A field study was conducted on the growth of tomato plants with leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera.Different concentrations of the crude extract measured for treatments: A 20%, B 40%, C 60%, D 80%, and E with 100%. In the treatments used, l00ml of distilled water was sprayed at the stem base of the plant labeled F which served as control. Four (4) parameters were determined at each week of the experiment i.e. plant height (PH), number of leaves (NL), number of branches (NB) and number of flowers (NF) at five (5) different times. A corresponding increase appeared in the study area. Treatments D (80g/20ml), C (60g/40m1) B (40g/60ml) and an average plant height, A (20g/80ml). Control was found to have the least of all the growth parameters with an average plant height, leaves number, number of branches and number of flowers of 18.8, 51.0, 9.1 and 1.6. This indicates that, the Moringa leaf extract used significantly increased the growth and yield of tomato plants in all the trials with erect stemming, fresh leaves, regular branching and healthy fruits and regular flowering.

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Abstract Fonio respond differently at different sowing conditions. Field experiment was conducted to assess the respond of fonio grain yield and its components when subjected to different seeding methods under rainfed condition during the growing season of 2021 and 2022. The Randomized complete block design with three replications was adopted for the experiment. The result revealed that planting methods (dibbling, drilling broadcasting and transplanting) used had significant effect on all the yield components and grain yield. Transplanting was on a clear lead with an average number of tillers per plant of 13.8 surpassing dibbling and drilling whose average had no significant difference at 5% probability level. In days to maturity, transplanted crops takes longer (115.1) days for fonio to reach 50% flowering. However, fonio appears to mature earlier when drilling and transplanting methods are adopted. Taller plants, longer spikes, longer panicles, higher number of tillers and higher grain yield were observed when transplanting method was applied in fonio field cultivation. Therefore, transplanting method could be recommended for increased tillers, longer spikes and higher grain yield of fonio under rainfed condition.

Africa rice gall midge (Orseolia oryzivora) is a major insect pest of rice and the use of insecticides in its control poses danger to the environment and destroys biodiversity. The experiment was conducted to evaluate effect of lambda-cyhalothrin and carbofuran rates on population density of O. oryzivora in relation to its parasitoids on rice. The treatments were arranged in split-plot and fitted in to Randomized Complete Block Design, replicated three times. Observations were made on tiller number per hill, plant height, days to 50% flowering, % incidence, % severity, % parasitism of O. oryzivora, panicle /m2, grains / panicle and yield of rice. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance and significant means were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) at p<0.05. The result showed that Rice plants treated with lambda-cyhalothrin at rate of 1L/ha, 0.75 L/ha, Carbofuran at rate of 10.0 kg/ha and 7.5 kg/ha had higher yield (2.90-2.97 tonnes/ha) compared with control (2.55 tonnes/ha). They also had lowest incidence (2.09-2.64%) and severity (2.40-3.72%) of O. oryzivora compared with 8.26-17.17% and 9.93- 14.72% in plants treated with lambda-cyhalothrin at 0.50 L/ha and control respectively. The parasitism of O. oryzivora was high on rice plants treated with Carbofuran and the untreated ones (1.16-1.74) compared with other application of lambda-cyhalothrin.

The study investigated the application of eco-engineering approach for rice yellow mottle disease management caused by Rice yellow mottle virus in rain-fed lowland rice fields at Edozhigi and Makurdi, Nigeria between 2012 and 2015 cropping seasons. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with fourteen rice genotypes obtained from AfricaRiceCenter, Cotonou and National Cereals Research Institute, Badeggi. The Lady's finger (Abelmoschus esculentum L.) was introduced on bounds to effect ecological modification in 2013 and 2015, whereas the conventional cropping system for rice without cultural modification was adopted for reference in 2012. The results indicated that RYMV incidence at 32 and 60 days after transplanting (DAT) was the highest in 2012 with the susceptible checks (FKR 28 and Sahelika) recording higher values in the range of 43.54 -48.03% across the two locations. Other rice yellow mottle disease indices such as plant height reduction (cm) and spikelets sterility (%) were also highest among the susceptible checks in 2012 when conventional cropping system was adopted across the two locations. The average mean yield of 2.26 t/ha obtained in 2012 was signifacnlty (P = 0.01) lower than respective mean yields (t/ha) of 3.01 and 3.09 obtained in 2013 and 2015 when the eco-engineering approach was adopted. The introduction of nectar-rich lady finger on rice bunds contributed to ecological modification which was apparent in wider range of insect presence in the field, and reduction of RYMV incidence by 50% at both locations. The present work has established for the first time in Nigeria the use of eco-engineering approach of planting nectar-rich plants to effect habitant manipulation and reduce spread and incidence of RYMV in natural field condition. The practice is therefore been recommended as a short/medium-term management approach for RYMV in disease endemic field locations.