Annual Research & Review in Biology

Exploring Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance for Yield and Its Component Traits in Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern. & Coss.)

2026-09-02T12:32:10+00:00

A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of 2024–25 at the research farm of Ch. Chhotu Ram (PG) College, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, under the aegis of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding (Agricultural Botany). The primary objectives were to quantify genetic variability, estimate heritability and genetic advance, and explore trait interrelationships for yield enhancement in Indian mustard. The analysis of variance demonstrated highly significant genotypic differences across all characters, confirming the presence of considerable genetic diversity within the germplasm. For the majority of traits, phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) estimates marginally exceeded genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), suggesting limited environmental influence on trait expression. Several yield-related attributes exhibited elevated GCV and PCV values, indicating substantial opportunities for selection-mediated genetic improvement. Traits registering high heritability alongside significant genetic advance as a percentage of the mean reflected the predominance of additive genetic effects, thereby supporting the efficacy of phenotypic selection in subsequent generations. Moreover, the pronounced direct contributions of these traits to seed yield underscore their potential as dependable selection indices in mustard breeding initiatives. Collectively, the findings establish the availability of exploitable genetic variability and identify key economically important traits that directly influence yield. Accordingly, prioritising these characteristics in breeding frameworks may accelerate the development of high-yielding, genetically superior mustard cultivars adaptable to diverse agro-climatic conditions.

Effect of Mixed Fertilization Based of Potassium Chloride and Cow Manure on Oil Palm Fruit Bunch Production in La Mé, Southeast Côte d’Ivoire

2026-09-03T11:32:46+00:00

The combined use of mineral and organic fertilisers may reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers while supporting soil fertility and oil palm productivity. This study evaluated mixed fertilisation based on potassium chloride (KCl) and cow manure for fresh fruit bunch production in 11-year-old C1001F oil palms at La Mé, southeastern Côte d’Ivoire. Seven treatments, including unfertilised and KCl controls and different KCl-cow manure combinations, were arranged in a completely randomised One Tree Plot Design with 10 palms per treatment. The experiment lasted eight months. New leaf emergence, monthly trunk growth, fresh fruit bunch number, total bunch weight, and average bunch weight were assessed. Fertilisation treatments did not significantly affect new leaf emergence (P = 0.6101) or bunch number (P = 0.664). Monthly trunk growth differed significantly among treatments (P = 0.0101), with the highest value recorded under T4, comprising 1 kg KCl and 5 kg cow manure (4.38 ± 0.83 cm/month). Total fresh fruit bunch weight (P = 0.0014) and average bunch weight (P = 0.0011) also differed significantly. Treatment T2, comprising 3 kg KCl and 3 kg cow manure, produced the highest total bunch weight (19.24 ± 1.02 kg) and average bunch weight (12.41 ± 1.02 kg/bunch). The findings indicate that balanced mixed fertilisation with KCl and cow manure may support short-term oil palm productivity under the conditions of La Mé, although longer-term evaluation is required before broader recommendations are made.

Efficacy of Pre and Post Emergence Herbicides on Yield Attributing Characters and Yield in Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)

2026-09-05T14:38:35+00:00

Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) is an important vegetable and spice crop whose slow initial growth favours weed competition and associated yield loss. A field experiment was conducted on Vertisols at the Dr YSRHU Horticulture Research Station, Lam, to evaluate pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicides and hand weeding for weed control, growth, and dry red chilli yield. Twelve treatments were evaluated in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Forty-five-day-old seedlings were transplanted at a spacing of 75 cm × 30 cm. Weed counts and weed dry weight were assessed at 60 days, and growth and yield attributes were recorded at harvest. The weed-free check produced the highest dry red chilli yield (41.4 q/ha), followed by hand weeding at 20, 40, 60, and 80 days after planting (38.6 q/ha). Among herbicide-based treatments, the sequential pendimethalin treatment (T11) produced 36.9 q/ha. Hand weeding recorded the highest weed-control efficiency (72.4%) and the lowest weed index (6.8%). The weed-free check also recorded the greatest plant height (94.5 cm), number of branches (4.0), and number of fruits (178.3). Overall, timely weed suppression improved crop growth and dry chilli yield, while sequential pendimethalin provided the best yield among the evaluated herbicide-based treatments under the experimental conditions. The findings indicate that maintaining low weed pressure during critical growth stages is important for sustaining crop performance.

Assessment of Insect Infestation of Senegalia macrostachya (Reichenb. ex DC.) Kyal. & Boatwr. Seeds at Pod Harvest in the Northern and Southern Sudanian Agroclimatic Zones of Burkina Faso

2026-09-03T12:33:50+00:00

Aims: To assess the effect of insect pest infestation on the quality of S. macrostachya seeds at pod harvest in the North- and South-Sudanian agroclimatic zones of Burkina Faso.

Study Design: Seeds of S. macrostachya were collected and examined, and the insects that emerged were identified.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Laboratory of Fundamental and Applied Entomology, Joseph KI-ZERBO University, between December 2025 and June 2026.

Methodology: Three batches of 2,000 S. macrostachya pods were collected from Bama and Gonsé. At each site, each batch was sampled from 20 different shrubs. The samples were transported to the laboratory where they were threshed and 1,000 seeds from each batch were examined and monitored under ambient laboratory conditions for 90 days.

Results: At harvest, 57.46% and 49% of the seeds were perforated in Bama and Gonsé, respectively. Bruchidius silaceus was the predominant insect pest of S. macrostachya seeds in January in both non-perforated and perforated seeds collected at Bama, representing 74.31% and 66% of the specimens collected, respectively. In Gonsé, no B. silaceus individuals emerged from unperforated seeds in January, whereas the species accounted for 75.93% of the insects emerging from the perforated seeds. C. furcatus first appeared in the seed stocks in February. Apomecyna sp., which was collected with the pods in Bama, was not recorded in Gonsé. Eupelmus sp. was the most abundant parasitoid species.

Conclusion: S. macrostachya pods should be harvested immediately after reaching physiological maturity to minimise seed perforations caused by the emergence of insect pests.

Effects of Extracts from Four Pesticidal Plants on the Management of the Sugarcane Stem Borer Eldana saccharina Walker in Côte d'Ivoire

2026-09-05T09:51:50+00:00

The stem borer Eldana saccharina Walker causes substantial production losses in the sugarcane estates of Côte d'Ivoire, where its control still relies largely on synthetic chemical insecticides that are harmful to human health and the environment. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of extracts from pesticidal plants on infestation rates and the agro-technological parameters of sugarcane. A field trial was conducted under natural infestation conditions, using a randomised complete block design (Fisher blocks) with thirteen treatments and four replications. The essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf, Ocimum gratissimum L. and Zingiber officinale Roscoe, as well as an oil concentrate of Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (A. indica OC), were applied at doses of 1, 2 and 3 ml · l⁻¹. Three applications were made at fifteen-day intervals from the fifth month of vegetation, and the phytosanitary and agro-technological parameters were assessed at harvest. The microplots treated with the essential oils of C. citratus and Z. officinale, as well as with the A. indica OC, were significantly less infested than the untreated control microplots. Those treated with C. citratus essential oil recorded, on average, the lowest percentages of bored internodes (3.15%) and bored stalks (35.97%); they also produced the longest stalks and the highest cane and extractable sugar yields. These extracts improve the agro-technological parameters of sugarcane and can be used as bio-insecticides in the control of E. saccharina Walker.

Effects of Fertiliser Treatments on Agronomic and Technological Parameters of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) in the Integrated Agricultural Unit of SUCRIVOIRE-Zuénoula, Côte d'Ivoire

2026-09-05T14:41:16+00:00

Mineral fertilisation is one of the main ways to improve sugarcane productivity and quality, but simultaneously optimising these two objectives remains a major challenge in tropical production systems. This study, conducted at the Integrated Agricultural Unit (UAI) in Zuénoula (Côte d’Ivoire), evaluated the impact of five types of fertilisers, including a new formulation rich in Ca, S, and Mg, on the agronomic and technological parameters of sugarcane. Data were analysed using one-way ANOVA (with Tukey's HSD post-hoc test) and simple linear regression after verifying normality (Shapiro-Wilk test) and homoscedasticity (Bartlett's test). The results showed that treatment (T1) NPK 18-9-24 produced the highest cane yield at 82.88 ± 4.17 tc.ha⁻¹ and promoted vegetative growth. In contrast, treatment (T2) SPT + KCl improved processing quality, with a purity of 93.53 ± 0.32% and a sucrose content of 11.12 ± 0.21%. Treatment (T3) NPK + SPT + KCl provided the best compromise, with a cane yield of 81.15 ± 2.48 tc.ha⁻¹ and a purity of 91.98 ± 0.26%. A significant productivity-quality trade-off was observed between stem height and juice purity (R² = 0.159; p < 0.05). The new formulation (T4) 13-10-30 + 3Ca + 1S + 1.3Mg did not improve technological quality. These results indicate that an appropriate fertilisation strategy can reduce the trade-off between productivity and quality, while K and S enrichment is an agronomic option for improving the technological quality of sugarcane. By explicitly quantifying this trade-off using an integrated approach, this study provides a preliminary decision-making framework for optimising fertilisation in the sugarcane industry.

Rodent Species Abundance and Potential Zoonotic Threat in Abokouamékro Faunal Reserve and Surrounding Villages, Côte d’Ivoire

2026-09-07T12:00:07+00:00

Aims: This study aimed to improve our understanding of rodent populations by assessing their abundance and diversity and their potential contribution to zoonotic risk.

Study Design: A longitudinal, descriptive and comparative field study

Place and Duration of Study: Rodent trapping was conducted in the Abokouamékro Faunal Reserve and three surrounding villages from November 2021 to April 2023, with trapping carried out for 7 consecutive days each month.

Methodology: Rodents were sampled using live traps baited with smoked fish at six (06) sites in areas of forest, savannah, and nearby villages. Traps were placed 25 m apart to form a square in the natural environments, whereas in the villages they were placed in houses based on two imaginary landmark lines. Traps were set in the evening and checked the following day at twilight. Captured rodents were anaesthetised using cotton wool moistened with ether in a hermetically sealed bucket and released after morphological identification.

Results: A total of 261 rodents belonging to two families (Nesomyidae and Muridae) and six species were recorded. Rattus rattus was the most abundant species (47.89 %), followed by Mastomys erythroleucus (32.57 %), whereas Apodemus sylvaticus was the least abundant (0.38 %). Four species were recorded in the villages and five in the reserve. Higher diversity indices in the reserve highlighted greater rodent diversity in the natural environment, particularly the predominance of R. rattus and M. erythroleucus. These species are known to be potentially capable of transmitting zoonotic diseases such as leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, and Lassa fever.

Conclusion: The reserve exhibited greater species richness and rodent diversity than the villages, with uneven species distribution in both habitats. The presence of diverse rodent communities potentially harbouring zoonotic pathogens may represent an ecological and epidemiological risk for visitors. This study provides baseline data supporting rodent biodiversity conservation, zoonotic disease surveillance, and public health protection.

Survey and Identification of Meloidogyne incognita on Solanum melongena in Different Blocks of Jhansi, Lalitpur and Datia of Bundelkhand Region

2026-09-07T12:11:01+00:00

A field survey was conducted to assess root-knot nematode occurrence in brinjal (Solanum melongena) fields in selected blocks of Jhansi, Lalitpur and Datia in the Bundelkhand region, quantify infestation indices and identify the associated Meloidogyne species. Soil and infected root samples were collected from 455 fields across 17 developmental blocks between 26 January and 25 March 2021. Root samples were examined for galling and egg masses, nematode populations were assessed from soil samples, and disease prevalence, relative density, inoculum density and gall index were recorded. Species identification was based mainly on female perineal-pattern characters. Of the 455 fields surveyed, 256 were infested with root-knot disease. Disease prevalence varied among blocks, with higher values in Gursarai, Moth and Madawara and lower values in Talbehet and Jakhoara. Madawara recorded the highest inoculum density of second-stage juveniles, whereas Bhander recorded the lowest. The maximum gall index was observed in Bangra, Gursarai, Madawara and Mehroani. Mixed populations of M. incognita and M. javanica occurred in several blocks, while M. incognita was identified as the predominant species based on morphological diagnostic characters. The findings provide baseline information on the spatial variation of root-knot nematode infestation in brinjal across the surveyed area.

Ecological Assessment of Qualitative and Quantitative Plankton Diversity in Eutrophic Urban Water Bodies: A Case Study of Lower Lake, Bhopal

2026-09-07T13:13:32+00:00

Lower Lake, Bhopal, is an urban freshwater system subject to marked spatial variation in anthropogenic influence. The present research offers an exhaustive ecological evaluation of Lower Lake, Bhopal, a critical urban freshwater ecosystem, by delineating the complex interactions between planktonic diversity and spatial physicochemical gradients. Conducted over a six-month period from September 2025 to February 2026, the investigation captures the crucial post-monsoon to mid-winter transition. Monthly sampling across three distinct ecological zones—an open water zone (Station I), a littoral zone (Station II), and a heavily polluted sewage influx zone (Station III)—revealed severe spatial heterogeneity driven by anthropogenic nutrient loading. Qualitative taxonomic assessments identified 46 genera, highlighting a shift towards pollution-tolerant cyanobacteria such as Microcystis sp. and Oscillatoria sp. in the degraded zones. Quantitative biodiversity indices indicated a productive but stressed ecosystem. Phytoplankton diversity peaked in the post-monsoon month of October (Shannon-Wiener Index H' = 2.8988 at Station II), while zooplankton diversity exhibited a classic one-month ecological lag, reaching maximum diversity in November (H' = 2.7571). Concurrently, physicochemical analyses exposed critical hypoxic and hypertrophic conditions at Station III, where Dissolved Oxygen plummeted to 4.12 mg/L and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD-5) peaked at 8.65 mg/L, exceeding permissible thresholds. The sustained elevations of Ammonia-Nitrogen (0.685 mg/L) and Phosphate Phosphorus (0.385 mg/L) underscore severe cultural eutrophication. Furthermore, the integration of historical and parallel environmental data exposes overlapping crises, including declines in macrozoobenthic diversity, the emergence of microplastic contamination, and physical habitat fragmentation due to illicit encroachments. This assessment confirms that, while Lower Lake maintains a robust biological buffering capacity in its open waters, localised municipal effluent discharges threaten systemic ecological failure, necessitating immediate remedial intervention, decentralised wastewater management, and strict regulatory enforcement.

Comparative Study of Marigold (Tagetes erecta) and Butterfly Pea (Clitoria ternatea) Flower Powders on Pigmentation, Growth, and Water Quality in Molly Fish (Poecilia sphenops)

2026-09-09T11:34:30+00:00

Body colour is an important quality attribute influencing the ornamental value of fish. Because fish cannot synthesise carotenoids, dietary supplementation with natural pigment sources may provide a practical approach to improving colouration. Marigold (Tagetes erecta) and butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) contain naturally occurring pigments; however, their comparative effects on pigmentation, growth performance, and water quality in molly fish (Poecilia sphenops) remain insufficiently established. This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with marigold (Tagetes erecta) and butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) flower powders on pigmentation, growth performance, and water quality parameters in molly fish (Poecilia sphenops). The experiment was conducted for 60 days using seven dietary treatments consisting of a control diet and diets supplemented with different levels of marigold and butterfly pea powders. Fish were fed daily at 3% of body weight, and observations were recorded at regular intervals for colour development, growth characteristics, and water quality parameters. Visual observations indicated treatment-dependent differences in pigmentation, with the 3% butterfly pea treatment (B3) showing the greatest colour enhancement. B3 also recorded the highest net weight gain (1.70 g), percentage weight gain (28.33%), and specific growth rate (0.416%), together with the lowest feed conversion ratio (2.45). The control showed the lowest net weight gain (0.60 g), percentage weight gain (7.59%), and specific growth rate (0.122%), and the highest feed conversion ratio (4.5). Across treatments, total dissolved solids ranged from 377 to 439 mg/L, alkalinity from 80 to 100 mg/L, dissolved oxygen from 5.2 to 5.5 mg/L, pH from 9.0 to 9.25, and temperature from 24.0 to 25.5 °C. The results indicate that flower-derived dietary supplements may influence pigmentation and growth characteristics in ornamental fish under experimental conditions. Further studies using quantitative pigment analysis and larger experimental populations are required to confirm the effectiveness and mechanisms of these plant-based additives.

The State of Beekeeping in Lower Guinea (Maritime Guinea): A Critical Narrative Review of Production Systems, Constraints and Prospects for Sustainable Development

2026-09-02T13:13:34+00:00

Lower Guinea (Maritime Guinea) combines a humid coastal climate, forest and agroforestry resources, horticultural production, peri-urban markets and rural communities for which low-capital livestock and non-timber forest enterprises can be attractive. Beekeeping therefore has plausible livelihood, food-product, biodiversity and pollination value, yet the regional evidence base is unusually fragmented. This critical narrative review evaluates what can presently be concluded about beekeeping systems in Lower Guinea, the constraints that limit performance and the development pathways that are most defensible. Evidence was integrated from Guinean agricultural statistics and livestock diagnostics, Lower Guinea project records, peer-reviewed West African apiculture studies and broader African honey-bee research, with explicit attention to geographic transferability and methodological strength. The synthesis indicates a sector in transition rather than a consistently modernised industry. Traditional fixed-comb practices and wild-swarm dependence coexist with Kenyan top-bar and movable-comb interventions, but representative information on hive occupancy, colony retention, yield, profitability, disease status and beekeeper demographics is lacking. Official statistics contain substantial missingness and discontinuities and are organised by administrative regions that do not map cleanly onto the natural region, precluding robust regional trend estimation. The most consequential constraints are therefore not simply a shortage of hives. They include unreliable colony establishment, weak technical support, seasonal and landscape-dependent forage, destructive or poorly controlled harvesting practices, limited honey-quality assurance, fragmented markets, inadequate finance, and almost complete absence of systematic bee-health and genetic surveillance. Sustainable development should prioritise measurement before scale, locally adapted colony management, year-round forage and landscape stewardship, hygienic post-harvest systems, traceability, aggregation and market institutions, and explicit protection of locally adapted honey-bee diversity. The strongest near-term opportunity is to treat apiculture as a coupled production, ecosystem-management and rural-enterprise system, while evaluating interventions against colony survival, product quality, net income and habitat outcomes rather than hive distribution alone.

Pesticide and Herbicide Exposure and Male Reproductive Health: A Critical Narrative Review of Semen Quality, Sperm Genomic Integrity and Mechanistic Evidence

2026-09-11T10:54:21+00:00

Pesticides are heterogeneous biological control agents, and herbicides are one functional subgroup within this broader category. Concern about their effects on male reproduction is sustained by occupational cohorts, biomonitoring studies in the general population, and experimental evidence showing that several compounds can disturb redox balance, endocrine signalling, spermatogenesis and mature sperm function. This critical narrative review evaluates the strength and limitations of evidence linking adult environmental and occupational pesticide exposure with semen quality and related male reproductive endpoints. Literature published principally from 1 January 2000 to 6 July 2026 was considered, while selected earlier studies were retained when methodologically or historically informative. Human epidemiological evidence was prioritised and interpreted alongside mechanistic in vitro and animal data. The most coherent human evidence concerns organophosphate and N-methyl carbamate insecticides, for which recent systematic synthesis supports an association with lower sperm concentration, although most contributing studies remain observational and frequently cross-sectional. Evidence for impaired motility and sperm DNA integrity is also reasonably consistent across mixed pesticide exposures, whereas morphology is less reproducible. Pyrethroid findings are heterogeneous, with adverse associations in several clinic-based and environmental studies but null results in some population-based cohorts. For herbicides, human evidence is substantially thinner: biomonitoring studies involving alachlor, atrazine and mixed current-use pesticides suggest possible adverse associations, while glyphosate evidence in men is currently stronger for seminal detection and oxidative stress biomarkers than for demonstrated impairment of conventional semen parameters. Mechanistic evidence supports oxidative, mitochondrial, endocrine, genotoxic and sperm-signalling pathways, but experimental dose relevance and formulation effects often limit translation to human exposure. The literature is constrained by short-lived exposure biomarkers, single semen samples, mixture confounding, clinic selection, inconsistent endpoint definitions and weak temporal resolution. Future work should therefore prioritise prospective repeated-measures cohorts with repeated exposure assessment, mixture-aware causal methods, harmonised semen and sperm DNA endpoints, and explicit evaluation of herbicides and formulation components. Current evidence justifies exposure reduction in high-risk settings while retaining caution about pesticide-specific causal attribution.

Silicon for Climate-Resilient Agriculture: An Underutilized Tool for Sustainable Crop Production

2026-09-11T11:41:06+00:00

Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of drought, salinity, heat stress, nutrient imbalance, and related constraints that threaten agricultural productivity and food security. Conventional adaptation approaches, including genetic improvement, irrigation technologies, and nutrient management, remain important but may address individual stresses rather than the interacting constraints increasingly experienced by crops. Silicon (Si), although generally regarded as a beneficial rather than an essential element, has considerable potential to support crop performance under multiple abiotic stresses. This review synthesises evidence on Si-mediated improvements in water relations, ion homeostasis, antioxidant defence, nutrient-use efficiency, membrane stability, and photosynthetic performance under drought, salinity, heat, and nutrient-related stress. It also examines the persistent gap between the expanding scientific evidence base and the limited inclusion of Si in mainstream fertiliser recommendations, extension programmes, and climate-smart agricultural frameworks. The available evidence indicates that Si responses are context-dependent and can vary with crop species, Si-accumulation capacity, stress intensity, soil conditions, source chemistry, dose, and management context. Therefore, Si should be considered a potentially strategic crop-management input rather than assumed to provide universal protection. Future progress requires stronger mechanistic understanding, identification of Si-efficient genotypes, long-term field validation, economic assessment, region-specific management guidance, and integration of Si into crop nutrition and climate-resilience strategies. These priorities could support evidence-based use of Si in sustainable crop production under increasing climatic stress.