Showing papers by "Rivers State University of Science and Technology published in 1994"

Studies on the solid substrate fermentation of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L) Verde)

Abstract: Fermentation of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) has not been fully studied. In this project an attempt was made to ferment the beans to a dawadawa-type product using whole cotyledons in four days. Isolates from fermenting cotyledons showed Bacillus subtilis and B licheniformis as the major fermenting microorganisms. Fermentation increased the pH of the substrate from 7-0 to 8-0 after an initial fall in the first 24 h. Fermentation increased moisture, protein and fat contents of cotyledons. Total available carbohydrate reduced in 48 h to less than 50% of value at the start of fermentation but then increased to 92% on the fourth day. The increase has been attributed to secretion of slime by fermenting microorganism. Fermentation also reduced the trypsin inhibitor activity of cotyledons.

Effect of processing and storage on the ascorbic acid (vitamin C) content of some pineapple varieties grown in the Rivers State of Nigeria

Abstract: Ascorbic acid contents of the juice of four different pineapples species grown in the Rivers State of Nigeria were determined before and after storage of whole pineapple and processing and storage of the juice for two months. Ascorbic acid of the fresh juice ranged from 22.5 mg to 33.5 mg/100 g sample. After storage at room temperature (30–32 °C) of whole pineapple for two weeks, ascorbic acid was reduced to between 59 and 65 percent of the fresh juice. Processing the juice by pasteurisation reduced the ascorbic acid to between 28 and 46 percent while storage in plastic bottles for two months further reduced the ascorbic acid content to between 10 and 21 percent.

The fish assemblage of the lower Bonny river, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract: Summary The fish assemblage of the lower Bonny river of the Niger delta with its adjoining creeks was studied. Local fishing gear was used in the collection of samples, which yielded 25 families made up of 57 species. Of these 25 families, some were residents of the main river (Cynoglossus senegalensis, Arius heudoloti, Pentane-mus quinquarius and Trichurus lepturus) whilst others were creek residents (e.g. Tilapia guineensis, Sarotherodon melanotheron, Citharichthys stamfii and Eleotris vittata). Higher catches were made in the dry season than in the wet season for most of the gear types employed in both the creek and the main river channel. A comparison between the creek and the main channel fish (using Sorenson's index; 0–34) suggests that the creek assemblage is separate from that of the main river channel. Resume On a etudie la population piscicole du bas de la riviere Bonny, dans le delta du Niger et dans les criques voisines. On a utilise le materiel de peche local pour recolter des echantillons. Ceux-ci ont reuni 57 especes appartenant a 25 families. Sur ces 25 families, on a observe que certaines etaient residentes de la riviere principale (Cynoglossus senegalensis, Arius heudoloti, Pentanemus quinquarius et Trichurus lepturus) alors que les autres sont des residents de la critique (e.a Tilapia guinensis, Sarotherodon melanotheron, Citharichthys stamfii et Eleotris vittata). Les prises effectuees en saison seche etaient plus importantes qu'en saison des pluies pour la plupart des types d'equipement utilises, que ce soit dans les criques ou dans le lit principal de la riviere. La comparaison des poissons de la crique avec ceux du lit principal (en utilisant l'index de Sorensen: 0,34) laisse entendre que la population piscicole de la crique est isolee de celle du lit principal de la riviere.

Effect of soil fertility on host response to black leaf streak of plantain (Musa spp., AAB group) under traditional farming systems in southeastern Nigeria

Abstract: Plantain (Musa spp., AAB group) is a staple food crop in the humid forest regions of West and Central Africa. Its cultivation is threatened by black leaf streak (BLS), an air‐borne fungal leaf spot disease, caused by Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet. An on‐farm survey for BLS severity in relation to soil fertility was conducted in two different geomorphological zones, the main plantain‐growing areas of Rivers State where plantain is mostly cultivated in compound gardens and in outlying fields mixed with other food crops. Plantain in the Meander belts zone (the Central Niger Delta area) was less infected by BLS than in the Coastal plain sands (the east of the Niger delta). In addition, plantain grown in homestead gardens had a much lower BLS severity than that planted in field‐plots. The host plant response is attributable to the difference in soil fertility both between the two geomorphological zones and between the two farming systems. Therefore, the success of a system would depend on managing ...

Evaluation of erosion hazards and consideration of control measures at iloma, rivers state of Sigeria

Abstract: Iloma, which is a community within the coastal zone of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, is seriously ravaged by gully and riverbank erosion. This paper attempts to enumerate the observed causative factors for both the flooding and erosion problems and outline some remedial measures that could be used to ameliorate the problems at the site.

Pyrolysis of propane at reflected shock‐wave temperatures from 1300 to 2700 K

Abstract: Shock tube pyrolysis of propane at temperatures between 1300 and 2700 K at reflected shock pressures of 500 to 1500 kN/m 2 has been investigated. The reaction is of 1st order with a rate constant K = 1.79×10 8 exp (− 176.2 kJ/RT) s −1 . The major reaction products were acetylene, ethylene and methane, while traces of propylene and ethane were only detected at temperatures below 1500 K. At higher temperatures, propane conversion to acetylene increased at the expense of the other products. Optimum conversions to ethylene and methane, in contrast to that to acetylene, were more sensitive to changes in temperature than to variations in reaction time. However, at reaction pressures above 550 kN/m 2 , extension of reaction time beyond 0.5 ms did not favour the formation of acetylene. A simple kinetic model which confirmed the experimental optimum product selectivity conditions is put forward

Damage Caused to Maize and Groundnuts by the Moths Plodia interpunctella (Hubn.) and Ephestia Cautella (Wlk.) and Control using Local Plant Materials

Abstract: In a comparative situation, the moths Plodia interpunctella (Hubn.) and Ephestia eautella (Wlk.) caused more damage in groundnuts (41.85% for P. interpunctelta; 29.21% for E. cautella) than in maize, when these commodities were stored for 1 month in plastic jars. For maize stored for 3 months in plastic and traditional storage gourds, the weight losses caused by the moths were: P. interpunctella—15.48% in jars; 4.53% in gourds; E. cautella—20.68% in jars; 4.12% in gourds. Orange peel suppressed two-thirds of the populations of P. interpunctella and E. cautella at a dosage of 20.0 g/100 g maize. Neem leaves caused 100% mortality of P. interpunctella at 15.0 g/100 g groundnut and suppressed more than half the population of E. cautella at 5 g/100 g groundnut. The results show that the plant materials utilised have some insecticidal properties against P. interpunctella and E. cautella over a short period.

Effect of Brewers Dried Grain on Growth Performance and Plasma Amino Acids of Young Pigs

Abstract: Ngodigha, E.M., Sese, B.T., Olaka, O.S. and Iyayi, E.A. 1994. Effect of brewers dried grain on growth performance and plasma amino acids of young pigs. J: Appl. Anim. Res., 6: 97–104. Sixtyfour Berkshire and Berkshire x Yorkshire female and castrated pigs of 18.8 kg average body weight and 22–27 days of age were randomly divided into eight groups of eight animals each and graded levels (0%, 5% 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%) of brewers dried grain (BDG) replacing equivalent levels of maize-soybean in isonitrogenous (18% CP) diets were fed for 51 days. The last two diets were supplemented with 0.5% lysine hydrochloride. No adverse effect was observed in the weight gain and feed conversion efficiency in pigs fed upto 20% BDG in their diets. Supplementation of 0.5% lysine-hydrochloride did not indicate any significant advantage over the corresponding unsupplemented diets. No significant (P>0.05) difference was observed in the blood hematocrit and plasma lysine and arginine values in different groups indicating ...

Studies of pollution by industrial effluents in the rivers state, Nigeria

Abstract: Many communities in the Rivers State, Nigeria, are complaining about pollution problems due to waste discharges from industries located in their neighbourhood. Such incessant complaints indicate that effluents are not given standard treatment before their discharge into the environment. This study examined the quality of effluents collected from 6 randomly selected industries in the Rivers State and corroborated results obtained with those of questionnaires circulated in the communities where these industries are situated. Results confirms the observations of the communities that wastes are not properly treated before being discharged into their environment; this has greatly affected their health, water sources, marine life, vegetation and generally the environment.

Rearing Amblyomma variegatum ticks in the laboratory: a simple technique to enhance attachment.

Abstract: Studies on immunological and pheromonal methods to control lxodid ticks require efficient methods to colonize them. Since i t is not always possible to rear ticks on their natural hosts because of cost and convenience, it is often necessary to use small laboratory animals. While some species of ticks feed readily on a wide range of laboratory hosts, e.g. Rhipicephalus appeiidiculafus Neumann (Branagan, 1974), others such as Boophilus spp. have a very narrow host range (Bennet & Wharton, 1968). Attempts in this laboratory to use rabbits for the rearing of adults of A.variegaturn Fabricius resulted in low attachment rates and high mortalities, thus rendering the system inefficient. This paper reports a method that considerably reduces the pre-attachment period, increases the percentage of attachment, reduces mortality, increases yield, and shortens the feeding duration. The reasons for these improvements arc also discussed. Nine New Zealand white rabbits of both sexes, naive to ticks, aged between 4 and 6 months, and weighing between 3 and 4kg, were randomly divided into three groups. Three tick-rearing procedures were replicated on three rabbits in each group so that each method was carried out on six ears. Table 1 shows the various combinations of the

Dietary Fibre Utilization and Growth Performance of Young Rabbits Fed on Rabbit Concentrates Replaced with Graded Levels of Groundnut Haulms

Abstract: Ngodigha, E. M., Sese, B. T. and Adeleye, I.O.A. 1994. Dietary fibre utilization and growth performance of young rabbits fed on rabbit concentrates replaced with graded levels of groundnut haulms. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 5: 21–27 Graded levels of groundnut haulms (GH) were used to replace equivalent levels of commercial rabbit concentrate (CRC) in rabbit diets, to determine the effect on growth performance and digestibility. One of the diets constituted the all-concentrate (0% GH inclusion) control diet while the other four diets had step-wise replacement of CRC with GH by 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Comparison of responses of growing rabbits to all five treatments showed significant (P<0.05) differences in weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency. All these results were in favour of a CRC—GH combination of 100% + 0%; 75% + 25% and 50% + 50% respectively. Significant (P<0.05) differences were also observed in the digestibility of crude protein, crude fibre and ether extract. There were, however, no ...

Evaluation of erosion hazards and consideration of control measures at iloma, rivers state of Sigeria

Abstract: Iloma, which is a community within the coastal zone of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria, is seriously ravaged by gully and riverbank erosion. This paper attempts to enumerate the observed causative factors for both the flooding and erosion problems and outline some remedial measures that could be used to ameliorate the problems at the site.

The Pollution Potentials of Open Drains in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract: Studies the layout of system, chemical, and physical characteristics of wastewater flowing in open drains in the city of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Shows that some open drains are well constructed and lined, while most of the others are not. Wastewater in these drains, especially in high density areas, are dark in appearance with high levels of turbidity, total solids, BOD, chloride and hardness. The rivers into which these drains discharge are always contaminated with refuse items, with the result that aquatic life is endangered.

Thermosolutal instability of a radiating partially-ionized plasma in a porous medium

Abstract: The thermosolutal instability of a radiating two-component plasma, in a porous medium in the presence of a uniform vertical magnetic field, is examined with respect to the effects of collision frequency and radiative transfer. A combination of the Bestman and Chandrasekar methods is used to solve the eigenvalue problem with two-dimensional disturbances for the case of stationary convection. Radiation present on the onset of instability is found to have a destabilizing effect for even a very small radiation parameter, of the orderα(0.1). concentration gradient on the other hand has a stabilizing effect on the system. The effect of collision on the onset of stationary cells diminishes for the optical thin non-grey plasma-near equilibrium. This is of paramount importance in cosmic ray physics, as the interaction between the ionized and neutral gas components represents a state which often exists in the universe.

Effect of Orabolin (Ethylestrenol) on the Performance of Broilers in the Humid Tropics

Abstract: Wekhe, S. N., Banigo, E. B. and Olaka, O. S. 1994. Effect of orabolin (ethylestrenol) on the performance of broilers in the humid tropics. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 5: 119–123. An experiment was conducted with 150 Hyperco-broiler chicks of mixed sexes to study the effect of Orabolin on their growth rate. They were distributed into five groups A, B, C, D and E of 30 birds each, and respectively administered with Orabolin in feed at the following dosages per kilogram body weight: lOOμg, 50μg, 25μg, 12.5μg and 0.00μg. The experiment was terminated at seven weeks. All the test-groups had signficantly higher body weights (P<0.05) than the control group. Financial input/output accruing from Orabolin showed that it costs US$0.005 to add extra US $0.066 value of meat. Consequently Orabolin has been recommended at l2.5μg/kg dosage as a growth promoter for broilers.

Modelling of the effect of current-carrying jets on the temperature of an astrophysical surrounding

Abstract: Numerical solution of the effect of current-carrying jets on the temperature of an astrophysical surrounding is carried out using classical magnetohydrodynamic equations. Under the assumption of small hydrodynamic and magnetic Reynolds numbers and invoking a jet magnetic field intensityBθ, which confines high pressure jets along thez′-axis, a non-linear equation is generated and solved by asymptotic approximation. It is found that when the field intensity is large, the temperature of the surrounding is small and vice-versa. The problem is of interest in the astrophysical studies of current-carrying jets or magnetised radio jets.