Table of Contents

The Use of Coconut Shell as Reinforcement in Concrete

 Usman Ahmadu, Abubakar M. Ahmadu and Jimoh Abubakar                                              1-22

Assessment of Food Production System and Food Security in the Gambia

Lamin K M Fatty, Igbana Ajir and Benjamin Gowon Ahule                                                     23-44

Effects of Three Indegenous Plant Extracts against Helminth in Animaldung

 (Cow) at Abbaitorin Ilaro South, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Adewole Adekanmi   and Abiaziem C. Vivan                                                                          45-52

Effect of Organic and Inorganic Nitrogen Sources on Soil Properties and

Maize Seedling Nitrogen Uptake

B.L. Abdulrahman, M.U. Dawaki, I, Muhammad                                                                      53-69

The Distribution of ABO and Rhesus D Blood Group Antigens in Nembe

Community of Bayelsa State

Clement k. Okpora                                                                                                                  70-83


THE DISTRIBUTION OF ABO AND RHESUS D BLOOD GROUP ANTIGENS IN NEMBE COMMUNITY OF BAYELSA STATE

CLEMENT K. OKPORA

Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences

Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu

Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Email address: Okpobrows2006@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the distribution of ABO and Rhesus D blood group antigens in Nembe community of Bayelsa State in Nigeria. A total of 204 students in a coeducational institution in Nembe community were used in this study. They were  made up of 124 males and 80 females. 5.0mls of blood were collected from each of the patient by venepuncture and transferred into a bottle containing EDTA. Fresh red cell suspension and 20% suspension of known A, B and Rhesus D antigens were prepared. Tile agglutiaion technique was used in the determination of ABO and Rh.D grouping system. The resuls showed that for the distribution of ABO Groups in the studied population 66 (32.3%) of the males were group O which was the highest while 6(2.9%) of the males were AB which was the least. For the females 28(13.7%) were group O and the same number of females had group A also which was the highest while the least number of 2(0.9) females were group AB. None of the 123 males, 116(56.8%) were Rh.D positive while 8(3.9%) were Rh.D negative. And out of 90 females 74(36.2) were Rh.D positive while 6(2.9%) were Rh.D negative. The frequency distribution of Rh.D positive and Rh.D negative subjects in ABO blood groups in males, females and in the total subjects studied were assessed, the result showed that blood group O had the highest number and frequency of Rh.D positive and negative in all the above parameters assessed. On the basis of the findings the study therefore concludes that blood group “O” and Rh.D positive are the most common and prevalent blood group antigens in Nembe community of Bayelsa State.Keywords: Antigens, ABO Rh.D, Distribution, Agglutination and Blood


THE USE OF COCONUT SHELL AS REINFORCEMENT IN CONCRETE

Usman Ahmadu1, Abubakar M. Ahmadu2 & Jimoh Abubakar3

Department of Civil Engineering,

Kaduna Polytechnic, Nigeria

Email: abuamirwayasmin@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This research presents the results of an investigation carried out on the compressive strength characteristics of concrete produced with the mix ratio (1:2:4) and a total of 24cubes of sizes 100mm x 100mm  were cast and their physical properties determined. Result of the test show that the compressive strength of the concrete decreased as the percentage of the shells increased in the mix ratio given. However, concrete obtained from coconut shells exhibited a higher compressive strength than that without coconut shells. 11.3N/mm2 to 10.7N/mm2 was obtained for 7days curing of coconut shell in mix concrete of 10% to20% respectively as compared to 10.16N/mm2 of 7days curing control test concrete. For 28days curing, 24.4N/mm2 to 20.6N/mm2 was obtained on coconut shells concrete mix of 10% to20% as compared to 21.5N/mm2 of control test of concrete grade 20N/mm2 with Dangote cement. For concrete density both control test and coconut shell mixed concrete were adequately the same in the range of 2400kg/m3 to 2500kg/m3. 


ASSESSMENT OF FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEM AND FOOD SECURITY IN THE GAMBIA

Lamin K M Fatty, Igbana Ajir and Benjamin Gowon Ahule

Department of Sociology

Centre for Food Technology and Research, Benue State University, Makurdi

Email:  lkmfattya@utg.edu.gm, igbanaajir@gmail.com, bahule@bsum.edu.ng

ABSTRACT

The study analysis is based on the assessment of production system employed by the farming community in reducing food insecurity in the Gambia. The strategy used the literatures that discussed various methods in providing policies and programmes to enhance agricultural production and productivity in the country such as concentration on rural smallholder farmers constituting the majority of the poor and strategies emphasis on: expanding irrigation and land development through appropriate land use and soil management and increasing commercialization through intensification and enhanced productivity and competitiveness of cereals – particularly rice among others. It was observed that Gambian primary sector has been characterized by subsistence production of food crops comprising cereals (early millet, late millet, maize, sorghum and rice); semi-intensive cash crop production (groundnuts, cotton, sesame and horticulture) and traditional livestock rising. Farmers generally practice mixed farming, although crops account for a greater portion of the production. On average, some 200,000 ha are annually cultivated of which less only 2% of them are irrigated. Among the crops, groundnuts are the most important occupying 40-50% of the cultivated area followed by early millet (25%), rice (8%), sorghum and maize (7% each) with the least of the area allocated to sesame and the root and tubers (cassava and sweet potatoes). The majority of farmers are smallholders (less than 3 ha per farm family) and are generally resource poor. There is heavy reliance on household labour and traditional farming techniques. Food security has been described using four key dimensions to the definition: availability, stability, safety and access. Although his view is based on urban context, the first dimension, food availability relates to the readily sufficient amounts of food. This is mainly a function of food production and supply. Food stability requires that food can be accessed at all times. Food safety is linked to the quality of food. It is not enough that sufficient amount of food are available, if it cannot be consumed without risking major health problems. It has been stated that access to food is associated with the resources that an individual or household possesses to obtain food required for a healthy diet. Also agriculture sector is confronted with constraints that result in low productivity, limited marketing and commercialization, and low net incomes, erratic and low rainfall patterns; a highly seasonal and mostly rain-fed subsistence-based production; unreliable access to inputs; insufficient supplies and use of improved seeds; limited landholdings under irrigation, diminishing access to good arable land due to population pressures among others Thus we recommended the following : need for increase productivity through the implementation of sustainable land and water management with emphasis on cereal crops, others crops in upland areas, horticulture and livestock production, production and resource management constraints; focus on vitalizing agricultural commodity value chains, and measures and programs to support competitiveness and higher investments in value chains; recognize high potential for positive impacts on women and youth employment; address capacity weaknesses of producer organizations, address forest and fisheries resources and parks and wildlife the problem of resource depletion, sustainable technologies and the need for strengthening and improving agency coordination and capacity to produce timely, accurate and relevant data and analysis concerning food and nutrition security.


EFFECTS OF THREEINDEGENOUS PLANT EXTRACTS AGAINST HELMINTH IN ANIMALDUNG (COW) AT ABBAITORIN ILARO SOUTH, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.

Adewole Adekanmi   and Abiaziem C. Vivan

Department of Science Lab. Technology

Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro.

email:adewolejak@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Helminthes are parasitic infections that infect the intestine and the disease is especially prevalent in developing countries including Nigeria. Three indigenous Plants of Caricapapya, Zingiber. officinale and Momordicacharantia were evaluated for their potency to control helminthes in cattle. The extracts of the plants were analyzed for their Phytochemical contents: Alkaloids, Saponin, Terpenoids, Flavonoids and Cardiac glycoside were all present. Further results on the efficacy of the plants extracts shows that all the Plants had anti-helminthic properties at various concentrations of the extracts.

Keywords: Caricapapya, Zingiber. officinale and Momordicacharantia, helminthes.


EFFECT OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC NITROGEN SOURCES ON SOIL PROPERTIES AND MAIZE SEEDLING NITROGEN UPTAKE

B.L. Abdulrahman*, M.U. Dawaki, I, Muhammad

Department of Soil Science

Bayero University Kano, Kano

email: balawan.ssc@buk.edu.ng, bassam.al98@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Most Researchers have shown that organic manures are a panacea for soil fertility management in the dry savanna of Nigeria. An experiment was carried out at the Faculty of Agriculture, Bayero University, Kano in May, 2015. Two maize varieties (2009 EVDT and 2009 TZEEW) were evaluated alongside three organic N sources (cow manure, poultry manure and sheep manure) with an inorganic N source (urea). The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design and replicated three times the experiment was conducted in experimental pots of equal height and diameter. From the result it was observed the N sources responded well to plant height at 4 weeks after sowing with the highest plant height observed with poultry manure treatment and the variety 2009 TZEEW(66 cm). There was also a significant effect for leaf chlorophyll content, with poultry manure treatments showing more chlorophyll content (41.9). From the result of the soil analysis,there were no significant difference observed   among the various nitrogen sources for organic carbon, organic matter and cation exchange capacity but treatment with poultry manure shows highest organic carbon (0.95%), organic matter (1.6%) and CEC(10.6cmol(+)kg-1)), there was no statistical effect for soil physical and chemical properties due to the application of the organic and inorganic N sources. This may be due to the nature of the experimental pots which disrupt the soil natural condition and the slow effect of organic matter application to the soil. The experiment shows that poultry manure as an organic N source compared favorably with urea as an inorganic N source in terms of nutrient release to maize and in improving soil properties.


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