FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE

This study was designed to evaluate the microorganisms associated with soursop seeds obtained from New Benin market, Benin City. The objectives of the study were to ascertain the percentage of infection of microorganism associated with soursop seeds; isolate and identify microorganisms associated with soursop seeds, and determine the microbial diversity associated with soursop seeds. The experiment was carried out in the Department of Crop Science Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Edo State. The Incubation Technique (Agar plate method) was employed during the course of the study. Soursop seeds
(seedcoat and endosperm) were chopped into tiny bits, surface sterilized, and placed on filter paper to drain off moisture, and cultured with Potato Dextrose Agar and nutrient agar (PDA and NA). Microbial identifications were done using morphological and biochemical tests for bacteria, while microscopic features examination was carried out for fungi. During the course of the study which lasted for 9 weeks, three (3) bacteria species (Proteus sp., Streptococcus sp., and Bacillus sp.) and three (3) fungi species (Aspergillus sp., Phoma sp., and Yeast cell) were isolated from the seed of soursop. Results of the study showed that Aspergillus sp. Phoma sp. Yeast cell, Proteus sp. streptococcus sp. and Bacillus sp., known to be pathogenic, were disseminated predominantly by seeds, and was observed that the level of bacteria infection was higher in seed coat when compared to endosperm while the level of fungi infection was higher in the endosperm when compared to the seed coat. The incidence of bacteria and fungal organisms on the seed parts of soursop has been demonstrated by this study. High incidence of some of these organisms can result in far reaching consequences such as total crop failure. It was therefore recommended to carry out seed tests by agar plate method (Incubation Technique). This is because the agar plate method provides an efficient tool for the quick identification of specific seed infections; plant pathogen management should be carried out in form of plant products (plant extract) that show
good bioactivity against bacterial and fungal isolates associated with soursop seed or other related crops.

Annona muricata also known as soursop, is a plant in the Annonaceae family. Soursop grows in a variety of soil types of soil, which provides a habitat that supports the growth of soil organisms. One of the most important factors influencing microbial activity and diversity in soil is the availability of water. The objective of this study was to identify microorganisms in soil subjected to treatment with Trichoderma sp and planted with soursop under varying watering regimes. The experiment was conducted in the department of Crop Science Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture; University of Benin, Benin city. The study investigated the influence of watering regime, soil media and soil incubation duration on the growth of Soursop. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two replications and were separated using Student-Newman-Keul test. The results of this experiment showed the presence of four fungal isolates (Mucor mucedo, Trichoderma sp, Aspergillus niger, and Rhizopus arrhizus) and four bacterial isolates (Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus pumilus, and Klebsiella oxytoca) in soil cultivated with soursop under different watering regimes. The identification of Trichoderma sp reaffirms the efficacy of the treatment while the diverse fungi and bacterial species suggest a complex soil ecosystem. It was observed that the varying watering regimes (Watering every day, watering every 3 days, watering every 5 days and Watering every 7 days) showed different degrees of microbial population and diversity, with the highest occurring (12.4 x 10 6 cfu/g and 16.9 x 10 6 cfu/g) in Watering every day while soil-seed treatment; Untreated seed-Untreated soil had the highest microbial population (12.9 x 10 6 cfu/g and 16.4 x 10 6 cfu/g). From the results obtained, the soil and seed treatment, watering regime and soil incubation duration had effect on the microbial population. On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that soil watered daily should be used when growing soursop for optimum growth.

After spreading through East Asia, Europe, and North America in early 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic started affecting countries in Africa. However, there has been little or no work on the effect of COVID-19 on Urban Poultry Enterprise. This study therefore evaluates the effect of COVID-19 on urban poultry enterprise in Ovia-North East and Egor local government area. And the specific objectives of this study are to: examine the socio-economic characteristics and level patronage of the poultry enterprise in the study area, estimate the income of respondents in the pre and during of the COVID-19 era, examine the constraint facing the poultry enterprise and the preventive measures put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19 by the government and then identify coping strategies of poultry enterprise in the pre and during the COVID-19 era. A three stage sampling technique was used, involving a purposive selection of five most urban towns, based on urbanization and presence of poultry enterprise, getting the contact of the poultry farmers, using the Krejcie and Morgan 1970 sample size technique and then a simple random sampling of 70 percent of the respondents from the sample size gotten from population. The result of the descriptive statistics reveals the R-Square of 0.3375 which indicates that household size, farm size, annual farm income and number of eggs collected
daily eggs collected daily have 33.75% influence on the effects of COVID-19 on Deleted[user]: lockdown Deleted[user]: lockdown poultry enterprise. This indicates that there is a significant relationship between some of the socio-economic characteristics of the poultry farmers and effect of COVID-19 on poultry enterprise, there is a difference in the patronage of poultry products and income of urban poultry farming farmers in the two era of COVID-19 in Ovia North- East and Egor Local Government Area, Edo State. In conclusion, in curbing the effect of the COVID-19 insurgency, it is important that Federal Government strive to promote and integrate public health measures, along with food security measures in the society

The soils of Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State were studied in order to update the classification, mapping and suitability evaluation done by Federal Department of Agricultural Land Resources (FDALR 1985). Soil mapping was at the reconnaissance scale; soil classification was according to the USDA and WRB systems while suitability evaluation was patterned after FAO guidelines, as modified by several scientists for rubber, oil palm, cacoa, maize and cassava. Reliability of the soil maps were
determined by the variability indices of: Coefficient of Variation (CV), Variance Ratio Test (VRT), Inter – class Correlation Coefficient (P1), Relative variance (RV) and its Complement (1 – RV). Validation of the updated work was done through a free soil survey procedure and suitability assessment for rubber on the 17.7 ha parcel of land for RRIN within the project area. The study revealed that six major mapping units were found and classified as Alfisols/Lixisols, (occupying some 66,160.26 ha), Inceptisols/Cambisols (37,803.07 ha) and Entisols/Arenosols (19,471.17 ha). The FDALR work showed two mapping units classified as Alfisol/Lixisol and without areal distribution of the units. In terms of the reliability of the soil maps for the study area, the results showed that the findings in this study is quite superior to that of the FDALR. In terms of suitability for the selected crops, for the current findngs, 70,201.5 ha (56.87%) was best suited for maize, cassava and cocoa, while 26, 624.49ha (21.57 %) was best suited for cocoa only. An area of 19,471.17 ha (15.77%) was best suited for maize, cassava and rubber while an area of 7,137ha was found not suitable for any of the 5 crops under study. The FDALR study had the same tree crops examined for their suitability, no area was
rated unsuitable and only one map was used to represent all the crops, while for arable crops, no specific crop was mentioned and it had only one map and two suitability classes. For Indices of variability: FDALR study had 46 % homogeneity within mapping units by CV while it was 87 % for the 2019 findings. For variance ratio test (VRT), no property was significantly different for the 1985 study while for the 2019, 13 properties were significantly different; Intra class correlation coefficient (pi) , in the 1985
work only CEC was accurately predicted (pi > 0.5) while in the 2019 work 7 properties were accurately predicted (pi > 0.7); for Relative variance only one property, CEC was accurately predicted compared with 9 properties (RV = 0.26 – 0.53) - 1985 and 2019 respectively. The results of the 17.71ha classification and suitability ratings agreed with that of the updated findings – being largely Inceptisol/Cambisol and only marginally suitable for rubber cultivation. Thus it can be concluded that while the FDALR study served its purpose as a pioneering attempt and hence overdue for updating. The study was highly necessary for accurate prediction of crop performance and sustainable management of the study location.

The consumption of snacks such as meat pie has progressively been on the increase. It is assumed that the safety in terms of crobial population may not be guaranteed. Meat pies produced and consumed in University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria were assessed for microbiological population in Areas of Faculty of Arts, Mat-Ice Anatomy gate, Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Engineering and Uniben buka. Microbiological quality of meat pies produced and consumed was determined using cultural media and serial dilution for isolation and identification of bacteria and fungi count loads in meat pies sold in the University of Benin. A total of 5 meat pie samples were taken randomly from the five different locations within university of Benin in Benin city. Aliquot of 1ml of the appropriate dilution from each contaminated water was plated in nutrient agar for isolation of bacteria, potato dextrose agar for isolation of fungi. The data obtained were subjected to Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using Genstat. They were all were analyzed for total heterotrophic bacteria count and total fungal count. The 5 samples had a mean total aerobic plate count and coli forming count ranging from 0.914log cfu/g to 1.828log cfu/g for bacteria counts and 0.5log cfu/g to 2.2log cfu/g for fungal counts with. Four different bacterial and four fungal isolate were identified to include Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus spp, mold and yeast respectively. The microbial counts showed that there was no significant difference (p>0.05), between the mean, bacterial and fungal counts. The presence of Escherichia coli, which is an indicator organism infeces call for concern. Adoption of good manufacturing practices in the meat pie hazard analysis critical’ control point (HACCP) are necessary to prevent occurrence of food borne infection. Thus, this study re vealed the likelihood of a very high risk associated with the consumption of meat pies within university of Benin, Benin City

The effect of digestate admixed top soil on the dry matter production of Tiger-nut (Cyperus esculentus L) was evaluated between December 2023 - April 2024 at the Department of Crop Science screen house, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria. The Experiment involved four application rates (0,5,10 and 15 kg N ha -1) of digestate per 10 kg top soil laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Data were collected at 10 - 14 weeks after planting (WAP) on shoot dry weight and nut dry weight; and at harvest on number of nuts per plant, nut size, weight and yield from the results, the application of digestate brought about increase in dry matter in terms of enhanced dry shoot and nut weight. Nut yield parameters were also improved through digestate application. The heaviest nut size (8.89g), highest nut weight (34.8g) and yield (0.69g) were recorded in top soil media treated with digestate at 10 kg N ha -1 which was not significantly (p>0.05)
higher than those of plants produced from 5 kg N ha -1 digestate. Top soil media treated with digestate at 5 kg N ha -1
is thereby suggested for tiger nut farmers.

This study investigated the impact of body and environmental temperatures on the growth performance of rabbits reared in University of Benin, a tropical environment. Forty rabbits were randomly allocated to four treatment groups and housed in different hutches with varied feeder heights. Data on environmental temperature, body temperature, feed intake, water intake, and weight gain were collected and analyzed statistically. The results revealed significant differences(p<0.05) in body temperature among treatment groups, indicating the influence of housing and feeder placement on rabbit thermoregulation. Environmental temperature remained relatively stable across treatments. Feed intake showed variability, with a slight decrease observed from the control group to the standard height feeder group. Water intake varied among treatments, but no significant differences(p>0.05) were found. Weekly weight gain did not significantly differ(p>0.05) among treatment groups. Correlation analysis showed a strong positive correlation between average weekly body temperature and environmental temperature(p < 0.01), while a moderate negative correlation was observed between body temperature and feed intake(p < 0.01). Daily variations in body temperature and feed intake were also noted, highlighting the influence of ambient conditions on rabbit physiology and behavior. Discussion of the findings emphasized the importance of understanding temperature effects on rabbit performance for effective management in tropical climates. Practical implications include implementing strategies to mitigate heat stress and optimize productivity through proper shade, ventilation, and hydration management. This study contributes valuable insights into the relationship between temperature variables and rabbit growth performance, offering evidence-based recommendations for
sustainable rabbit production in tropical environments.

This research work was conducted in the University of Benin, Benin City, with the aim to determine plant nutrient status under different land use types within the Ugbowo campus of the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Soil samples were collected from twelve (12) sites, (three each) from four (4) different land use types, namely: Arable land, Fallow land, Grazing land, and Forest land at depths of 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm. Soil samples from same land use and same depth were bulked to make omposite samples which were taken to the laboratory for analysis using standard procedures. Some of the parameters analyzed for are, the Soil pH, Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Total Nitrogen (N), Available Phosphorus (P), Exchangeable Acidity, Exchangeable Base (BS), particle size distribution, Electrical conductivity, Potassium (K) calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) and Effective Cation Exchange Capacity (ECEC). Results showed that the top soils belong to the textural class of loamy sand. Sand content decreased with depth in all land uses while clay content increased with depth. pH was least in arable land, having pH 4.93 and highest in grazing area, having pH 6.2. pH decreased with depth in all land uses except in grazing area, where it increased. TOC, N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na and sand content, all had their highest values in the top 15 cm of the soils but decreased down the profile
while H, Al, and clay values increased with depth. Grazing area had the highest amount of nutrients, which are; TOC (25.21 g/kg), available P (16.45 mg/kg), K (1.60 cmol/kg), Ca (1.31 cmol/kg) and Na (0.21 cmol/kg), while the forest had the highest concentration of N (1.93 g/kg). Arable land had the least concentration of nutrients.

The effect of digestate admixed top soil on the dry matter production of Tiger-nut (Cyperus esculentus L) was evaluated between December 2023 - April 2024 at the Department of Crop Science screen house, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo state, Nigeria. The Experiment involved four application rates (0,5,10 and 15 kg N ha -1) of digestate per 10 kg top soil laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Data were collected at 10 - 14 weeks after planting (WAP) on shoot dry weight and nut dry weight; and at harvest on number of nuts per plant, nut size, weight and yield from the results, the application of digestate brought about increase in dry matter in terms of enhanced dry shoot and nut weight. Nut yield parameters were also improved through digestate application. The heaviest nut size (8.89g), highest nut weight (34.8g) and yield (0.69g) were recorded in top soil media treated with digestate at 10 kg N ha-1 which was not significantly (p>0.05) higher than those of plants produced from 5 kg N ha -1 digestate. Top soil media treated with digestate at 5 kg N ha -1 is thereby suggested for tiger nut farmers.

This study investigated the impact of body and environmental temperatures on the growth performance of rabbits reared in University of Benin, a tropical environment. Forty rabbits were randomly allocated to four treatment groups and housed in different hutches with varied feeder heights. Data on environmental temperature, body temperature, feed intake, water intake, and weight gain were collected and analyzed statistically. The results revealed significant differences(p<0.05) in body temperature among treatment groups, indicating the influence of housing and feeder placement on rabbit thermoregulation. Environmental temperature remained relatively stable across treatments. Feed intake showed variability, with a slight decrease observed from the control group to the standard height feeder group. Water intake varied among treatments, but no significant differences(p>0.05) were found. Weekly weight gain did not significantly differ(p>0.05) among treatment groups. Correlation analysis showed a strong positive correlation between average weekly body temperature and environmental temperature(p < 0.01), while a moderate negative correlation was observed between body temperature and feed intake(p < 0.01). Daily variations in body temperature and feed intake were also noted, highlighting the influence of ambient conditions on rabbit physiology and behavior. Discussion of the findings emphasized the importance of understanding temperature effects on rabbit performance for effective management in tropical climates. Practical implications include implementing strategies to mitigate heat stress and optimize productivity through proper shade, ventilation, and hydration management. This stud ycontributes valuable insights into the relationship between temperature variablesand rabbit growth performance, offering evidence-based recommendations for sustainable rabbit production in tropical environments.