laboratory condition. Utilizing bioconversion technology such as the slow release of nutrients for agricultural based activities like producing mushroom will profitably reduce seafood waste and also enhancing environmental quality. The selected agro-industrial wastes such...

Author(s): Subbu lakshmi, S. and Sornaraj, R.

April 2014

Morphological, pathogenic and genetic variability in Colletotrichum capsici causing fruit rot of chilli in Tamil Nadu, India

Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) fruit rot disease caused by Colletotrichum capsici under tropical and subtropical conditions, results in qualitative and quantitative yield losses. Twenty (20) isolates of C. capsici were collected from conventional chilli growing areas of Tamil Nadu. In culture, most of the isolates produced cottony, fluffy or suppressed colonies. However, no significant differences were noticed in shape and...

Author(s): T. Suthin Raj, D. John Christopher and H. Ann Suji

April 2014

Management of foliar and soilborne pathogens of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) with two garlic varieties (Allium Sativum A. Linn)

White and pink garlic extracts were tested for their antifungal potentials on mycelial radial growth, spores and sclerotial production of Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid, Colletotrichum destructivum O gara and Colletotrichum capsici (Syd) Butler and Bisby pathogens of cowpea in vitro. Water or ethanol extracts of common pink and common white garlic varieties were tested at a concentration of 250 ppm while sterile...

Author(s): Peluola Cecilia and Fadina Olubunmi

April 2014

α-L-Arabinofuranosidase from Penicillium janczewskii: Production with brewer’s spent grain and orange waste

The highest production of α-L-arabinofuranosidase by Penicillium janczewskii in medium with brewer’s spent grain and orange waste was observed when cultivation was carried out in pH 5.0 at 25°C, for 8.5 days under shaking. The α-L-arabinofuranosidase present in the crude filtrate was optimally active at 60°C and pH 4.0; it was stable in a wide range of pH, maintaining 90% of the activity from...

Author(s): Beatriz Temer, César Rafael Fanchini Terrasan and Eleonora Cano Carmona

April 2014

Nutritional composition of five food trees species products used in human diet during food shortage period in Burkina Faso

The proximate compositions, minerals and amino acids contents of Detarium microcarpum, Gardenia erubescens, Parkia biglobosa, Adansonia digitata pulp, seeds of Boscia senegalensis and leaves of A. digitata were studied and quantified in Burkina Faso. Using the conventional procedures described by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, proximate analysis was done. The minerals were determined by spectrometry...

Author(s): Thiombiano Daniabla Natacha Edwige, Parkouda Charles, Lamien Niéyidouba, Séré Aminata, Castro-Euler Ana Margarida and Boussim Issaka Joseph

April 2014

Tissue diversity in respiratory metabolism and free radical processes in embryonic axes of the white mangrove (Avicennia marina L.) during drying and wet storage

Species diversity in responses to desiccation in plants is well studied and documented. However, organ and tissue variability in plant dehydration responses is not as well investigated and understood. Therefore, the responses of whole axes, hypocotyls, root primordia and plumules of white mangrove to drying and wet storage were monitored. Increasing the rate of drying lowered the critical and lethal water concentrations...

Author(s): Tobias M. Ntuli, Patricia Berjak and N.W. Pammenter

April 2014

Antioxidant activities in extracts of selected indigenous vegetables from Kenya and Malawi

Antioxidant activities and phytochemical compounds of ethanol and hot water extracts of 7 selected indigenous vegetable species from Malawi and Kenya were Spectophotometrically determined and evaluated. Their effectiveness were also evaluated by their EC50 values through interpolation from linear regression analysis of their respective data. Generally, ethanolic extracts portrayed high quantities of total phenol,...

Author(s): Wakisa Lenard Kipandula, , Benzon Mwanza, Edward Nguu and Dorington Ogoyi