Serotyping characterization and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella clinical isolates were examined for a period of 10-months to study the most frequently encountered serovars in salmonellosis and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Seven hundred and twenty (720) samples of both stool and blood specimens were collected from out patients attending three hospitals in Katsina State, Nigeria. The samples were collected from patients diagnosed by clinicians with either pyrexia, gastroenteritis or both. Samples were cultured; isolates were identified and antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using standard procedures. The total number of 108 (15%) of the 720 samples collected yielded positive for Salmonella strains. Out of the 108 isolates, 61 (56.5%) were responsible for typhoidal salmonellosis, while 47(43.5%) were responsible for non-typhoidal salmonellosis. Of the 108 cases of salmonellosis, 91(84.3%) were from children and 17(15.7%) from adults. S. Typhi (40.7%) was the most frequently encountered, followed by S. Enteritidis (26.9%) and least encountered was S. Arizonae (2.8%). There was no significant difference in the serotypes isolated from each of the hospitals with respect to the type of salmonellosis caused with their p values > 0.05. Of the total isolates, 94.2% were found to be resistant to ampicillin, 22.2% resistant to cefotaxime, 72.8% resistant to chloramphenicol, 31.8% resistant to co-trimoxazole and 4.9% resistant to nalidixic acid. However, resistance to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin by the isolates were not found. Therefore, ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin remains the drug of choice for severe cases of salmonellosis, although caution should be exercised by clinicians in their prescriptions such that fluoroquinolones antibiotic therapy is used only in laboratory-proven cases of typhoid fever and Salmonella-associated bacteraemia to preserve its efficacy.

An experiment was conducted in 2009, 2010 and 2011 dry seasons to investigate the use of lablab (Lablab purpureus L. Sweet) as alternative forage legume for use in maize-legume intercrop under 3 irrigation regimes. Lablab was harvested for forage yield from 6 to 18 weeks after seeding. Forage yield and quality of lablab at different ages of growth and irrigation frequency, as well as maize grain yield and yield components were measured. Plant height of maize and number of leaves of lablab were not affected (P > 0.05) by years of trial. Plant stand count of lablab, number of leaves of maize, plant height of lablab, and LAI of maize and lablab differed (P < 0.05) with years of trial. Irrigation frequency did not affect (P < 0.05) number of leaves of maize and lablab. There were significant (P < 0.05) interactions between age of cutting x year of trial x irrigation schedule on dry forage yield of lablab. Age of cutting had no effect (P > 0.05) on forage Mg and Na contents of lablab. The CP contents of lablab at 15 and 18 WAS were lower (P < 0.05) than the CP at 6 WAS. The forage CF, NDF, ADF, EE and NFE differed (P < 0.05). Except ADF and Ca: P, measured nutrients did not differ (P > 0.05) with irrigation frequency. The maize grain yield was higher (P < 0.05) in 2010 and 2011 (1722-1726 kg/ha) than 2009 (1412 kg/ha). Results from this study suggest that lablab could be introduced as a component crop in an intercropping system with maize under irrigation in Nigeria.

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Irrigation trials were conducted in the late dry season (March to June) with Lublab (Lablab purpureus) and Columbus grass (Sorghum almum) in the Sudan savanna of Nigeria. The objective of this study was to determine the dry matter yield (IDM/ha), crude protein (CP), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus(P) in dual-purpose lablab bean and Sorghum almum at 3 irrigation schedules (5, 7 and 10 days irrigation interval). The results obtained showed dry matter yield in lablab increased (P<0.05) and varied from 1.7 to 11.7 IDM/ha. Calcium and P concentrations differed significantly (P<0.05). Mean CP for the lablab was 15.57%. Dry matter yield obtained for Sorghum almum varied (P<0.05) from 11.07 to 19.6 tDM/ha. Concentration of CP and Ca rose and declined thereafter with a mean concentration of 9.86% for CP und 0.08% for Ca while P declined consistently (P<0.05). Intervals of irrigation days had a relationship (P<0.05) with DM/ha, Ca and P in lablab. The increasing trend in foruye yield with increased irrigation interval showed optimum irrigation interval was not attained. It is therefore recommended that longer irrigation intervals be tried to determine the optimum irrigation interval after which forage yield would be depressed due to moisture stress. From the results of the present study Sorghum almum and lablab would be grown successfully at a 10-day irrigation interval.

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