O. T. Adebayo

The proximate, mineral and sugar compositions of winged beans (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus), Pitanga Cherries (Eugenia uniflora) and Orchid Fruit (Orchid fruit myristica) and physico-chemical properties of their oils were determined using standard methods. All the samples were found to be rich in proteins (winged beans 33.83 %, pitanga cherries 14.71 % and orchid fruit 17.96 %). Each of the samples also had a considerably high amount of carbohydrate (22.30 %, 38.55% and 26.45 % in winged beans, pitanga cherries and orchid fruit, respectively). Orchid fruit had a significantly higher (P < 0.05) fat content of 34.36 % as compared to 17.51 % found in winged beans, and 15.62 % in pitanga cherries. Winged beans had the highest crude fiber (12.23 %) while orchid fruit had 6.03% and pitanga cherries had 9.77%. Winged bean and orchid fruit had similar (P > 0.05) water content, which is significantly different from pitanga cherries. Iron, cadmium, lead and manganese were absent in all the samples. Copper and calcium were absent in pitanga cherries. Pitanga cherries had the highest composition (g/100g) of sugar, winged beans ranked next, while orchid fruit had low sugar content. The peroxide values of the oil of the various samples ranged between 11.41 and 12.91 meq/kg, while the saponification values ranged between 182.58 and 191.05 mgKOH/g. The unsaponifiable matter was very low in pitanga cherries compared with winged beans and orchid fruit. The acid value ranged between 0.71 and 2.82 mg/KOH/g while iodine value ranged between 91.15 and 144.57. The refractive index ranged between 1.465 and 1.474 in all the samples. Based on the results of this study, winged beans could be useful in the formulation of infant formula, pitanga cherries in the production of fruit jam and as a flavour in food drinks, because of its sugar contents, while orchid fruit—which has very high oil content—could be used as a spice.

This study was carried out to determine the efficacy and effective concentration of avocado pear (Pyrus communis) leaf extract as an anaesthetic in gonadectomy of Clarias gariepinus broodstocks. Fresh avocado leaves were harvested, water extracted, and applied at 0 (control), 100, 130, 160, and 190ml/l to C. gariepinus broodstocks. Onset of individual phases of anaesthesia and recovery rate was determined. Gonadectomy was then carried out on individual anaesthetized fish and the time taken was recorded. Aqueous extracts of avocado pear leaf at concentrations ranging from 130–190 ml/l induced general anaesthesia. The recovery rate was concentration-dependent but non-linear, with a significant threshold in efficacy between 130 and 190 ml/l. There was no mortality recorded during the experimental period. The effective concentration of avocado pear leaf extracts that best sustained the gonadectomy was 190 ml/l with a recovery time of 12 minutes.

This study was undertaken to determine the replacement value of Cassia fistula seed meal (CFM) for soybean meal (SBM) in practical diets of Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings. Five practical diets (350 g kg⁻¹ crude protein) containing 0 g kg⁻¹ (control), 170 g kg⁻¹ (diet II), 340 g kg⁻¹ (diet III), 509 g kg⁻¹ (diet IV) and 670 g kg⁻¹ (diet V) substitution levels of CFM for SBM were formulated and fed to triplicate groups of O. niloticus fingerlings (mean initial weight of 10.22 ± 0.03 g) for 70 days. Fish mortality increased linearly with increase in inclusion levels of CFM in the diet. Growth and diet utilization efficiency were depressed in fish fed diets containing CFM at varying inclusion levels. Feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio of O. niloticus fed on diet containing 170 g kg⁻¹ substitution level of CFM were similar (P > 0.05) to the control diet. Digestibility of the different diets decreased with increase in inclusion levels of CFM. Fish fed diet containing 670 g kg⁻¹ CFM had significantly lower carcass protein. However, no significant differences were observed in carcass protein and lipid contents between fish fed the control diets and diet containing 170 g kg⁻¹ CFM. The most efficient diet in terms of cost per unit weight gain of fish was obtained in 170 g kg⁻¹ CFM dietary substitution.