MYCOFLORA OF FRUITS AND SEEDS OF SOME JATROPHA SPP. AND RICINUS COMMUNIS

Fungi associated with the fruits and seeds of some Jatropha species and their related species Ricinus communis were investigated in Benin City. Samples were collected from the Nigerian Institute for Oil palm Research (NIFOR), and Egor villages in the outskirts of Benin City. Some seeds of J. curcas for sowing obtained from the Global Renewable Energy Development Company (GREDC) in Ilorin were also investigated. Isolation and subculture of isolates on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), identification of isolates and pathogenicity of fruit isolate were carried out. Isolates from the seeds were identified as Fusarium and Fusoma spp. from J. curcas, Fusarium sp, from J. gossipifolia and Fusarium and Cornularia spp. from Ricinus communis. The isolate from the fruit of J. curcas identified as Colletotrichum sp. gave positive pathogenicity results on fruits of J. curcas, J. gossipifolia and R. communis but proved negative on J. multifida. Fusarium and Colletotrichum spp. seem to be commonly associated with the seeds and fruits of the species respectively. Being a promising crop on bio-oil production, the common presence of Fusarium species may have implication on its storage and oil quality

Performance and Nutrient Digestibility of West African Dwarf Goats Fed Different Dietary Levels of Cattle and Goat Rumen Contents

Hundreds of cattle and goats are slaughtered on daily basis in abattoirs and rumen contents are disposed in large amount as wastes, which could possibly serve as an alternative non-conventional feed source to ruminants. This study was carried out to investigate the utilization of cattle and goat rumen contents in the diets of West African dwarf goats.  Twenty five West African Dwarf goats were fed five treatment diets containing Cattle Rumen Content (CRC) and Goat Rumen Content (GRC) at 0%, 20% and 40% inclusion levels, respectively, using a completely randomized design. Daily feed intake and weekly weight gain were measured. Metabolism cages were used for total collection of faeces and urine. Dry Matter Intake, Organic Matter Intake and weight gain were similar (P>0.05) for all the treatments, although goats on diet 5 (40% GRC) had the least Dry Matter and Organic Matter digestibility. And OM digestibility of 58.58% observed in this study is still capable of supporting productivity in goats. Also, there was a gradual reduction in cost of feed from N26.45 at 0% RC to N18.53 at 20% CRC and GRC. In like manner, cost/kg live weight gain decreased from N33.86 at 0% RC to N16.93 for 40% CRC. The only exception was Diet 5 (40% GRC) which increased to N36.85 for cost/kg live weight gain. Cattle and goat rumen contents can therefore be incorporated in the diets of goats up to 40% inclusion level without any deleterious effect on their health, thereby minimizing cost of production

Determinants of Audit Delay in Nigerian Companies: Empirical Evidence

This paper examines relationship between audit delay and several company characteristics in Nigeria. The objective of this study is to measure the extent of audit lag in Nigeria and to establish the impact of selected corporate attributes on audit delay in Nigeria. A sample of 20 quoted companies was selected for a period of 2009 to 2011. The audit delay for each of the companies revealed that it takes a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of 276 days for Nigerian companies to publish their annual reports. Nigeria listed companies take approximately two months on the average beyond their balance sheet date before they are finally ready for the presentation of the audited accounts to the shareholders at the annual general meetings. The results from the panel data which was estimated using Ordinary Least Square regression showed that the major determinants of audit delay in Nigeria include multinationality connections of companies, company size and audit fees paid to auditors. We therefore recommend that regulatory agencies in Nigeria should probe audit delay and formulate policies to enforce compliance with timely release of annual reports. Keywords: audit delay, audit lag, annual reports, company characteristic

The Influence of seed treatments and growing media on seedling growth and development of African walnut, Plukenetia conophorum

A nursery trial was conducted to investigate the effects of seed treatments and soil type growing media on the germination and growth of Plukenetia conophorum. The factors considered included seed treatments with hot water at 90&#176C, warm water at 60&#176C, overnight soaking in cold water and scarification. Soil type media were humus&#43manure and topsoil&#43manure at a 2:1 ratio. The results showed that the types of nursery media used were significant only on seedling growth but not on germination. However, the seed treatments have significant effects on germination and growth of the crop. Topsoil produced superior plant growth in terms of plant height, collar girth and leaf number. Scarification and overnight soaking in cold water produced best quality seedlings.Key words: Plukenetia conophorum, seed treatment, growing media, top soil, humus, under-exploited fruit.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (8), pp. 808-81

Influence of crop residue ration supplementation on the attainment of puberty and postpartum reproductive activities of Red Sokoto goats

The general objective of this study was to come up with an appropriate, affordable and locally available crop residue supplementation package that would enhance reproductive performance in small ruminants. Specifically, 28 Red Sokoto weaner does between 3 and 4 months of age weighing between 2 and 3 kg were used in the first experiment to determine the influence of crop residue supplementation on age and weight at puberty as determined by blood progesterone levels. In the second experiment, another 28 adult does (equal to or greater than 2 years old) of the same breed in the same flock with lactation numbers between 1 and 3 were used to determine the length of postpartum acyclic period. In both experiments, a 3 x 2 factorial experimental design comprising three dietary supplements (A, B, C) at two feeding levels (1% and 2% of body weight) fed in addition to a basal diet of Digitaria smutsii hay and natural pasture ad libitum with an unsupplemented negative control group (D) and four goats per treatment was utilized. In ration A, a conventional concentrate supplement consisting of maize, wheat offal, cottonseed cake and bonemeal was utilized; in rations B and C, the supplement consisted of guinea-corn bran, cowpea husk and groundnut haulms; and maize offal, groundnut shells and groundnut haulms respectively. Unsupplemented (ration D) weaner does reached puberty at a later age and had lighter body weights than all the others. Weaner does on ration 2A (concentrate fed at 2% of body weight) attained puberty at the earliest age and heaviest body weight, although the age at puberty was not significantly different from those on rations 1A (concentrate fed at 1% body weight), 1C and 2C. Blood progesterone profiles before and after puberty ranged from 0.05 to 9.0 ng/ml, respectively, and was highest in does fed rations A and C and least in the unsupplemented does. The mean interval between kidding and initiation of ovarian activity was 54.28 plus or minus 17.61 days and the mean interval between kidding and conception was 63.04 plus or minus 25.34 days. Only 25% of the unsupplemented does conceived again during the period under study compared with 100% in rations 1A, 2A, 1C and 2C; 75% in ration 2B and 50% in ration 1B. It was concluded that implementation of supplementary feeding in the dry season improves reproductive performance in the Red Sokoto doe. Furthermore, ration C, a crop residue-based ration, was a suitable dry season supplementation alternative to the expensive conventional concentrate ration for the smallholder goat farmer in the subhumid tropics of Nigeria