A STUDY ON CYTOTOXIC IONS SEQUESTRATION AND K+/Na+ LEVELS AS SALT TOLERANT INDICATORS IN TOMATO (Solanum lycospersicum L.)

*Gumi, A.M and Aliero, A.A

Department of Biological Sciences

Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto

E-mail: muhammadag@yahoo.co.uk, amgumi@udusok.edu.ng

ABSTRACT

The study on ion homeostasis and cytotoxic ion sequestration in tomato (Solanum lycospersicum L.) was investigated. Salinity stress did not show a significant effect (P>0.05) on dry matter accumulation of shoots and roots of tomato. The accumulation of sodium ion (Na⁺) in root of tomato increased in salt treated groups (50 mM, 75 mM and 100 mM) while in shoot of tomato, the Na⁺ accumulation was highest (6 times higher than the control) in 75 mM treatment. Potassium (K⁺) uptake was salt concentration dependent in both shoot and root and 50 mM treatment of each organ yielded highest K⁺ content. The Na⁺/K⁺ levels in shoot and root increased with increasing concentrations but the magnitude of this level is lower in shoot than in root due to the high level of K⁺ content in the shoot tissues. It can be concluded from these findings that Na⁺ was compartmentalised both in shoot and root of tomato by membrane transporters and that low level of Na⁺/K⁺ level was a good indicator of salt tolerance property in the tomato genotype studied.

Keywords: Sequestration; Solanum lycospersicum; Salinity stress; ion homeostasis; membrane transporters, cytotoxic ions       

EFFECTS OF REPLACING DIETARY FISH OIL WITH VEGETABLE OILS ON HEAMATOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF AFRICAN CATFISH (Clarias gariepinus)

George, F.O.A; Akinyemi, A. A. and Oladejo, P. T.

Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management

University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

E-mail: akinyemiaa@unaab.edu.ng

ABSTRACT

Dietary Fish oil replaced with vegetable oils was evaluated as an ingredient in practical diet for Clarias gariepinus reared in net fish hapas (1m x 1m x 1m) suspended by bamboo poles in an earthen pond.  25 fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus were distributed inside each hapas of 20 – twenty net fish hapas which amounted to 500 fingerlings reared for complete 56 days (8-eight weeks).  After 8 weeks blood were extracted by puncturing the dorsal aorta into EDTA bottles which was taken to the laboratory for haematological analysis.    The packed cell volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb), Red Blood Cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), of the treatment (T₃) increased significantly relative to the control.  while WBC decreased significantly in treatment two (soyabean oil) compared with the control. Others heamatological analyses (MCV, MCH and MCHC) showed that there is no significantly difference (P>0.05) between the values of these haematological parameters.  Therefore, the significant difference were observed in the levels of RBC (P<O.05) which may be as a result of the stress the fish were exposed to during the study.

Keywords: Clarias gariepinus, haematological properties, fish oil and vegetable oil  

COMPARATIVE GROWTH AND SURVIVAL RATE OF THE AFRICAN CATFISH (Clarias gariepinus) LARVAE REARED IN WATER SOURCED FROM STREAM AND TAP WATER

A.M. Idi-Ogede

Department of Biology

College of Education, Zuba-Abuja

ABSTRACT

A four-week comparative study was carried out to compare the growth and survival rates of Clarias gariepinus reared in stream and tap water. Twenty liters of water from each of the sourced water were measured into six glass aquarium tanks (56cm by 30cm) and each treatment replicated three times. One hundred six-day old larvae of Clarias gariepinus were stocked into each of the aquarium tanks. The larvae were fed with Zooplankton. At the end of the 30-day culture period, the growth and survival rates were higher in stream water than in tap water. There  were significant difference (p<0.05) between the means of water quality parameters, survival rates, mortality rates, weight and total length of Clarias gariepinus reared in the two water (stream and tap water). Based on these, recommendation was made to consider water parameters in rearing fish.

Key words: Clarias gariepinus, stream water, tap water, survival and mortality rates.

INFLUENCE OF SPROUTING ON OIL YIELD AND ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES OF GROUNDNUT CAKE (KULI KULI)

Musa Halilu¹, K.B. Filli^1,2 and Haziel, H¹.

¹Department of Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology Yola

²Swedish Institute of Food Biotechnology

E-mail:musa.halilu@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT Groundnut cake (Kuli Kuli) was processed with slight modification of the traditional methods by germinating the seeds/nuts. The groundnut seeds/nuts were soaked for five hours I each of the samples (B, C, D and E) and were germinated for 0, 20, 30, and 40 hours respectively. Non soaked and non sprouted groundnuts were processed as control sample (sample A). Sensory analysis, physicochemical properties of the cake and oil yield were determined. The results show that the acceptability of treated samples (20 and 30 hours sprouting) were significant (p>0.05) in all parameters tested. Percentage oil yield indicated that the germinated seeds had higher oil yield (47-48%) compared with the control sample (46%). The oil content (47-48%) was increasing as germination time was equally increasing, also the refractive index of the oil was decreasing as germination time increased, which is an indirect method of checking free fatty acid components in oils (unsaturation). The modification of these products is one sure way of improving Kuli-Kuli processing so as to make it more acceptable.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF SOME COMMERCIAL GROUNDNUT OIL PRODUCTS SOLD IN SOKOTO METROPOLIS, NORTHWEST NIGERIA

¹Musa M. ¹Sulaiman, A. U ²Bello; I. ³Itumoh J. E. ⁴Bello K .; ¹Bello A. M.; ¹Arzika, A. T.

¹Department of Chemistry, Shehu Shagari Collage of Education, Sokoto

²Department of Biochemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University,

³Department of Industrial Chemistry, Ebonyi  State University Abakaliki

⁴Department of Natural Sciences, Sokoto State Polytechnic, Sokoto

E-mail:oshiobugie2007@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Groundnut oil, also known as peanut oil or just vegetable oil is widely used in all homes in Nigeria in cooking and in other kitchen processes. The Northern part of Nigeria is also notable for the production of groundnut seed (Arachis hypogea L.) which is one of the major sources of groundnut oil in Nigeria. The physicochemical properties of commercial groundnut oils sold in Sokoto metropolis, Sokoto State, Northwest Nigeria were investigated in this study. Four different groundnut oil products purchased from Sokoto main market, Old market, Kara market and Mabera area within the metropolis and one extracted from groundnut seeds in our laboratory were analysed. The oil from Mabera has the highest saponification value of 215.05 ± 1.36 mg KOH/g which is significantly high compared to that extracted in our laboratory (175.78 ± 0.93). Iodine value was significantly higher at (p˂ 0.05) in oil from our laboratory (95.87 ± 0.15 g/100 g) compared to oils from Sokoto main market (43.72 ± 0.21) and Mabera area (45.12 ± 0.35). Groundnut oil from Sokoto main market has the highest acid value of 6.83 ± 0.15 which was above the cut-off value of 5.99, while the oil extracted in our laboratory has the lowest acid value of 1.88 ± 0.15. There was no significant difference at (p˂ 0.05) in the specific gravity of the different oil samples. The range was 0.900 – 0.918. The results show that the oils are of good nutritional value and are good for industrial applications, hence the oils pose no significant health risks to consumers in Sokoto metropolis.

Keywords: Groundnut oil, Mabera, Sokoto, Physicochemical properties

ASCORBIC ACID CONTENT OF CITRUS FRUITS AT DIFFERENT MATURITY STAGES

Agwu Grace N.

Department of Food Science and Technology

Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri.

E-mail: ernagwu@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

Ascorbic acid content of oranges, grapefruits and lemons at different maturity stages were determined as well as their pH and sugar content. The juice was squeezed out from the fruits into different labeled beakers and analysed. The results show that ascorbic acid content of the fruits decreases as the fruit matures, while the sugar content increases. The results for pH showed to be below 3.7 ranging from 3.12 to 3.36 for grape fruit, 2.31 to 2.62 for lemons and 3.16 to 3.59 for oranges.

KEY WORDS: Juice, Oranges, Grape fruits, Lemons, Ascorbic acid, pH, Sugar content.

PREVALENCE OF AIRBORNE BACTERIA IN MARKETS IN MAKURDI METROPOLIS

¹H.O.A. Oluma, T. Akande, E.E. Ebah and O.C. Godwin

¹Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science

University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State

ABSTRACT                                                                                                             

Samples of air were collected from three (3) different markets within Makurdi metropolis namely; Modern Market, Wurukum Market and Wadata Market to check the prevalence of airborne bacteria in the markets. The samples were collected from five (5) different subsites in each market using the exposed plate method and incubated at 37⁰C for 24 hours. The different colonies that developed after incubation were counted and identified based on their cultural characteristics, Gram reaction and biochemical characteristics. It was noticed that five (5) types of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Neisseria species, Salmonella species, Staphylococcus species, Streptococcus species) were found in the three (3) markets except in Modern market where Neisseria species was not found in any of the subsites. This may be due to the poor sanitary condition in Wadata market which can also affect and increase the bacteria load on food stuff. The sanitary condition should therefore be improved so as to reduce the bacterial load around the areas.

MICROBIAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF WELL WATER IN KADUNA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT

¹Yabaya A. and Aliyu A.

Department of Microbiology

Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria

amosyabaya@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The microbial quality of water in Kaduna north local government of Kaduna state was assessed, using multiple tube fermentation technique. A total of 20 well water samples within Kaduna north were analyzed for the presence of coliform bacteria. No single sample recorded the absence of coliform bacteria. Samples from location B and K had high most probable index with the range of 170-1600 coliforms per 100ml of the sample. Samples from location M and U had most probable index of between 27- 63 coliforms per 100ml of the sample. The isolates were identified to be E. coli and Enterobacter species by biochemical characterization. These findings indicated that, the wells were contaminated.

Keywords: Micrbial•Quality Assessment•Well Water•Kaduna North•Nigeria