Life Sciences

Farmers at Umguza Irrigation Lots practise unrestricted crop production using undertreated wastewater. This presents potential public health risk to producers, vendors and consumers of the produce. The aim of the study was to establish the level of public health risk of wastewater use in unrestricted crop production at Umguza Irrigation Lots. Water samples from the dam, canal and overnight reservoir and vegetables: Lactuca sativa, Brassica oleracea and Solanumlycopersicum were obtained and analysed for physiochemical and microbial characteristics.

Agribusiness plays a very significant role in the economy of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul because it generates jobs and income in rural and urban areas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between factors of production and gross output value in farms. Such analysis can underpin policies for maximization of the economic result of agricultural output. Thus, data from the Brazilian Agricultural Census (2006) were used for an estimation of the Cobb-Douglas production function.

Traditional vegetables have been consumed by many rural communities for centuries and have a potential to contribute to household food security by providing direct access to readily accessible nutritious food and income. The availability of fresh vegetables is however seasonal but local communities in Hwange have made it an all year round activity. To assess the production and availability of the traditional vegetables, a survey was conducted in July to November 2013 in Nekatambe Ward of Hwange District.

In Egypt Echinocloa crus-galli is one of the most successful yield-limiting weeds in the rice fields that its control mostly relies on herbicides. Plant species Nauplius graveolens, Picris asplenioides, Reichardia tingitana and Urospermum picroides were collected from naturally growing population in coastal (Deltaic Mediterreanean coast) and inland desert WadiHagul of Egypt. The phytochemical analysis of the selected species in the present study showed that, they contain relatively high contents of tannins, saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids and phenols.

Agrobacterium infiltration is a common method used for effective gene transfer in many cultivated plants. In this study, the various concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 × 109 cells ml-1) of A.tumefaciens was injected into the young leaves and germinated seeds of Cowpea by syringe method and vacuum infiltration. Then the morphological and biochemical variations were observed. The results show that the vacuum infiltration method was more efficient then the syringe infiltration.

The combination of Comparative Analysis Performance and Decision Rank Matrix results were used to assess; accuracy, experimental process, cost per 1000 samples, portability and durability of Delagua, Colilert (P/A), Colilert (MPN) and Petrifilm methods for examination of microbiology water quality during emergencies. The assessment further compared human body incubation techniques with conventional power supplied incubation Colilert MPN is ranked (1st ) followed by Petrifilm (2nd) and lastly the Delagua (3rd) method.

The study was aimed at producing and analyzing the nutritional components of a typical It sekiri food seasoning (pepper soup spice). The following ingredients (1) Monodora Mystristica (Iwo), (2) Tetrapleura Tetreapera (Iyanghangangh), (3) Panirari Curatellifolia (Aghafilo), (4) Chrysobalanus Icaco and (5) Xylopia Ethiopica were bought, cleaned and ground, salt was also added to taste. Sample of the pepper soup spice (per 100g of sample) was analysed for its nutritional contents.

The implementation of soil preservation programs and measures to combat erosion and sedimentation could substantially assist the protection of resources and the maintenance of the reservoir constructions under the framework of watershed management activities. The assessment of watershed management activities and the level of public support is essential in facilitating the enhancement of such steps and identifying their strengths and weaknesses. Thus, the objective of this research was to assess the impact of watershed management activities on erosion and sedimentation of Behvard Watershed.

The Muga silk is one of the most precious silk produced by Antheraea assamensis is monopoly of Assam. The silk is very famous due to its unique golden yellow colour and lustre of the fibre. The Muga silkworm is present only in the North-Eastern region of India. This silkworm primarily feeds on Som plant (Persea bombycina) but some other plants like Litsea polyantha, Litsea salicifolia and Litsea citrate are used as host plant of the silkworm. The som plant (Persea bombycina), is an aromatic non deciduous tree with alternate leaves that are varying size and shape.

This paper gives an insight to 70 rare species belonging to 65 genera and 37 families of Muzaffarnagar district (U.P.) collected from different localities. Out of these 59 are Dicots and 11 are Monocots. Poaceae and Asteraceae were found to have maximum rare species.