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Browsing Botany by Author "Ntuli, N.R."
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- ItemAgro-morphological, nutritional variability and heritability studies of Lagenaria siceraria landraces in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa(University of Zululand, 2019) Buthelezi, Lungelo Given; Ntuli, N.R.Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standley of the Cucurbitaceae family is one of many underutilised ancient cultigens with great economic potential. Its nutritious tender shoots, flowers, fruits, and seeds are of culinary use and widely consumed in rural communities as a vegetable relish. It has abundant nutrients and minerals essential for human health. However, research on morphological and nutritional variation among L. siceraria landraces from South Africa is very marginal. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterise variability in growth, yield and nutritional composition among L. siceraria landraces from northern KwaZulu-Natal. L. siceraria landraces with various fruit and seed morphology, collected from different agro-ecological areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal were grown in a randomised complete block design with three replications over two summer seasons. Seedling, vegetative and reproductive traits were compared among landraces, while pulp of the mature fruit was analysed for nutrient composition. Analysis of variance, correlation, principal component analysis, cluster analysis and heritability estimates were conducted on morphological traits and nutrient content. Landraces with different fruit and seed morphology, from different areas varied significantly in seedling, vegetative and reproductive traits as well as nutrient content. Significant positive correlations were mainly recorded among reproductive traits and also among the majority of nutrients. The first five and three informative principal components were responsible for 74.393% and 80.270% of the total variability in morphological traits and nutrient composition, respectively. First components (PC1) with 26.635% and 42.076% variability were positively associated with most of morphological traits and nutrients, respectively. In morphological trait and nutrient analyses, biplot and dendrogram grouped landraces mainly according to fruit and seed morphology and then their origin. High heritability estimates were recorded among fruit and seed traits as well as among various nutrients. Therefore, this study can be the foundation for strategic improvement, direct production or conservation of the Lagenaria siceraria using these landraces.
- ItemThe screening of medicinal plants traditionally used to treat diarrhoea, in Ongoye area, KwaZulu Natal.(2008) Mlambo, Nandi Precious; de Wet, H.; Basson, A.K.; Ntuli, N.R.This study focused on the investigation of plants used for the treatment of diarrhoea around Ongoye forest, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study revealed that 35 plant species in this area are used to treat diarrhoea. Acetone, methanol, cold and hot distilled water extracts from the different plant parts (bark, leaves, stems and the whole plant) were done. These plants are: Acacia karoo, Acacia robusta, Acanthospermum australe, Aloe arborescens, Baccharoides adoensis, Calfilepis laureola, Catharanthus roseus, Chenopodium ambrosioids, Chromolaena odarata, Dichrostachys cinerca, Faurea macnaughton, Hewittia mafambaricaa, Hypoxis hemerocalfidea, Ihlaza, Lippia javanica, Maytenus heterophylla, Melia azedarach, Psidium guajava, Schotia brachypetala, Sclerocarya birrea, Syzygium cordatum, Tetradenia riparia, Thchilia dregeana, Ungazini, Vernonia oligocephala and Vernonia tigna. Above mentioned plants were screened for antibacterial activity against the following ATCC bacteria strains: Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia colt, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, Shigella flexneri and Shigella sonnei. The antibacterial activities were determined by disk-diffusion, agar-well diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and bio-autographic methods. The plant extracts were screened for the following phytochemrcals: alkaloids, flavonoids, soponins, anthraquinones, cardiac glycosides and tannins. Most of the plant extracts showed high antibacterial activity against most of the tested micro-organisms with the diameter of inhibition zones ranging between 10 and 30 mm. Of the plants studied, the most active extracts were those obtained from the following plants: Acacia robusta, Aloe arborescens, Baccharoides adoensis, Chromolaena odarata, Ihlaza, Lippia javanica, Psidium guajava, Syzygium cordatum, Schotia brachypetala, Tetradenia hparia, and Vemonia tigna. Staphylococcus aureus was the bacterium that was mostly inhibited by almost a!f the plant extracts, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. the least inhibited bacteria strains were Shigella sonnei, Shigella flexneri and Salmonella typhii. The MIC values for active extracts ranged between 1 mg/ml and 0.4 mg/ml. The results obtained appeared to confirm the antibacterial potential of the plants investigated, and their potential in the treatment of diarrhoea in the Ongoye area.