Twenty accessions of African Yam Bean, grown at the Teaching and Research Farm of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso during the cropping seasons of May to November, 2014 and 2015 were assessed for genetic diversity and Genotype × Environment interaction effects on trait performance and their ability to produce tuber. The first six Principal Components jointly explained 70.30% of the total variation among the accessions. Vine length, branching pattern, pod number, pod length, seed number, and seed yield contributed mostly to the observed variations. Seed biometric traits were most variable and contributed 52% of total variation. Variance due to genotype accounted for 54.2%, environment 10.5% and G × E interaction accounted for 30.1% of the interaction sum of squares. Accessions, G2, G4, G47, G49 and G50 produced tubers, while accessions G6, G15, G31, G32 and G33 nodulated extensively. Conversely, there was a marginal reduction in seed yield in accessions that either produced tubers or nodules.

A field experiment was conducted at the teaching and research farm of the Federal University Wukari, Taraba State, Nigeria to determine, evaluate and compare the effect of planting dates and fertilizer rates on growth and yield of sweet potato, using three planting dates: planting date one (July 4), planting date two (July18) and planting date three (August 1) for both 2017 and 2018 cropping seasons, and four fertilizer rates: F0 (0kg/h), F1 (30kg/h), F2 (60kg/h) and F3 (90kg/h). The treatments were arranged in 3 x 4 split plot factorial design combinations replicated three times. Measurements were taken on the growth and tuber yield at harvest such as the length of primary veins, number of secondary veins, number of leaves, number of tubers and tuber weight. Data collected were analyzed using ANOVA and the significant means separated using Duncan multiple differences at 5% probability level. The result of the experiment indicated that both main effects (planting dates and fertilizer rates) had significant influence on all of the traits measured. Similarly, the interactive effect of planting dates and fertilizer rates significantly affected all of the traits measured, except leaf area which is not significantly influenced by the interactive effect of planting dates and fertilizer rates. The significantly highest weight of tuber per plant was obtained from the planting dates at PD1, PD2 and PD3 (1.09, 1.56 and 1.10 respectively in 2017 cropping season and 1.00, 1.51 and 1.03 respectively for 2018 cropping season). Fertilizer rates enhanced growth and yield performance on the planting dates used. Highest yield values were observed in planting date 2 (PD2). Highest value in all the yield characters measured was observed in planting date 2 (PD2) at fertilizer rates of F3 and F2 (90kg/h and 60kg/h respectively). Based on the findings from this research, planting date 2 (PD2) with 60kg/ha (F2) of fertilizer application rate is recommended. Generally, all traits except the leaf area were significantly affected by the interactive effect of planting date and fertilizer rate, indicating that determining fertilizer rate for each planting date by considering their vegetative growth and yield habit is very important in crop production. Further research should be repeated under rainfed conditions at different locations.

This experiments conducted in 2019, to evaluate yield response of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus, (L.) Moench) to attractiveness of colour sticky traps in relation to other population sampling methods and bio-pesticidal effects of Aqueous delonix seed extract on the flea beetles, Podagrica Spp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the Southern Guinea Savanna zone of Nigeria. Experimental design uses six coloured sticky traps as treatments in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated three times. The design for efficacies of Bio-pesticides also in RCBD had four replications and five application rates, including a positive check and zero control as treatments. Yellow colour traps gave higher mean Podagrica Spp., catches but damage was higher in the white and purple traps, indicating other contributive factors affecting beetles feeding on Okra fruits. Higher precision was observed in hitting methods, when combined with colour reflectance. Yield of Okra fruits was optimum in all treatments, being higher in purple and least in white traps plants. Heavier fruits and least yield losses were in the least infected navy-blue treated plots. Agronomic performance was better in bio-pesticide treated Okra plants, but were not significant across different application rates with 57.30cm2 peak leave area at 20g/l, while mean fruit yield of 1007.00 was recorded at 15g/l Aqueous delonix seed application rate. Control had lowest mean fruit yield (780.00) with the highest fruits damage (11.33) per plot but heavier fruits recorded in the treated plants at 30g/l (66.75kg) over Cypermethrin (61.05kg). Pest population census showed significant (P < 0.05) decrease with increased application rates of the bio-pesticides. Hitting as sampling method was superior over sweep netting and was significantly different (P < 0.05) across the bio-pesticides application rates.

The experiments were laid out in the Teaching and Research farms of Federal University Wukari, Nigeria. Six cucumber cultivars were treated on varietal effects; five infochemicals and a control for second experiment, while four bio-pesticides materials, Cypermethrin and untreated control were also studied. Each treatment was laid out in RCBD and replicated three times. The vine length was higher in cultivars Penino and Seminis, 50.87cm and 50.70cm respectively, number of branches were uniform, but Poinsett had larger leaves area 141.33cm2, hence higher yield (141.67) and much heavier fruits 31.30g, both were not significantly different (P>0.05). Mean fruit damage was highest in Griffaton (4.55), Seminis gave longer and larger fruit sizes. Marketer had high pests’ invasion (200.33). Naphthalene treated plants gave better growth, and yields, 164.67, weighing 38.07g. Other infochemicals performed below the untreated control. Average fruit damage was least in cinnamon oil treated plots, but fruits length and diameter were uniform across the treatments. The untreated control had higher pest beetle population effects. Better yields were recorded in ANSE treated cucumber plants (186.00), heavier fruits and less fruit damage recorded in the Cypermethrin treated crops, but a higher beetle population was in control. The bio-pesticides gave varied levels of protection. Combining varietal, info chemicals and bio-pesticides impacts secures marketable fruits. This study lacks explanations on differences in relative beetle population, fruit yield inconsistencies, weight and variability recorded across the experiments. However, further studies will improve the results of these studies. Also, statistically significant impacts were difficult to prove, probably due to the low number of plots that reduced the power of our data, leading to type 2 error masking important differences.