Viability of Cassava peels spawn production and mushroom cultivation
Abstract This work was carried out to ascertain the viability of spawn produced on cassava peels and used for spawning cassava peels and sawdust substrates and compare the yield with mushroom fruits from the conventional Sorghum bicolor known to be the best material for spawn production. Three different species of mushroom cultures were inoculated on cassava peels, two Pleurotus pulmonarius strains (FIIRO and Thailand) and Lentinus squarroslus. The study of mycelia colonization rate study was done in triplicate. L. squarroslus completed colonization within 18days of inoculation in test tube with a growth mean value of 11.16cm, the two strains of P. pulmonarius (FIIRO and Thailand) completed colonization in 21 days with FIIRO strain having growth mean value of 11.46cm and Thailand strain 11.20cm. Cassava peels spawn production was done in two ways, singly and supplemented with rice bran, yield from different species of mushroom (L. squarroslus and P. pulmonarius (FIIRO Strain) cultivated with cassava peels spawn in the study were compared with sorghum grains spawn. Different weight of 100, 200, 300g were used for cultivation, sorghum grains spawn produced the highest yield (202.13g) from the two species used followed by cassava peels supplemented with rice bran (179.86g) and single cassava peels spawn (124.13g). L. squarroslus did not fruit on cassava peels even with the sorghum grains spawn. The differences from the yield of the three spawn was negligible as the differences was not noticeable (cassava peels 124.133±5.21a, supplemented cassava peels spawn 179.867±0.64a, and sorghum grains spawn 202.133±8.86a). This result verified the use of cassava peels in the production of viable mushroom spawn.
Phytochemicals and in vitro anti-apoptotic properties of ethanol and hot water extracts of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) peel biogas slurry following anaerobic degradation
Wastes emanating from cassava (Manihot Esculenta Crantz) processing in African countries significantly contribute to environmental pollution, besides, such toxic wastes contribute to greenhouse gas emission. Although cassava peel has been successfully used as a raw material in mushroom cultivation, feedstock for livestock, biogas production but the bio-transformed products recovered from the anaerobic digestion of cassava wastes, especially the peels have often been overlooked. Therefore, this research aimed at quantifying the secondary metabolites in the slurry recovered from ethanol and hot water extraction of cassava peel subjected to biogas production, in vitro, for anti-apoptotic properties. Fresh cassava peels were allowed to ferment anaerobically to produce three states of matter; gas, solid, and liquid/slurry. The slurry was extracted using 95 % ethanol and 100 oC hot water to obtain crude extracts, which were then subjected to anti-apoptotic screening using the mitochondrial swelling assay. The qualitative phytochemical analysis of the crude extracts was done using standard methods. Further characterization of the crude extracts was done by FTIR for the chemical elucidation of the functional groups present. The qualitative phytoconstituents revealed that the slurry extracts are naturally enriched with alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, and saponins. The infrared spectrum of the crude extracts revealed the presence of hydroxyl, alkane, carboxyl groups in the ethanol extract, and hydroxyl, alkene, amide, carbonyl groups in the hot water extract. In the presence and absence of exogenous Ca2+, both extracts of the slurry induced liver mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening albeit at low amplitude swelling as the mean absorbance was less than one (at 540 nm). Based on these results obtained, the crude extracts of cassava peel biogas slurry have been proven to possess bioactive compounds that could induce liver mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, in vitro.
Immunization with Brucella melitensis Rev 1 against Brucella ovis infection of rams.
The efficacy of Brucella Melitensis Rev 1 vaccine (Rev 1) for the prophylaxis of Brucella ovis ram epididymitis was evaluated. Twenty-nine 3-month-old rams were vaccinated with 2 X 10(9) Rev 1 and 14 were revaccinated with 5 X 10(8) at 14 months of age. Six rams remained unvaccinated as a control group. All rams were challenged with 5 X 10(8) B. ovis at 21 months of age. Before being slaughtered 8 weeks later, only one vaccinated ram developed epididymitis while four of the six control rams developed testicular alterations. Genital and selected extragenital organs and lymph nodes were removed at slaughter and inoculated on selective media. B. ovis was isolated from 26.6% of the vaccinated rams, 21.4% of the revaccinated rams and 100% of control rams. Portions of epididymis, testes and vesicular glands were also used for pathological studies. More severe lesions were observed in control rams than in vaccinated ones. In conclusion, these results show that vaccination of young lambs, followed or not by revaccination, is a suitable method for the prophylaxis of B. ovis infection of rams.