Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Cocoyam (Colocasia esculentum and Xanthosoma sagittifolium) (L) Schott germplasm from Nigeria using Simple Sequence Repeat-SSR marker (Published)
Colocasia esculentum (L) Schott and Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L) Schott, commonly called cocoyam is one of the orphan crops with great potentials, but neglected by researchers and growers despite their high demands by consumers in recent times. Consequently, some of the local varieties have become almost extinct; this calls for the need to revive interest in these crops. This study was undertaken to characterize six cocoyam accessions collected from Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, Nigeria, using 13 qualitative and 6 quantitative Agro-morphological descriptors as well as simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers. The crops were laid out in a field using the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in 4 replications. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test showed that the 6 accessions were not significantly different (P>0.05) in crop span, crop height, number of leaves, leaf width and leaf length. This indicates that these features cannot be used to distinguish between Colocasia and Xanthosoma spp. The qualitative traits were more useful in distinguishing between the two cocoyam species. Three of the primers used for molecular studies successfully amplified a few of the cocoyam accessions, indicating their suitability for genetic diversity studies in Colocasia esculenta and Xanthosoma spp.
Keywords: Characterization, Colocasia esculenta and Xanthosoma sagittifolium, Simple Sequence Repeat-SSR, germplasm
Morphology, Characterisation and Classification of Nun River plain Soils in Bayelsa State, Nigeria (Published)
With the mounting pressure on available land for agriculture due to industrialization, increased population and climate change, rational use of available land is inevitable. This cannot be achieved without adequate and current information and knowledge on the characteristics of the soils. Hence, the morphological, physical and chemical characteristics of the Nun River plain soils of Bayelsa State were studied. Nine profile pits were dug on various landscape positions (levee crest, middle slope and lower slope) in Odi, (ODI) Koroama (KRM) and Niger Delta University teaching and research farm (NDU), making three pits in each location. The soils were dominated by silt-sized particles, weakly structured in the upper layers and consistence also friable to slightly firm. pH was moderately to slightly acid, ranging from 5.64 to 6.30, available P (mg/Kg) from 0.6 to 22 and organic C from 0.11 to 5.26%, exchangeable bases, except K and CEC were low. The soils are classified according to United States Department of Agriculture (Soil Survey Staff, 2014) and Food and Agriculture Organisation and (FAO/ISRIC, 2014) as Inceptisol and Cambisol, having udic moisture regime and iso hyperthermic temperature regime. Only ochric epipedon and cambic B horizon are encountered as diagnostic horizons. The ODI1soils was classified as Humic Dystrudepts (Fluvic Cambisol), ODI2 soils, KRM2, NDU2 and NDU3 into Aquic Dystrudepts (Fluvic Cambisol), ODI3 Aeric Epiaquepts (Fluvic Cambisol), KRM1, Udic Dystropepts (Humic-fluvic Cambisol), KRM3, Typic Epiaquepts (Fluvic Cambisol), and NDU1, Udic Dystropepts (Fluvic Cambisol).
Citation: Achimota Ayadei Dickson, Payou, Tugwell Ogboin & Joseph Onyindoubara Tate (2021) Morphology, Characterisation and Classification of Nun River plain Soils in Bayelsa State, Nigeria, Global Journal of Agricultural Research , Vol.9, No4, pp.25-48
Keywords: Characterization, Classification, Morphology, Nun River, floodplain