December 2012

Comparative stem and petiole anatomy of West African species of Momordica L (Cucurbitaceae)

Petiole and stem gross anatomy of seven West African species of Momordica L of the family Cucurbitaceae were studied. This was with a view to exploiting their systematic and taxonomic significance; this is because other studies on them were based on morphology. Representatives of the five species were obtained from various parts of the West African sub-region and passed through standard treatments to make...

Author(s): C. U. Aguoru and B. E. Okoli        

December 2012

Comparative evaluation of phytochemicals in the raw and aqueous crude extracts from seeds of three Lablab purpureus varieties

The phytochemicals in the raw and aqueous crude extracts from seed of three varieties of Lablab purpureus (LP), including Rongai brown, Rongai white and Highworth black were comparatively evaluated as a preliminary study for their pharmacological potential. The phytochemicals analyzed were trypsin inhibitors, hydrogen cyanide, oxalate, haemagglutinin units, phytate, tannin, saponin and alkaloids. The study...

Author(s): Soetan K. O.    

December 2012

Development of in vitro technique to screen for drought tolerant banana varieties by sorbitol induced osmotic stress

The identification of drought tolerant banana varieties under natural environment is complicated by difficulties in field management, variation in phenotype and unexpected rainfall events. A study to develop an alternative and rapid technique to screen for drought tolerant banana varieties by an in vitro technique was carried out. Effects of 0.09 M sucrose, 0.09 M sorbitol and 0.0 M sugar on growth of banana...

Author(s): Rukundo Placide, Carpentier Sebastien Christian and Swennen Rony        

December 2012

Evaluation of bread wheat for both seedling and adult plant resistance to stem rust

Wheat is an important staple food crop in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the current wheat consumption of 900 000 tons in Kenya outweighs the wheat production of 350 000 tons given the high population growth and inflation. The stem rust currently poses the greatest threat to wheat production due to the emergence of the virulent race of thePuccinia graminis f. sp tritici, Ug99 (TTKS) and its...

Author(s): Nzuve F. M., Bhavani S., Tusiime G., Njau P. and Wanyera R        

December 2012

Invasiveness of Argemone ochroleuca Sweet in various habitats in Taif, Saudi Arabia

This study was designed to elucidate the role of Argemone ochroleuca Sweet-an exotic worldwide weed-in native desert communities of various habitats (sand plains, dams and wadies) in Taif. The latter is characterized by its high diversity in local climatic and topographic conditions. The inter-relationship between the species invasibility (INV) and its biological features (such as plant size; PS, seed...

Author(s): Sanaa, A. I. Moussa,