Papers by Gideon OKUNLOLA
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, Jan 11, 2024
The development of antiretroviral therapy has brought a tremendous relief to the world as it mini... more The development of antiretroviral therapy has brought a tremendous relief to the world as it minimizes mortality, reduces HIV transmission, and suppresses progression in infected patients. However, the orthodox antiretroviral therapy is faced with limitations which have necessitated a continuous search for more novel plant-based antiviral compounds, which can bypass the existing barriers created by drug resistance and target more viral proteins. Despite the edibility and enormous pharmacological benefits of T. portulacastrum, little is known about its nutrient profiles and potential use as a natural source of antiviral drug. This study focuses on the full feed analysis and anti-HIV potential of two biotypes of T. portulacastrum. Ethanolic extracts of both biotypes of T. portulacastrum (T01 and T02) had significant inhibitory effects on the level of replication of the HIV-1. Both extracts induced the inhibition of at least 50% of the HIV-1 viral load at considerably low IC 50 values of 1.757 mg/mL (T01) and 1.205 mg/mL (T02) which is comparable to the AZT standard. The protein composition ranged between 8.63-22.69%; fat (1.84-4.33%); moisture (7.89-9.04%); fibre (23.84-49.98%); and carbohydrate content (38.54-70.14%). Mineral contents of tested T. portulacastrum varied considerably in different parts of the plant. Nitrogen N mineral ranged between 13.8-36.3 mg/g; sodium Na (2.0-14.0 mg/g); potassium K (14.0-82.0 mg/g); magnesium Mg (2.8-7.1 mg/g); calcium Ca (9.1-24.7 mg/g); phosphorus P (1.3-3.6 mg/g); iron Fe (193.5-984.0 ppm); zinc Zn (42.5-96.0 ppm); manganese Mn (28.5-167.5 ppm); and copper Cu (2.0-8.5 ppm). These mineral values are comparable or higher than values quoted for common vegetables, suggesting that T. portulacastrum is a nutrient-dense vegetable that could provide alternative sources of antiviral nutrients to HIV-infected individuals. Further studies are recommended to unravel key metabolites responsible for high nutrient profiles and antiretroviral effects in T. portulacastrum.
Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management
The need for underutilized leafy vegetables as food has been greatly emphasized owing to the incr... more The need for underutilized leafy vegetables as food has been greatly emphasized owing to the increase in knowledge of the value of the essential nutrients they can provide. In this study, an assessment of the nutritional value of underutilized leafy vegetables collected in Southwestern Nigeria, and their content for mineral nutrients (K, Na, P, Ca, and Mg), essential vitamins (A, C, and E), and proximate composition was carried out on ten vegetables: Jatropha tanjorensis, Solanum nigrum, Talinum triangulare, Solanecio biafrae, Vernonia amygdalina, Crassocephalum crepidoides, Telfairea occidentalis, Amaranthus hydridus, Launaea taraxacifolia and Solanum macrocarpon. From this study, it was observed that the ten vegetables provide mineral concentrations exceeding 0.01%, essential vitamins exceeding 0.5%, ash exceeding 5%, moisture exceeding 5% of plant dry matter, crude fiber exceeding 10%, protein, crude fat exceeding 5%, and carbohydrate exceeding 30%. High levels of potassium, vita...
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Dec 1, 2013
The experiment was carried out to determine the effects of heat stress on some growth parameters ... more The experiment was carried out to determine the effects of heat stress on some growth parameters like shoot height, leaf area, fresh weight, dry weight as well as the accumulation of chlorophylls in Carica papaya. Seedlings of C. papaya were exposed to prior heat stress at 40 o C. A group of plants was placed in a Gallenkamp oven for four hours; another group of plants was placed in the oven for eight hours while the third group of plants was placed in a dark cupboard for the period of eight hours. Sampling was carried out at weekly intervals starting from seven days after treatment. Plants were randomly picked from each of the three treatments. Three replicates were used for each parameter. The results obtained from the study showed that there was an increment in the shoot height, leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight from the beginning to the end of the experimental period. However, the accumulation of chlorophylls did not follow a particular pattern. The analysis of variance carried out on the data obtained showed that heat stress had a significant effect on the petiole length, shoot height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight. Heat stress, however, did not produce a significant effect on the accumulation of chlorophylls a and b and total chlorophyll.
Momona Ethiopian Journal of Science
The study on the susceptibility of Solanum melongena to drought at different growth stages was co... more The study on the susceptibility of Solanum melongena to drought at different growth stages was conducted in the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons. S. melongena is one of the most relevant agricultural crops in the tropics and subtropical regions of Africa. However, drought has a significant effect on the rate of growth and fruit yield of the crop. However, the growth stage at which S. melongena is vulnerable to the effect of drought needs detailed research and clarification which is the focus of this study. Key morphological traits such as shoot height, number of leaves and branches, and leaf area and water-related physiological indices such as leaf area ratio, net assimilation rate, root shoot ratio, tissue water content including aboveground biomass, leaf relative water content, chlorophyll pigments, osmolytes accumulation, and antioxidants were observed and measured to find the effect of drought at different growth level. The result revealed that the morphological traits, water-relat...
International Journal of Vegetable Science
Nano-enabled Agrochemicals in Agriculture
Journal of Stress Physiology & Biochemistry, 2021
Pepper (Capsicum spp.) growth and yield are reduced because of its susceptibility to water shorta... more Pepper (Capsicum spp.) growth and yield are reduced because of its susceptibility to water shortage which may be improved by application of potassium salts. Effects of concentrations of K2SO4 and KNO3 on growth and some yield parameters of C. annuum L. and C. chinense L. under artificially initiated drought were studied. Growth parameters like fresh and dry weights, Leaf Area Ratio, Leaf Weight Ratio, Relative Growth Rate and Net Assimilation Rate were determined at harvest. Yield parameters like number of flowers, number of fruit, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit fresh weight and fruit dry weight were determined. There was a significant interaction of salt types, water levels and pepper types on all the growth, yield and biomass parameters studied.
Plants and Environment, Oct 1, 2019
South African Journal of Botany
Journal of Trace Elements and Minerals
Journal of Trace Elements and Minerals
Journal of Stress Physiology & Biochemistry, 2020
This study aimed at investigating the critical growth stage of weed removal in cowpea in order to... more This study aimed at investigating the critical growth stage of weed removal in cowpea in order to prevent unacceptable yield loss during water deficit. The study was carried out under a screenhouse to minimize extraneous factors such as pests and rodents using a complete randomized design (CRD) with five replicates. Seeds of cowpea and early germinating seedlings of Tridax procumbens and Chromolaena odorata were used for this study and were stressed for five days. Samplings were carried out at vegetative, flowering and fruiting stage. Growth indices such as relative growth rate, net assimilation rate, leaf area ratio and tissue water of contents of cowpea were determined from plant biomass. The photosynthetic pigments were determined spectrophotometrically at different stages of growth. Weed interference index such as relative crowding coefficient and land equivalents ratio were also determined from the plant biomass. The results indicated that the growth indices of cowpea interfere...
Plants, 2022
The use of phosphorus (P) to alleviate soil nutrient deficiency alters resources in plant and mic... more The use of phosphorus (P) to alleviate soil nutrient deficiency alters resources in plant and microbial communities, but it remains unknown how mixed and monospecific planting of forest tree species shape soil microbial structure and functions in response to drought and its interplay with phosphorus addition. We investigated the microbial structure and chemical properties of forest soils planted with P. zhennan monoculture, A. cremastogyne monoculture, and their mixed cultures. The three planting systems were exposed to drought (30–35% water reduction) and the combination of drought with P. A well-watered treatment (80–85% water addition) of similar combinations was used as the control. Planting systems shaped the effects of drought on the soil microbial properties leading to an increase in nitrate nitrogen, urease activity, and microbial biomass carbon in the monocultures, but decrease in mixed cultures. In the monoculture of P. zhennan, addition of P to drought-treated soil increa...
Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, 2018
Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, 2016
Drought is a major production constraint for major fruits and vegetable crops in the tropics. Thi... more Drought is a major production constraint for major fruits and vegetable crops in the tropics. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of limited water supply at three growth stages (vegetative, flowering and fruiting) on the accumulation of proline and soluble sugars in three pepper species. Seeds of the three pepper species, Capsicum chinense Jacq., C. annuum L. and C. frutescens L. were raised in a nursery and the seedlings were transplanted into seventy two plastic pots arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replicates, 25 days after planting. Four water treatments, 200 mL of water supplied twice daily (W 1 ), once in every three days (W 2 ), once in every five days (W 3 ), and zero water supplied throughout growing period (W 0 ) were imposed at three vegetative, flowering, and fruiting growth stages. Data were collected on relative water content, free proline and total soluble sugar. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and means we...
Ife Journal of Science, 2012
Tomato seedlings were subjected to light and nutrient stress to determine the effects of each of ... more Tomato seedlings were subjected to light and nutrient stress to determine the effects of each of these stress factors as well as their combined effects on some morphological parameters of the plant. A two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) carried out on the data obtained showed that light produced significant effect on all the parameters measured except on the shoot height. Nutrient however did not produce any significant effect on any of the morphological parameters measured. There was also no significant interactive effect of light and nutrient on the morphological parameters measured. Keywords : Stress, Light, Nutrient, Morphology, Lycopersicum.
An investigation aimed at a better understanding of the normal water requirement for the optimum ... more An investigation aimed at a better understanding of the normal water requirement for the optimum growth and yield of Solanum lycopersicum was carried out. Seeds of S. lycopersicum were sown in 32 plastic pots and after germination the seedlings were allow ed to grow for a period of 2 weeks within which the y were well watered and kept under optimum conditions of t he environment. The plants were then subjected to different levels of water applications. Plants in t he first group (W1) were supplied with 200 ml of wa ter everyday; plants in the second group (W2) were supp lied with 200 ml of water once every 3 days; plants i the third group (W3) were supplied with 200 ml of water once in every 5 days while the fourth group (W4) w ere supplied with 200 ml of water once in every 10 days . The results obtained showed that water stress cau ed a significant (p<0.05) reduction in some of the morph ological parameters studied. Some yield parameters w e unaffected by the water stress. © 20...
Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management, 2020
Effects of phosphorous (P) level on performance, yield and nutritional value of Celosia argentea ... more Effects of phosphorous (P) level on performance, yield and nutritional value of Celosia argentea L. were evaluated with the aim of determining the P level that supports the best growth, yield and nutritional qualities of the crop. The levels of P were: normal (1.348 mg·kg-1 of P/pot, NP), medium (6.743 mg·kg-1 of P/pot, MP), high (13.48 mg·kg-1 of P/pot, HP) and no P application (control, CP). The crop growth rate (CGR) increased with increase in phosphorus gradients (NP = 0.05 g/m2·d-1, MP = 0.09 g/m2·d-1 and HP = 0.12 g/m2·d-1). High and medium P rates increased the relative growth rate (RGR), HP had the highest RGR (0.05 g·g-1/day) followed by MP (0.04 g·g-1/day). Addition of P increased leaf area (LA) of C. argentea. Crude protein of the control was higher (5.56%) compared to the other P treatments (NP = 5.14, MP = 5.11 and HP = 5.03%). Phosphorus applications were beneficial for growth and enhancement of nutritional quality of C. argentea. NP and MP are recommended for growing...
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Papers by Gideon OKUNLOLA