Purpose This study was carried out to compare the effects of composted kitchen waste (KW) and poultry manure (PM) soil amendments on growth, yield and heavy metal uptake in edible leaf of Corchorus olitorius. Methods Kitchen waste and PM composted for 8 weeks were applied as soil amendment at the rate of 0 (no amendment), 5, 10 and 15 t ha −1 . Corchorus seeds were sown 2 weeks after incorporation of amendment. Compost amendments were the main treatments while application rates were in sub-plots. Treatments were replicated three times in a randomized complete block design. Corchorus were harvested 6 weeks after sowing, following which growth and yield parameters were measured. Concentrations of manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in leaf tissue and plant uptake were also determined. Results Result showed that PM increased Corchorus leaf production than KW. Poultry manure significantly (p ≤ 0.01) increased Cu accumulation in leaf. Bioaccumulation of Cu was 0.005 and 0.011 mg kg −1 for KW and PM, respectively. The metals except Zn in leaf tissue showed significant (p ≤ 0.01) correlation with both fresh and dry weights of Corchorus. Despite high concentration of heavy metals in the compost, bioaccumulation in leaf was lower than maximum allowable limit of 0.1 mg kg −1 for Cu and 0.3 mg kg −1 for Mn, Fe and Zn in vegetables by WHO/FAO/FEPA. Conclusion Soil amended with composted KW and PM promoted Corchorus growth and yield. Accumulations of heavy metals in leaf tissue are within allowable limit for vegetables.Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Differential performance of genotypes in different cultivation environments has remained a challenge to farmers and plant breeders, the emphasis being the selection of high yielding and stable genotypes, across similar ecologies. A set of nine cowpea genotypes were  cultivated in Ago-Iwoye and Ayetoro, two locations representing high and moderate moisture zones. Plantings were done with the early and late season rains in Ago-Iwoye and mid-late season rains of Ayetoro. Statistical analysis was done to understand genotype reaction to the different environments and the plant and environment factors mediating the performance. The Additive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) model captured 61.30% of the total sum of squares (TSS). The main effects: genotype (G) environment (E) and their interaction (GxE) were significant with the largest contribution of 28.70% by the environment while the interaction and genotype fractionscaptured 20.20% and 12.40%, respectively. The percentage contribution of the main effects and GxE to total sum of squares (TSS) for traits was not consistent. The Genotype plus Genotype-by-Environment (GGE) analysis summarized 91.30% of the variation in genotype performance across environment. The cultivation environments were separated into two, with IT 95M 118 as the vertex genotype in the Ayetoro while TVU 8905 was the topmost genotype in Ago-Iwoye. The two genotypes recorded the highest grain weight per plant (GWPP) but were also the most unstable The stable genotypes IT 95M 120 and IT 86 D 716 flowered relatively late compared to others, are taller, had higher vegetative score and are low grain producers. Key words: AMMI, drought, GGE, stability, Vigna unguiculata

Traditional Ofada rice varieties from South-West, Nigeria is preferred for its unique taste, aroma and massive potential for export but has low yield. Based on this background, two Ofada rice varieties, FUNAABOR 1 and FUNAABOR 2 were irradiated to create genetic variability as it affects vegetative traits. Seeds from the varieties were exposed to nine levels of 60Co gamma irradiation (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 and 400 Gy). The seeds were nursed for 30 days before M1 seedlings were transplanted into a well tilled soil in a two factorial RCBD with three replicates. Selections from M1 plants were used to establish M2 plants generation. The results revealed diverse effects of 60Co gamma irradiation treatments on different plant vegetative traits. The establishment rates of M1 Ofada rice population were unaffected (p > 0.01) by increasing gamma irradiation from 0 to 300 Gy but decreased at 350 Gy. Above 300 Gy, tiller numbers, plant height, lodging incidence, leaf number, leaf length and leaf angle decreased significantly when compared with control (p < 0.01) in both generations (M1 and M2). Moderately tillered (10 tillers), tall plant (116.9 cm) obtained from 350 dosage rate recorded highest grain weight of 7.8 g per panicle. High phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) promoted by the irradiation dosages in M1 selection indicate the extent of environmental influence. High broad sense heritability observed from leaf number, leaf angle, leaf length, leaf blade colour, basal leaf sheath colour and grain weight per panicle shows possibility of rapid genetic improvement of these characters through selection.

An understanding of the relationship between traits related to plant performance is advantageous in rice breeding for tolerance to drought and increase in grain yield. Correlations studies involving root, vegetative and reproductive traits were carried out with sixteen rice genotypes under differing soil moisture through a combination of three amounts of moisture and two periods of application. Data from root, vegetative and grain yield traits were used to compute phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation (CV), correlations and heritability. Phenotypic and genotypic CV were generally low, with the exception of root branching and grain weight per plant. Heritability estimates were also low. Among the root traits, the highest heritability value of 36.6 and 30.5 was recorded by root thickness and root branching respectively while the estimate for 100-grain weight (48.7), days to flowering (47.8) and primary branching (45.9) were moderate. Genetic advance was highest for root thickness, root branching and grain weight per plant. Root volume showed significant negative correlation with root thickness at phenotypic and genotypic levels (-0.124, -0.286), but had positive correlation with fresh root weight (0.340, 0.917) and dry root weight (0.338, 0.910). Root volume and root thickness exhibited counteracting relationships with primary branching, secondary branching, spikelets number per panicle and spikelet fertility. Root branching was significantly correlated with grain weight per plant at genotypic level. The diffused relationships of root traits with the vegetative and reproductive traits underscore their intricate nature and require consideration in trait selection for direct and indirect increase in grain production.

Trace elements such as Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu) and Manganese (Mn) in chicken manure can contaminate soil and bioaccumulate in edible tissues of plant resulting in food chain contamination. This study investigated the influence of chicken manure on trace element load of soil and accumulation in tissues of Celosia argentea. Potted soil, 5kg each was amended with either conventional chicken manure (CCM) or local chicken manure (LCM) at rates of 4, 6, 8, and 10 t ha− 1 and compared with control soil (no amendment). Treatments were replicated trice in a Completely Randomized Design. Results showed that soil trace element pollution increased with rates of amendments. Pollution indices; contamination factor, degree of contamination, elemental pollution index, pollution load index and total contamination factor were significantly (p ≤ 0.001) higher in soil amended with CCM than LCM. Bioaccumulation coefficients (BAC), bioaccumulation factor (BAF) and transfer factor (TF) of trace elements were higher in tissues of celosia grown with CCM than LCM. Contamination factor and PLI contributed most (92.7%) to soil’s effective CEC. Above 4 t ha− 1, growth and yield were not significantly influenced by amendments. Root to shoot translocation of trace element was restricted by amendments. Potential risks of Cu and Mn accumulation in edible shoot of celosia are eminent above 6 t ha− 1 of the amendments.