Browsing by Author "Udeh, Ebere Lovelyn"

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    Gas exchange and carbon assimilation of Bambara groundnut landraces co-inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Bacillus subtilis under simulated drought stress
    (Elsevier BV, 2023-07-31) Udeh, Ebere Lovelyn
    Currently, the world experiences unpredictable and severe climatic events that have led to a decline in the yield of especially crops grown in low-nutrients soils under rainfed conditions. Studies have shown that the growth, photosynthetic performance and yield of crops established in unfavourable conditions can be enhanced by inoculation with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. In particular, some authors have reported that the inoculation of crops with PGPR strains under drought conditions enhance their growth, yield and photosynthetic performance. This study assessed the effect of co-inoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Bacillus subtilis on the gas exchange measurements, shoot biomass and carbon assimilation of two Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) landraces grown under simulated drought stress. The experiment was laid out in a 5 × 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of completely randomized design (CRD) with four replicates. Treatments included Bacillus subtilis BD234 strain (BA), Bradyrhizobium japonicum (BR), co-inoculation of B. subtilis BD234 and B. japonicum strain, ammonium nitrate (NH4-NO3) (positive control), and no inoculation (negative control). The simulated drought stress was divided into three levels namely 100% pot capacity (well-watered), 50% pot capacity (moderate stress), and 25% pot capacity (severe stress). Two landraces of Bambara groundnut, characterized by different seed colour (red and cream), were used. Significant variations were observed between the landraces and across the inoculation treatments. When grown under the drought stress levels and co-inoculated with B. japonicum and B. subtilis, the landraces of Bambara groundnut exhibited enhanced photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and intercellular CO2. Also, dual inoculation of the food crop grown under drought increased carbon accumulation. The red landrace revealed markedly improved growth and photosynthetic performance compared to its cream counterpart. Overall, co-inoculation of Bambara groundnut with B. japonicum and B. subtilis alleviated adverse effects under moderate and severe drought through improving the growth, photosynthetic performance, and carbon assimilation. Therefore, co-inoculation with B. japonicum and B. subtilis has a potential to combat negative effects of drought in Bambara groundnut.
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    Nutraceutical and antimicrobial potentials of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean): A review
    (Elsevier BV, 2020-10-01) Udeh, Ebere Lovelyn
    Bambara groundnut ( Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) \[BGN\] is an easy-to-cultivate vegetable crop neglected over the past years. It is a drought-tolerant crop with nutritional and medicinal values and as a result, the crop is referred to as nutraceuticals. Based on this, there exist a need to review the beneficial potential (nutraceutical value) of this neglected and underutilized crop to protect and promote its cultivation for food (source of nutrients) and medicines especially among rural poor communities in sub-Saharan Africa. This review systematically examines the background information and uses of BGN. The antimicrobial properties of BGN were also considered and examined to ascertain its nutraceutical importance. BGN has been reported as a crop possessing antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Clinically, the extracts of BGN have been reported to exhibit antimicrobial activities against bacteria such as Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae ATCC 700603, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC 33591, Escherichia coli , Bacillus cereus , yeast ( Candida albicans ) and mold ( Aspergillus niger ). This review outlines the uses of BGN as a functional food crop as well as its nutraceutical and antimicrobial potentials. However, there exist paucity of knowledge and literature on the crop's antimicrobial activities especially against plant pathogens of economic importance. Hence, this review proposes that more research be geared towards assessing the nutraceutical value and antimicrobial potentials of this crop against plant pathogens of economic importance and the promotion of the crop's cultivation.