Different Regions Of Nigeria Research Articles

Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Epidemiology of Early Childhood Caries in Nigeria

Abstract Background: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a prevalent dental condition among children under six years, characterized by tooth decay linked to microbial interaction with sugary substances. ECC poses significant health risks, including pain, infections, and tooth loss, impacting oral health and overall well-being. Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to comprehensively evaluate the epidemiology of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) in Nigeria. The study seeks to consolidate existing literature, assess study quality, and analyze data on ECC prevalence, distribution, and severity across different regions of Nigeria. Methods: Following Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) guidelines, databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane, Scopus, and African Journals Online were systematically searched. Inclusion criteria encompass cross-sectional and cohort studies reporting ECC prevalence in healthy Nigerian children under six. Data extraction will utilize standardized protocols, focusing on WHO criteria such as dmft scores and caries severity. Quality assessment will be conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Checklist for Prevalence Studies. Results: Initial searches identified a scarcity of comprehensive studies, predominantly from southern Nigeria, highlighting the absence of national-level data on ECC in Nigeria. Data synthesis will explore geographic and demographic factors influencing ECC prevalence and severity, aiming to provide a holistic understanding of the disease burden. Conclusion: This review addresses the critical gap in ECC epidemiology within Nigeria, aiming to inform targeted interventions and policy decisions. By synthesizing available data, the study aims to contribute towards improving oral health outcomes among Nigerian children.

Examining the variations in the properties of chemically Pulverized carbons from Cocos nucifera across Nigeria's six political zones

High-power, renewable energy sources are needed to power the growing number of portable electronics and hybrid cars. Reassessing the pyrolysis of biomass, especially from easily accessible African tall coconut shells (Cocos nucifera), is a viable way to both meet energy needs and slow down global warming. This work describes a novel method for producing activated carbon from coconut shells obtained from six different regions of Nigeria by combining chemical pulverization and pyrolysis. After lignin was eliminated from the ground-up samples using sulfuric acid, they were pyrolyzed at different temperatures (650–850°C). To clarify the physicochemical characteristics of the activated carbons, a variety of sophisticated characterization methods were used, such as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The findings showed an intriguing interaction between relative humidity and pyrolysis temperature which implies that moisture content of the precursor material plays a significant role in its viability for supercapacitor applications

Techno-economic analysis of electricity generation from household sewage sludge in different regions of Nigeria

Waste management has been a chronic environmental challenge in Nigeria, coupled with declining economic performance due to energy crises. This study was designed to estimate electricity potential of sewage sludge to meet the 2030 Renewable Energy target. However, there was a need to fill the gap in data related to wastewater management in Nigeria. The wastewater and sludge generated from households were evaluated based on data on population, access to water, and coverage of sewer networks. Consequently, the technical and economic feasibility of electricity generation was assessed using Anaerobic Digestion (AD)11AD - Anaerobic Digestion and Incineration (INC)22INC - Incineration scenarios. The core results found that North Central had the highest potential for wastewater generation (142.8–403.6 billion litres/yr) and collection (8.3–37.5 billion litres/yr) over 20 years. However, the South East had the highest average sewer collection rate of 9.08 %. The AD technology was the most technically viable, with a maximum generation of 6.8 GWh/yr in the North Central. In comparison, the INC outperformed AD in most of the financial viability indicators considered viz-a-viz: Life Cycle Cost (LCC),33LCC - Life Cycle Cost Net Present Value (NPV),44NPV - Net Present Value Pay Back Period (PBP),55PBP - Payback Period Internal Rate of Return (IRR),66IRR - Internal Rate of Return Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE).77LCOE - Levelized Cost of Energy The AD had a higher NPV of 16.3–69.58 million USD and a shorter PBP of about 4 years. The INC had a lower LCC of 0.1–0.34 million USD, LCOE of 0.046–0.094 USD/kWh, and a higher IRR of 19.3–25 %. Additionally, the sensitivity of NPV and INC to changes in economic factors would be noteworthy for investors and policymakers. Ultimately, the choice of technology should reflect the fiscal goal and priorities of a project.

Drivers of consumer acceptability of cassava gari-eba food products across cultural and environmental settings using the triadic comparison of technologies approach (tricot).

Nigeria and Cameroon are multi-ethnic countries with diverse preferences for food characteristics. The present study aimed to inform cassava breeders on consumer-prioritized eba quality traits. Consumer testing was carried out using the triadic comparison of technologies (tricot). Diverse consumers in villages, towns and cities evaluated the overall acceptability of eba made from different cassava genotypes. Data from both countries were combined and linked to laboratory analyses of eba and the gari used to make it. There is a strong preference for eba with higher cohesiveness and eba from gari with higher brightness and especially in Cameroon, with lower redness and yellowness. Relatively higher eba hardness and springiness values are preferred in the Nigerian locations, whereas lower values are preferred in Cameroon. Trends for solubility and swelling power of the gari differ between the two countries. The study also reveals that the older improved cassava genotype TMS30572 is a benchmark genotype with superior eba characteristics across different regions in Nigeria, whereas the recently released variety Game changer performs very well in Cameroon. In both locations, the recently released genotypes Obansanjo-2 and improved variety TM14F1278P0003 have good stability and overall acceptability for eba characteristics. The wide acceptance of a single genotype across diverse geographical and cultural conditions in Nigeria, as well as three acceptable new improved varieties in both locations, indicates that consumers' preferences are surprisingly homogeneous for eba. This would enhance breeding efforts to develop varieties with wider acceptability and expand potential target areas for released varieties. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Histopathologic Spectrum and Clinicopathologic Concordance of Pediatric Skin Biopsies: 18-Year Experience in a Tertiary Hospital in Southeast Nigeria

ABSTRACT Background: Many studies have evaluated the spectrum of pediatric skin disorders in outpatient, inpatient, and emergency settings in different regions of Nigeria. However, literature analyzing histopathological data of dermatologic diseases in children undergoing biopsy or excision of skin lesions in Nigeria is lacking. The present study was aimed at determining the spectrum, frequency, and clinicopathologic diagnostic concordance of pediatric dermatopathological lesions at a tertiary care hospital in southeast Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study undertaken at the department of Histopathology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi. All pediatric (up to 18 years old) skin biopsies received at the department of Histopathology, NAUTH, Nnewi over an 18-year period from January 2004 to December 2021 were included in the study. Relevant clinical and demographic data had been collected from the request forms. For ease of analysis and comparison with other skin studies, the skin lesions were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth revision (ICD-10) (2019), for disorders of the skin and subcutaneous tissue. Results: Pediatric skin biopsies constituted 20.2% of all the skin biopsies received at our laboratory during the study period, with a male to female ratio of 1:1. The initial clinical diagnosis was concordant with histopathologic diagnosis in 88 out of 189 cases (46.6%). Forty-nine percent of biopsies/excisions were performed in the head and neck area. The most common diagnostic categories, in decreasing order of size, were neoplasms, disorders of skin appendages, papulosquamous disorders, and infections. Only about a quarter of neoplasms were malignant. Conclusion: Our study has documented the importance of histopathology as a gold standard in the diagnosis and management of skin lesions. Improved training of primary care physicians and closer cooperation between pediatricians, dermatologists, and pediatric surgeons will increase the chances of accurate diagnosis.

Sustainable Development and Emerging Multidimensional Insecurity in Nigeria: Commonalities and Differences among the Northern and Southern Region.

Peace is the main necessity and most essential element in the realization of sustainable development. Insecurity spurs man towards seeking and safeguarding modern goals, depleting the required resources and energy towards attaining modern development. Insecurity makes improvement of human condition illusive. Notwithstanding, developing societies Nigeria inclusive are replete with budding civil conflicts, militancy, terrorism, and banditry etc. In this paper, we contend that the nexus of insecurity and sustainable development lies on the crux of specific type of insecurity within a region. First, empirical data and policy discuss on insecurity and development connection were reviewed, then we explored how the connection ensue within different regions in Nigeria. In the third and main section, we reviewed the types of insecurity in different regions in Nigeria examining their differences and commonalties, consequently x-raying its influence on development. The paper finally concludes with considerable evidence that though Nigeria is generally not a safe nation however, the nature of insecurity differs within regions with divergent implications on development as such one side-fits all mechanism towards abating insecurity in Nigeria will remain futile. We therefore recommend multi-dimensional strategy to help ameliorate the dual dire challenges of insecurity and underdevelopment in Nigeria.

Perceived causes of change in Nigerian adolescent sexual risk behaviour - Results from semi-structured mobile instant messaging interviews.

The study explores the perceived causes of change in sexual risk behaviour among Nigerian adolescents over the past years. By embedding the results into a theoretical context, the study aims to further develop interventions targeting adolescent sexual health. To do so, 23 semi-structured interviews are conducted through the mobile-instant-messaging tool WhatsApp. The interview sample consists of both female and male adolescents and adults from different regions in Nigeria. The interviews are conducted as simultaneous chats and analysed based on the qualitative content analysis approach. Respondents perceive a multitude of different factors as causes of change in sexual risk behaviour among Nigerian adolescents. They can be categorised into (1) individual factors, (2) structural factors, and (3) socio-cultural factors. Interrelations between the different factors can partly be observed. The other factors are mostly modifiable and can therefore contribute to reducing adolescent SRB.

3-E feasibility analysis on photovoltaic/thermal application for residential buildings: a case study of Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT This study was driven by the need to comprehend and give long-term answers to Nigeria’s ongoing energy crises and energy famine, despite the country’s tremendous endowment of renewable energy. The first step toward proffering such solutions is to present the potential benefits of solar-driven technology for residential applications. This study simulates the performance of a photovoltaic/thermal system for electricity and hot water production for a typical four-person residential settlement in different regions in Nigeria. This study computes the economic feasibility, as well as the environmental implications of the proposed PVT system on the considered geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The performance of the system were assessed on a technical, economic and environmental basis. Final system yield, performance ratio, electrical efficiency, and solar fraction were used for technical assessments, and cost savings was used for economic analysis. The relevant finding revealed that the maximum final yield (in this study) of 159kWh/kWp is retrieved in Maiduguri, while the least final yield of 75.8kWh/kWp is retrieved in Port Harcourt. The northeast (Maiduguri) showed the best annual final yield of 1735kWh/kWp. Onitsha and Port Harcourt showed a maximum performance ratio of 76.3%, and 76.2% respectively. The value of LCOE obtained in this study is in the range of 0.2518$/kWh-0.3838$/kWh, with an average of 0.3056$/kWh

Biodiversity and virulence characterization of entomopathogenic fungi isolated from soils in different regions of Nigeria

BackgroundStudying the diversity of the indigenous entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) is a prerequisite to effective insect pest control. The distribution and occurrence of EPF from the soil across Nigeria were evaluated. Three subsoil samples from three locations in each of the 11 states were used to isolate the fungi by the insect bait method. Three fungal rates, 1.0 × 102, 5.0 × 101 and 7.5 × 101 spores/ml, were applied to the Galleria larvae.ResultsEPF occurred in 41.1% of the soil sampled. These fungi belong to five and an unidentified genus. High species diversity was observed in Abuja with 6 species, and a uniform diversity of 5 species in Gombe, Ibadan, Jos, Kano, Lagos, Nasarawa and Port Harcourt. The Shannon–Wiener index ranges from 2.48 to 1.84. Similarly, species evenness showed a distinct similarity across the 11 sampling states and ranges from 0.99 to 0.92. Simpson Diversity Index was found to be highest in Bauchi with 0.31 and lowest in Abuja with 0.19. The mortality of the Galleria mellonella (L.) larvae differed significantly (P < 0.01) with EPF species and time of exposure. There was also a strong (P < 0.001) relationship between larval mortality and conidial concentration within and among the species. The virulence of the isolated fungi on Galleria mellonella larvae based on LC50 differs with states (sampling site) even within the same species.ConclusionsThe present study uncovered the diversity and occurrence of EPF in soil across Nigeria. In addition, the results can be useful in selecting the suitable soils and best adapted EPF in a particular soil across the study area, or it could be the beginning of a molecular study.

The impact of the private sector co-payment mechanism (PSCM) on the private market for ACT in Nigeria: results of the 2018 cross-sectional outlet and household market surveys

BackgroundThe private sector plays a large role in malaria treatment provision in Nigeria. To improve access to, and affordability of, quality-assured artemisinin-based combination therapy (QA-ACT) within this sector, the Affordable Medicines Facility-Malaria began operations in 2010 and transitioned to a private sector co-payment mechanism (PSCM) until 2017. To assess the impact of the scheme on the ACT market, cross-sectional household and outlet surveys were conducted in 2018 to coincide with the final stockages of ACT medicines procured under the PSCM.MethodsAn outlet survey was conducted targeting private pharmacies and Proprietary and Patent Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) across different regions of Nigeria to assess supply-side market factors related to availability and cost of anti-malarials, including artemisinin-based combinations subsidised under the PSCM (called green leaf ACT on account of their green leaf logo) and those not subsidised (non-green leaf ACT). A concurrent household survey was conducted to determine demand-side factors related to treatment-seeking practices, ACT brand preference and purchase decision. Data were compared with previous ACTWatch surveys to consider change over time.ResultsAvailability of artemisinin-based combinations increased significantly over the PSCM period and was almost universal by the time of the 2018 market survey. This increase was seen particularly among PPMVs. While the cost of green leaf ACT remained relatively stable over time, the cost of non-green leaf ACT reduced significantly so that by 2018 they had equivalent affordability. Unsubsidised brands were also available in different formulations and dosages, with double-strength artemisinin-based combination reported as the most frequently purchased dosage type, and child artemisinin-based combinations popular in suspension and dispersible forms (forms not subsidised by the PSCM).ConclusionsThe PSCM had a clear impact on increasing not only the reach of subsidized QA brands, but also of non-subsidised brands. Increased market competition led to innovation from unsubsidised brands and large reductions in costs to make them competitive with subsidised brands. Concerns are drawn from the large market share that non-QA brands have managed to gain as well as the continued market share of oral artemisinin monotherapies. Continued monitoring of the market is recommended, along with improved local capacity for QA-certification and monitoring.

The impact of climate change on food and human security in Nigeria

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to unravel the changing nature of climate change impact on the food and human security sector of the Nigerian State.Design/methodology/approachThis study is an in-depth case study that involves the use of both quantitative and qualitative data. Statistical data on climate variability in Nigeria obtained from reliable databases were use in the making of analysis. Also, data derived from semi-structure interviews and special reports from International Non-governmental organizations on the subject matter were also used in the study. The findings of the study were based on an in-depth analysis of both primary and secondary sources of data. The secondary data were derived from existing published academic works. The primary data was developed using qualitative data that were collected from January to November, 2018 to 2019 in the different regions of Nigeria. For the South East, primary data was collected from Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. In the South-South, primary data was collected from Asaba, Delta State. In the South West, primary data was collected from Barutin, Kwara State. In the North East, primary data was collected from Maiduguri, while in North West, data was collected from Gusau, Zamfara State. In the North Central, data was collected from Markurdi, Benue State. During the data collection, 48 semi-structured Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) were carried out in the six selected research areas that represented their geo-political zones. Six Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were carried out, one for each of these six selected cities. Each of the Focus Group Discussions comprised between five and seven respondents. The idea of KIIs and FGDs is to allow the respondents to freely express their ideas comprehensively. Again, in other to get varied forms of responses, the respondents are mainly farmers however, a number of NGOs, civil servants, fertilizer sellers, government officials, transporters and aged men and women/retirees. It should be noted that the respondents cut across male and female gender of all ages and ethnic configuration. The respondents were also randomly selected through social networking. To avoid having people of similar The KIIs were three academics; two community leaders; two small scale fish farmers; rice, cassava, fish, livestock and crop farmers. All KIIs ad TIs were transcribed and analysed using thematic content analysis.FindingsThe findings revealed that climate change has negatively affected food security in Nigeria. it has also led to continuous armed confrontations over natural resources thereby undermining human security in the country.Originality/valueThis study is 100% original and can be assessed through turn it in evaluation.

Comparative Analysis of Techno-Environmental Design of Wind and Solar Energy for Sustainable Telecommunications Systems in Different Regions of Nigeria

Comparative Analysis of Techno-Environmental Design of Wind and Solar Energy for Sustainable Telecommunications Systems in Different Regions of Nigeria

Couples' social characteristics, family planning, and unwanted pregnancy risk: Evidence from two Nigerian Demographic and Health Surveys.

Increased cases of child abandonment, homeless and street children in developing countries are traceable to proportionate rates of unwanted pregnancies. Such pregnancies impose hardships on households and increased social vices in society. In Nigeria, baby factories are continually being discovered in almost every state, thereby raising concerns about the exposure of women to the dangers of unwanted pregnancies. In order to contribute to the government's efforts to control unwanted pregnancies in Nigeria, this study examined the effects of couples' social characteristics and family planning methods on unwanted pregnancies in Nigeria. We applied the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method of regression analysis because of its efficiency and unbiased property in statistical analysis. Survey data from the 2013 and 2018 Nigeria's Demographic and Health Surveys were used in the analysis. Results indicated that the more family planning methods are used in Nigeria, the fewer unwanted pregnancies will occur. Furthermore, the social characteristics of men are more important than those of women in predicting unwanted pregnancies. Based on other findings, literacy campaign in the Northern Nigeria where literacy rate is low, more counselling on the importance of modern family planning, and use of different strategies in population health awareness campaign across the different regions in Nigeria is encouraged.

Locus of control: an employee job embeddedness implication for bankers in Nigeria

Purpose: This study examined the relationship between Locus of Control (LOC) and Employee Embeddedness (EE) in Nigeria's selected commercial banks. Research Methodology: The study adopted a survey research design with a population of 400 employees. The sample size was 190 was determined using Krejcie and Morgan formula. A questionnaire was the instrument for data collection, while the analysis was carried out using descriptive and inferential statistics. The hypothesis was tested at a 5% level of significance, Results: Internal LOC has a statistically significant effect on sacrifice (R = .976; R-Square = .952; p-value &lt; 0.05). Internal LOC makes it possible for employees to be more entangled in the organization, thereby making exiting the firms more difficult. Limitations: Data was not collected from different regions in Nigeria, hence limiting the study's generalizability. Contribution: This study represents the most recent LOC work, and it is novel in relating LOC to EE in Nigeria. Keywords: Locus of Control, Internal LOC, Employee job embeddedness, Sacrifice

A systematic review of epidemiological patterns and proposed interventions to address pediatric burns in Nigeria.

Unintentional injuries from burns comprise a significant proportion of public health morbidity in Nigeria. In order to understand the type and impact of burns on youth in Low-and-Middle-Income countries, the epidemiology of burns must be adequately assessed. This review describes the epidemiological patterns of burn occurrences in the pediatric populations and proposes interventions using the Haddon Matrix to address injuries in specific populations in Nigeria. A literature search was conducted using the Proquest, CINAHL, and PubMed databases at the Johns Hopkins University library (January 1, 1990 to August 14, 2018), on burns or thermal injury among pediatric populations in Nigeria. The review focused on the forms of injury, risk factors and potential interventions. Ten studies were identified and the main risk factors for burns were socioeconomic status, overcrowding, and involving young girls in traditional cooking roles. The main types of injuries include scald injuries (50%) and fire burns (45%) affecting mainly children aged 14 and below with significant regional epidemiological variations. We created a novel intervention to develop countermeasures and reduce the number of pediatric burns based on biological, physical and sociocultural environment.. Interventions such as improved supervision of children, improved emergency infrastructure and culturally sensitive first aid education and treatment can help ensure a reduction in morbidity and mortality resulting from burns. Epidemiological studies can provide an accurate depiction of the burden of burn injuries in different regions of Nigeria.

Contextualizing hazard mitigation policy for electricity grids in the Sudan Sahel Region of Nigeria

Electricity grid resilience in the face of unending hazards plays a crucial role in energy security of a nation. Based on hazard impact variability across different regions of Nigeria, formulating and implementing a contextualized environmental hazard mitigation policy to reduce grid vulnerability to the multiple effects of hazards and disasters is a strategic imperative that can result to longevity of grid networks, with increased probability of critical success factors such as safety, reliability of electricity supply and electricity access in the Sudan Sahel region of Nigeria. Policies outlined in the Nigeria's National Disaster Management Framework (NDMF) and the scope of its National Disaster Response Plan (NDRP) takes no cognizance of the peculiar environmental hazards and disasters that impinges on sustainability of electricity grid infrastructures, and the mitigation strategies to reduce their risks, with reference to the Sudan Sahel region. This paper provides insight on the Sahelian hazards, overview shortcomings of the NDMF and NDRP, and advocates for the contextualization of hazard mitigation policy for electricity grids in the Sudan Sahel based on international best practices and findings of field surveys of the Zamfara Sahel.

Impact of Age on the Biological Activities of Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Adults on Stored Maize: Implications for Food Security and Pest Management.

The present work was undertaken in three successive years in three different regions of Nigeria to study the impact of age on the postharvest biological performance of maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) adults infesting maize grain. Eight different age groups of S. zeamais adults which ranged from 1 to 56 d were used. The study assessed important parameters and was carried out using standard methods at mean temperature and relative humidity of 28.2°C and 87.5%, respectively. Results indicated that age affected bionomics of S. zeamais adult infesting maize grain in storage. The minimum age threshold for prolific oviposition in the females was 8 d. Weevils in the age groups 8-14 and 15-21 d showed highest fecundity. There was no effect of age on progeny emergence and development time for weevils younger than 36 d. Consequent upon infestation, only S. zeamais adults of ≤35 d old caused great damage and loss to grains in storage. The susceptibility of infesting weevil to cypermethrin was not greatly influenced by weevil age except at an elderly age of ≥43 d. Observations signal that weevil adults are physiologically fittest at ≤14 d old but indicate that adults of ≤35 d old pose the highest food security threat. The S. zeamais ecotype studied showed resistance to the pyrethroid insecticide at 24 h evaluation period and that also has implications for food security.

Assessment of genetic diversity in Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp) accessions using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and start codon targeted (SCoT) polymorphic markers

BackgroundAssessment of genetic diversity of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp (cowpea) accessions using informative molecular markers is imperative for their genetic improvement and conservation. Use of efficacious molecular markers to obtain the required knowledge of the genetic diversity within the local and regional germplasm collections can enhance the overall effectiveness of cowpea improvement programs, hence, the comparative assessment of Inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and Start codon targeted (SCoT) markers in genetic diversity of V. unguiculata accessions from different regions in Nigeria. Comparative analysis of the genetic diversity of eighteen accessions from different locations in Nigeria was investigated using ISSR and SCoT markers. DNA extraction was done using Zymogen Kit according to its manufacturer’s instructions followed by amplifications with ISSR and SCoT and agarose gel electrophoresis. The reproducible bands were scored for analyses of dendrograms, principal component analysis, genetic diversity, allele frequency, polymorphic information content, and population structure.ResultsBoth ISSR and SCoT markers resolved the accessions into five major clusters based on dendrogram and principal component analyses. Alleles of 32 and 52 were obtained with ISSR and SCoT, respectively. Numbers of alleles, gene diversity and polymorphic information content detected with ISSR were 9.4000, 0.7358 and 0.7192, while SCoT yielded 11.1667, 0.8158 and 0.8009, respectively. Polymorphic loci were 70 and 80 in ISSR and SCoT, respectively. Both markers produced high polymorphism (94.44–100%). The ranges of effective number of alleles (Ne) were 1.2887 ± 0.1797–1.7831 ± 0.2944 and 1.7416 ± 0.0776–1.9181 ± 0.2426 in ISSR and SCoT, respectively. The Nei’s genetic diversity (H) ranged from 0.2112 ± 0.0600–0.4335 ± 0.1371 and 0.4111 ± 0.0226–0.4778 ± 0.1168 in ISSR and SCoT, respectively. Shannon’s information index (I) from ISSR and SCoT were 0.3583 ± 0.0639–0.6237 ± 0.1759 and 0.5911 ± 0.0233–0.6706 ± 0.1604. Total gene diversity (Ht), gene diversity within population (Hs), coefficient of gene differentiation (Gst) and level of gene flow (Nm) revealed by ISSR were 0.4498, 0.3203, 0.2878 and 1.2371 respectively, while SCoT had 0.4808, 0.4522, 0.0594 and 7.9245.ConclusionsBoth markers showed highest genetic diversity in accessions from Ebonyi. Our study demonstrated that SCoT markers were more efficient than ISSR for genetic diversity studies in V. unguiculata and can be integrated in the exploration of their genetic diversity for improvement and germplasm utilization.

Modelling Pod Growth Rate of Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterraneaVerdc.) in Response to Photoperiod and Temperature

Photoperiod and temperature are important environmental factors that affect the adaptation of bambara groundnut (Vigna subterraneaVerdc.) and other crops to hostile climates in the tropics. The use of the accumulation concept, in which the relative rate of progress towards podding sums up to one is a common methodology. However, the lack of quantitative information, has resulted in poor decision making for crop management practices in relation to the time of optimum pod growth rate (Ropt). This study investigated modeling pod growth using an additive and interactive relation between pod growth rate, mean photoperiod, and temperature during the pod inductive phase. The field experiment was conducted at Ekpoma Nigeria. Ten bambara groundnut landraces from three different regions in Nigeria (Anyigba, Otukpo, and Nsukka) were sown on six dates from 15 June to 1 September during the successive growing seasons of 2010 to 2012, thus exposing the landraces to mean natural photoperiods of 12 h 23 min, 12 h 19 min, 12 h 14 min, 12 h 10 min, 12 h 5 min, 12 h, 11 h 55 min, 11 h 51 min, and 11 h 47 min during the pod inductive period. The observed optimum photoperiod and temperature forRoptwere 12 h and 26°C, respectively, for all landraces. Allocation to pod growth began at the critical photoperiod (Pc) of 12 h 19 min for Otukpo landraces, whereasPcfor Nsukka landraces was 12 h 14 min. However, thePcfor Anyigba landraces occurred earlier at 12 h 23 min. The pod growth model that was developed provided good predictions of pod growth for a natural range of photoperiods and temperatures.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Striga hermonthica populations from Kenya and Nigeria

SummaryStriga hermonthica is a parasitic weed that poses a serious threat to the production of economically important cereals in sub‐Saharan Africa. The existence of genetic diversity within and between S. hermonthica populations presents a challenge to the successful development and deployment of effective control technologies against this parasitic weed. Understanding the extent of diversity between S. hermonthica populations will facilitate the design and deployment of effective control technologies against the parasite. In the present study, S. hermonthica plants collected from different locations and host crops in Kenya and Nigeria were genotyped using single nucleotide polymorphisms. Statistically significant genetic differentiation (FST = 0.15, P = 0.001) was uncovered between populations collected from the two countries. Also, the populations collected in Nigeria formed three distinct subgroups. Unique loci undergoing selection were observed between the Kenyan and Nigerian populations and among the three subgroups found in Nigeria. Striga hermonthica populations parasitising rice in Kenya appeared to be genetically distinct from those parasitising maize and sorghum. The presence of distinct populations in East and West Africa and in different regions in Nigeria highlights the importance of developing and testing Striga control technologies in multiple locations, including locations representing the geographic regions in Nigeria where genetically distinct subpopulations of the parasite were found. Efforts should also be made to develop relevant control technologies for areas infested with ‘rice‐specific’ Striga spp. populations in Kenya.