Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology

The increasing global demand for food, coupled with the imperative for sustainable agricultural practices, has driven interest in nanofertilizers as efficient alternatives to conventional chemical fertilizers. This study examined the effects of macronutrient nanofertilizers synthesized from banana peels on the germination of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seed. Macronutrient nanofertilizer was biosynthesized. Five treatment concentrations (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) were evaluated for germination performance, including the first day of germination (FDG), the last day of germination (LDG), the peak period of germination (PPG), the median germination time (MeGT), the mean daily germination (MDG), the time spread of germination (TSG), and the final germination percentage (FGP). The results showed that moderate concentrations (25–50%) improved germination speed and uniformity. The 25% treatment had the earliest FDG (4.5 days), and the 50% treatment had the highest MDG (33.30). In contrast, excessive application (100%) reduces final germination percentage (12%) compared to the control (22%), indicating inhibitory effects at higher levels. The relatively stable LDG across treatments suggested that nanofertilizers primarily influenced initiation and rate of germination rather than completion. Overall, the findings highlight that nanofertilizers can enhance the dynamics of tomato seed germination when applied at optimal concentration, but over-application compromises seed germination. This study underscores the potential of banana peel-based nanofertilizers as a sustainable agricultural input, emphasizing the importance of dosage optimization for improved crop establishment.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of varying light intensities on the growth and development of Zea mays (maize), a staple crop of global importance. The experiment evaluated key growth parameters, including plant height, leaf number, leaf area, chlorophyll content, fresh weight, dry weight, and root development under three distinct light intensity levels: high,
medium, and low. The results indicated that high light intensity promotes superior growth, as evidenced by greater biomass accumulation, increased leaf area, taller plants, and higher fresh and dry weights. Conversely, low light intensity results in reduced growth rates but induces an adaptive increase in chlorophyll content to maximize light absorption. Root development was
also significantly influenced, with high light intensity supporting robust root systems and low light leading to underdeveloped roots. This study highlights the critical role of light intensity in regulating photosynthesis and overall plant productivity. The findings provide valuable insights for optimizing agricultural practices to enhance maize yield, particularly in environments where
natural light is insufficient or inconsistent. Recommendations are made for strategic light management to ensure optimal maize growth in both traditional and controlled cultivation systems.

Nine tomato genotypes collected from Nigerian Institute of Horticulture and National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Ibadan, were cultivated and screened for resistance to Oidium neolycopersici. The pathogen was cultured in the laboratory in potato dextrose agar as culture medium and re-inoculated to the leaves and root area of the screenhouse tomatoes. During the course of the experiment, there were expectations to find a resistant variety which will serve as a potential tool for cultivating resistant varieties of tomato. However, all accessions of tomatoes inoculated with the pathogen were evaluated and found to be susceptible to the pathogen. The pathogen totally colonised the plants, caused necrosis of the leaves,
prevented flowering and fruiting, and ultimately caused the death of all tomato plants observed in this study. The study showed that powdery mildew (Oidium neolycopersici) poses significant threat to greenhouse tomatoes, as well as tomatoes grown in the field.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) is an essential grain legume in Nigeria, valued for its protein content, soil-fertility benefits, and economic importance. Despite its adaptability, yields remain low under smallholder, low-management systems. This study aimed to characterize and compare morphological traits of three improved cowpea varieties—BBT Brown (ARTPEA/BBT/72/B), BBT White (ARTPEA/BBT/22/W), and ART White (SAMPEA-13/Ife-98-12)—to determine their adaptability and performance under field conditions with minimal inputs. The experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Botanical Garden, University of Benin, using a Completely Randomized Design. Each variety was planted on two ridges under identical low-input conditions, with data collected on germination, vegetative growth, nodulation, and yield attributes. Parameters measured included stem diameter and length, number of leaves, branches, nodules, pods, and seeds per pod. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and mean separation at 5 % significance. Results showed clear varietal differences in morphological performance. Cultivar 1 (ART White) produced the highest average number of pods (14.25 ± 4.23) and seeds per pod (≈ 14.6), while Cultivar 2 (BBT Brown) recorded the longest stems (142.37 ± 9.23 cm) and peduncles (29.84 ± 5.50 cm). Cultivar 3 (BBT White) had the lowest pod count but comparable stem length (140.45 ± 10.71 cm). Leaf number and pod length differed significantly among varieties (p < 0.05). Overall, the improved cultivars exhibited distinctive morphological adaptations, with ART White showing superior reproductive potential under low-management conditions. These findings provide baseline data for varietal selection and breeding programs aimed at enhancing cowpea productivity in resource-limited farming systems.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) is an essential grain legume in Nigeria, valued for its protein content, soil-fertility benefits, and economic importance. Despite its adaptability, yields remain low under smallholder, low-management systems. This study aimed to characterize and compare morphological traits of three improved cowpea varieties—BBT Brown (ARTPEA/BBT/72/B), BBT White (ARTPEA/BBT/22/W), and ART White (SAMPEA-13/Ife-98-12)—to determine their adaptability and performance under field conditions with minimal inputs. The experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Botanical Garden, University of Benin, using a Completely Randomized Design. Each variety was planted on two ridges under identical low-input conditions, with data collected on germination, vegetative growth, nodulation, and yield attributes. Parameters measured included stem diameter and length, number of leaves, branches, nodules, pods, and seeds per pod. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and mean separation at 5 % significance. Results showed clear varietal differences in morphological performance. Cultivar 1 (ART White) produced the highest average number of pods (14.25 ± 4.23) and seeds per pod (≈ 14.6), while Cultivar 2 (BBT Brown) recorded the longest stems (142.37 ± 9.23 cm) and peduncles (29.84 ± 5.50 cm). Cultivar 3 (BBT White) had the lowest pod count but comparable stem length (140.45 ± 10.71 cm). Leaf number and pod length differed significantly among varieties (p < 0.05). Overall, the improved cultivars exhibited distinctive morphological adaptations, with ART White showing superior reproductive potential under low-management conditions. These findings provide baseline data for varietal selection and breeding programs aimed at enhancing cowpea productivity in resource-limited farming systems.

The study was conducted to determine the effect of the extracts of selected sawdusts of Brachystegia nigerica and Bombax buonopozense, Greenwayodendron suaveolens seed powder, a combination of Brachystegia nigerica and Bombax buonopozense Sawdust, making up a mixed known sawdust, Mixture of unknown sawdust and PDA Control were used in the preparation of media for the cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus tuberregium. The pure culture of Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus tuberregium were gotten from the African Center for Mushroom Research and Technology Innovation (ACMRTI), Uniben. The pure cultures were inoculated into the sterilised extracts of Brachystegia nigerica sawdust, Bombax buonopozense sawdust, Greenwayodendron suaveolens seed powder, and a mixture of known sawdust and unknown sawdust and PDA Control. After the first day of inoculation, mycelium growth of Ganoderma lucidium was highest for PDA (3.47±0.03) and the least was Mixed known sawdust (2.30±0.60). However, after five days of inoculation, mycelia extension of Ganoderma lucidium was highest for PDA (5.65±0.60) with a morphology of an appressed density, and the least mycelia extension was observed in mixed known sawdust extract (3.38±2.50) with a morphology of a wooly density. In Pleurotus tuberregium, it was also observed that after the first day of inoculation, mycelium growth was the highest for B. buonopozense sawdust extract (3.62±0.21), and the least was observed in mixed known sawdust extract (1.28±0.14). However, after five days of inoculation, mycelium extension for Pleurotus tuberregium was highest for B. buonopozense sawdust extract (7.3±0.78) with a morphology of a wooly density and mixed known sawdust was the least (2.15±0.62) with a morphology of a wooly density. These results revealed that Ganoderma lucidium and Pleurotus tuberregium can be grown on the various subtrates material tested. The study has also shown that local material tested can be used to cultivate mushrooms when synthetic media are not available. There is the need to further test for the substrate materials for the production of spawn and fruit bodies of these mushrooms for mass production.

This study examined the effect of different levels of Greenwayodendron suaveolens seed powder and wheat bran supplementation on the growth and yield performance of Pleurotus tuberregium. Pleurotus tuberregium, commonly known as the king tuber oyster mushroom, is a tropical species valued for its nutritional, medicinal, and economic importance. Unlike plants, mushrooms lack chlorophyll and depend on decomposing organic matter for nourishment, making them suitable for cultivation on agricultural wastes such as sawdust, rice husk, and maize
cobs. The experiment was done using sawdust as substrate. The substrate was prepared and supplemented with wheat bran and Greenwayodendron suaveolens seed powder at 0,2,4,6,8 and 10% levels respectively. Supplemented substrate were inoculated with spawn of Pleurotus tuberregium and then incubated incubated for growth and fruiting. The results showed that supplementation with wheat bran and Green way odendron suaveolens seed powder improved the growth and yield of Pleurotus tuberregium compared to the 0% control. Substrates supplemented with Greenwayodendron suaveolens seed powder reached 50% mycelial colonization as early as
12 days and full colonization by about 18 to 20 days, while those with wheat bran reached 50% between 12 and 14 days. Fruiting bodies appeared between 22 and 30 days in both supplements, but only sclerotia formed in the 0% control. The highest yield was recorded at 10% Greenwayodendron suaveolens seed powder with 790 g fresh weight, 50.43 g dry weight, and

This study examined the effect of aqueous leaf extract of Acanthus montanus on haematological indices in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Acanthus montanus is a medicinal plant commonly used for its therapeutic properties. The leaves were collected, rinsed with water, air and oven dried, pulverized and extracted using cold water maceration techniques. 25 rats were divided into five (5) groups of five (5) rats each. Groups one, two and three received 25, 50 and 100 mg/kg of the aqueous extract respectively. The fourth group recieved 45mg/kg of streptozotocin and 10mg/kg of the standard drug glibenclamide while group five recieved 45 mg/kg of streptozotocin. Treatments were administered orally, once daily for 21 days. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected for analysis. The results obtained showed that at various doses, the plant extract has the ability to improve haematological indices. Different doses of the extract showed improved and stable effects on the various parameters such as the white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. This research supports the potential use of the extract for alleviating haematological alterations associated with diabetes

Chemical preservatives are commonly used in food preservation, but rising safety concerns have shifted attention toward natural alternatives such as ginger (Zingiber officinale), a spice known for its antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. This study aimed to isolate and characterize fungi associated with fried bottled groundnuts sold in Benin City, and to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of aqueous ginger extract at varying concentrations (20 g/mL, 40 g/mL, and 60 g/mL) against the isolates. Groundnut samples were collected from three markets (New Benin and Ring Road) and June 12 (a commercial hub) inoculated on Potato Dextrose Agar, and subjected to microscopic and cultural identification. Pure cultures of A. Niger and mould (A.clavatus) were obtained and treated with ginger extract using agar well diffusion, and zones of inhibition were measured. Results showed that ginger extract had significant antifungal activity, with inhibition zones generally increasing with higher concentrations. A. Niger isolates from New Benin and Ring Road samples exhibited a clear dose-dependent response, while the June 12 isolate showed optimal inhibition at 40 g/mL. Mould isolates from June 12 and Ring Road responded consistently, with the highest inhibition recorded at 60 g/mL (26.0 mm and 24.3 mm, respectively). The overall trend confirmed that 60 g/mL ginger extract had the strongest inhibitory effect (mean inhibition: 37%), supporting its concentration-dependent efficacy. The findings confirm that ginger extract possesses promising antifungal activity against common contaminants of fried bottled groundnuts and can serve as a safe, affordable, and locally available natural preservative. This is important for enhancing food safety, lowering spoilage, and reducing aflatoxin health risks in areas lacking advanced storage options. Further studies should improve extraction methods, use larger samples, and investigate combining this with other natural agents for sustainable food preservation.

A market survey was conducted to document and investigated the diversity and availability of root and tuber crops in selectedmarkets within Benin City, Edo State. The main objective was to identify the types, local names, Price, uses, and origin (indigenous or exotic) of rootand tuber crops commonly sold. This survey was conducted in seven major markets which are Oba market, Uselu market, New Beni market, Adolor market, Ekiadolo market,, Oregbeni market, and Ekosodin market, using direct observation and interviews with traders. Results revealed a diversity of root and tuber crops, including White yam (Dioscorea rotundata), Yellow yam (Dioscorea cayenensis), Water yam (Dioscorea alata), Cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta), Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum), Carrot (Daucus carota), Beetroot (Beta vulgaris), Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Radish (Raphanus sativus), and Tigernut (Cyperus esculentus). Among these, white yam, yellow yam carrot, turmeric, sweetpotato, were the most frequently traded and widely consumed, indicating their dominance in the local food system. Few of the crops identified were indigenous, while a most of the crops identified were exotic, such as Irish potato, carrot, beetroot. The study concludes that root and tuber crops contribute significantly to food security, nutrition, and economic livelihood in Benin City. It also emphasizes the importance of market surveys in assessing plant diversity and promoting the conservation of indigenous crop species