Impact of poultry manure and harvest season on juice quality of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa Deg.) in the sub-humid zone of Nigeria. Abstract-Introduction. The production of high quality fruit juice involves several cultural inputs. Among other factors, fruit quality attributes are influenced by the cultivar, the climate, the harvesting time and soil fertility. Particularly, the soil fertility has a significant effect on the nutritional characteristics of the juice. Good practice as regards fertilization consists of applying rates adapted to plant optimum growth, yield and fruit quality. Materials and methods. Effects of four poultry manure rates [(0, 5, 10 and 15) t•ha-1 ] on the juice quality of passion fruits (Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa) were evaluated for two cropping years (2005 and 2006). The seedlings of passion fruit vine were field-established in a randomized complete block design, and the manure treatments were replicated four times. Juice quality assessment was performed on fruits picked in December 2005, coinciding with the dry season and low soil moisture recharge, and August 2006, during the wet season and high soil moisture recharge. Results. The results obtained indicated a significant poultry manure effect on all the juice quality parameters studied; the quality of the juice increased gradually as the manure rate increased. Similarly, the season of fruit-picking had a significant effect on the juice quality. As expected, vines that received no manure produced fruits with the poorest juice quality, suggesting unfavorable nutritive conditions within the vines. The concentrations of anti-nutrient factors (tannin, hydrogen cyanide, phytate and calcium oxalate) were low in ripe yellow passion fruits, and insignificant regarding health hazards for consumers of yellow passion fruit. Conclusion. The results obtained showed that the manure rate and the harvest period affected the quality of passion fruit juice. Application of 15 t•ha-1 poultry manure generally gave the best juice quality; similarly, fruits harvested in the first cropping season had better juice quality. Nigeria / Passiflora edulis / plant nutrition / organic fertilizers / fruit juices / quality Impacts du fumier de volailles et de la période de récolte sur la qualité du jus de passiflores jaunes (Passiflora edulis var. flavicarpa Deg.) en zone subhumide du Nigéria.

A basic understanding of the relationships between key phenotypic characters of the shea butter tree is considered a crucial step to its genetic improvement. As such fruit samples of the shea butter tree, Vitellaria paradoxa, were collected from

Nutritional composition of shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) fruit pulp across its major distribution zones in Nigeria. Abstract-Introduction. The widely recognised dietary and socioeconomic value of the shea nut and its butter extract seems to have diminished the usefulness attached to the shea fruit pulp, which is also very important. This is evident from the dearth of scientific information on the nutritional content of the pulp. Materials and methods. We determined the nutritional composition of shea fruit pulp of fruits collected in seven locations spread in the southern Guinea savanna, northern Guinea savanna and the Sudan savanna of Nigeria. Results. Analysis of variance revealed a significant effect of agro-ecological zones on carbohydrate, protein, fibre and energy. The southern Guinea savanna zone recorded comparatively more carbohydrate and energy content than the other two zones, while maintaining lower values for protein and fibre. Conversely, all nutritional traits varied significantly across the fruit pulps for fruits collected in the individual locations surveyed in the three zones. Values for carbohydrate, protein and fat ranged from 29.3-45.3%, 2.6-7.0% and 0.7-1.7%, respectively. Correlation analysis established a positive significant relationship between carbohydrate and energy, but its relationship with fibre and protein was negative and significant. Fibre content maintained a negative relationship with energy while being positively correlated with protein. Principal component analysis identified fibre, energy, ash, protein and moisture as nutritional traits that could be used in classifying shea fruit pulp. Discussion. Our study showed that the Nigerian Vitellaria fruit pulp has adequate nutritional content that is comparable with that of other species. The strong statistical linkage between fibre and protein in shea fruits presents an attractive combination, particularly for children of the rural zones with restricted access to the more conventional and expensive food sources. Nigeria / Vitellaria paradoxa / fruit pulps / proximate composition Valeur nutritionnelle de la pulpe de karité (Vitellaria paradoxa) selon les principales zones d'extension de la plante au Nigéria. Nigéria / Vitellaria paradoxa / pulpe de fruits / composition globale

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Agricultural activities, which basically involve the production of raw produce and subsequent value addition normally, generate substantial waste, which could be in solid, liquid or gaseous forms. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the disposal of these wastes, which come from a myriad of sources or agricultural activities, constitutes a huge challenge. Even though these wastes are economically viable when properly managed by conversion to organic fertilizer and eventual use in crop production, they often exert hazardous effect on the environment due to improper disposal or management. Properly managed wastes deployed in conservation agriculture could enhance ecological balance and ensure sustainable crop production system intensification leading to elevated levels and quality of yield. Positive utilization of these wastes holds great prospects for SSA, which is characterized by accelerated population growth that puts undue pressure on available land, declining soil fertility and crop yield as well as high rate of youth unemployment. Horticulture essentially involves intensive cultivation of specialty crop (fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, seedlings) and, thus, often pays special attention to soil fertility management. The crops are largely grown under protected environments (modified or controlled environments), consequently, requiring among other variables high soil/ substrates fertility. Organic manure generated from agricultural wastes is a putative source of good-quality and cheap nutrients for optimum crop performance. Converting large volume of available agricultural wastes in SSA to organic manure for horticultural field production and/or to organic substrates for protected crop production and commercial nursery will revolutionize horticultural industry in the subregion. This review explores the various types of agricultural wastes generated in SSA, their possible or potential utility in the horticulture industry and advocates their proper management and utilization in horticulture to enhance environmental quality, increase crop yield and quality and improve economies and livelihoods across SSA.