INHIBITION OF Fusarium oxysporum Pathogenic Fungus USING COMPOST EXTRACT FROM Chromolaena odorata (SIAM WEED) AND COW DUNG

The study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of composts extract from cow dung and Chromolae-na odorata in controlling Fusarium oxysporum. Three compost samples were prepared in this study from Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata) and cow dung. Sample A was prepared from Cow dung and siam weed at ratio 100g: 100g, Sample B was prepared from 200g chopped siam weed and sample C contained 200g cow dung. These three samples were composted in plastic drums perforated for aera-tion and each sample were replicated three times. The content in the drums were regularly turned and monitored for 1, 10, 30 and 60 days. The microbiological analysis of the composts were determined using standard procedures. The inhibitory activities of the sterilised compost extracts on the F. ox-ysporum were determined using agar well diffusion method. The bacterial, coliform and fungal loads ranged from 1.50 – 9.0 × 107 cfu/ml, 0.3 – 6.0× 107 cfu/ml and 0.1 – 2.50 × 107 cfu/ml respectively. Inhibitory activities of the compost extracts on F. oxysporum at different days of composting increased with days of composting. The highest zone of inhibition was recorded by extract from compost pre-pared from C. odorata at 60 days of composting, closely followed by extract from compost prepared from mixture of cow dung and C. odorata at 60 days of composting. No antifungal activity was found in all extracts from the 24h-composts. Highest disease severity was recorded in extract of 24 h and on control. All extract at 60 days of fermentation were healthy The study therefore revealed the potentials of extracts from Chromolaena odorata and cow dung for the inhibition of Fusarium oxysporum of many crops.

Seed dispersal by forest chimpanzees in Uganda

ABSTRACTThe role of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) as seed dispersers in the Kibale Forest Reserve of western Uganda was assessed by analysing 1849 dung samples from two chimpanzee communities and by conducting germination trials on dispersed and non-dispersed seeds. Of the chimpanzee dung samples, 98.5% contained seeds, and fig seeds were the most common. The number of large seeds (>2 mm) per dung sample was often high, even for species with a relatively large seed. For example, Mimusops bagshawei has a 15-mm diameter seed and had an average of 26.5 seeds per sample. In addition, many seed species were found in the dung repeatedly over several months. Germination trials demonstrated that the species of seed commonly collected from dung were viable. Comparisons of both the rate and success of germination of chimpanzee-dispersed seeds with seeds collected directly from the parent trees, showed that gut passage increased the speed and probability of germination. The number of large seeds dispersed by the chimpanzee population was estimated at 369 large seeds km-1 day-1. We suggest that in Kibale, chimpanzees may play a more significant role in primary seed dispersal than implied by their low numbers and biomass.

Mechanized extraction of arthropods from cattle dung

Ecological, population and community studies of arthropod fauna inhabiting dung require large-scale quantitative data to produce statistically adequate results. A mechanized extraction technique is described which recovers fauna accurately and rapidly from large numbers of cattle dung pads. The equipment comprises a motor-driven paddle which agitates the dung sample in a bucket with fine mesh panels inlaid into its walls and through which is passed a continuous flow of water. An electric motor drives five such units simultaneously. Most dipteran puparia and adult arthropods float on water and are recovered following the washing. Puparia are recovered manually, while mites and adult beetles are extracted from the floating debris with heat in modified Berlese-Tullgren funnels. The wash bucket and its drained contents are then immersed in a flotation vat through which a sodium carbonate solution is recirculated. Insect eggs and larvae are floated off into sieves and rinsed before preservation. The resulting samples are fixed and preserved in 70% ethanol for later identification and counting. The procedure recovered 70–90% of most types and stages of dung fauna. Up to 25 complete dung pads can be processed per day with a team of three people.