To mitigate food insecurity and the low economic status of amaranth farmers in south-west Nigeria, it is imperative to evaluate the predominant commercial A. hybridus cultivars using key yield and nutrient components to identify promising lines with optimum yield and nutritional quality. The current study evaluated five cultivars of Amaranthus hybridus in south-west Nigeria farms using key morphological, biochemical, and seed-proximate component parameters. The results revealed significant differences in the cultivars’ growth and yield indices. The number of leaves ranged from 16.40 to 29.48 ($\stackrel{-}{\mathrm{x}}$ = 22.10) with plant height ($\stackrel{-}{\mathrm{x}}$ = 50.28 cm), while other leaf metrics varied at maturity. Days to 50% flowering ranged from 49 to 90 days. Seed proximate composition also varied significantly. Carbohydrate content ranged from 65.01–76.28%, protein content 6.57–12.42%, ash content 2.73–3.59%, total polyphenols 23.36–29.64 mg/100 g GAE, and total antioxidants 31.6–181.59 mg/100 g AAE. The Pearson correlation matrix and path analysis showed significant relationships among the yield components. The phenotypic variance of the yield components mainly stemmed from environmental factors, indicating their crucial role in the traits’ expression. Careful evaluation of the cultivars revealed that AM-1 and AM-3 had the best growth and yield attributes. Additionally, the two cultivars showed a significant degree of relatedness, suggesting a common ancestor. They have the potential to increase productivity, farmers’ profitability, and consumers’ nutrient gain compared to other cultivars. They are recommended for cultivation and can be further crossed in breeding programs to develop superior lines.

In the present study, the effect of dilute acid hydrolysis during the pre-treatment of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) was conducted using sulphuric acid of various concentrations. A high concentration of reducing sugar of 270.90 g/L was achieved by soaking bagasse in 0.5M of H2SO4 at a constant temperature of 120 oC. After the pre-treatment (saccharification), the reducing sugars obtained at the different concentrations were fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae mono-culture modes. The results indicated that, the pre-treated SCB treated with 0.5M H2SO4 produced the highest yield of ethanol which was 8.884 g/L with a productivity of 0.134 g/L/h. However, relatively low ethanol yield was found when 0.2M H2SO4 was used which yielded 8.2185 g/L. In any case, acid hydrolysis proves to be a better method of hydrolysis and an increase in the concentration during hydrolysis contributes to higher sugar yield and subsequently higher ethanol yields.

On July 17, 2023, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) formally recognized a single instance of anthrax disease on a farm with a variety of animals in Niger State. Since the West African outbreak started in Ghana in June 2023, this is the first instance of the disease in an animal that has been documented in Nigeria. There were eight casualties as a result of the unplanned death of cattle on this farm, according to a report published on July 13th, 2023. Additionally, bleeding from outside openings in these dead animals was seen, and this bleeding did not require typical blood coagulation [1].Another incident of anthrax disease was documented on July 30, 2023, in Lagos, the most densely populated state in Nigeria. Six animals within the state have been definitively identified as having contracted the illness. These occurrences were detected while conducting routine monitoring of animals on both Lagos Island and Agege. As a precautionary measure against the further propagation of the ailment, the concern agency has since confiscated, incinerated, and interred the afflicted animals [2].Several weeks prior to the epidemic, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) issued a warning to the general populace about the emergence of Anthrax in certain neighboring nations of Nigeria located in the West African Sub-Region. In particular, this outbreak was identified along the northern border of Ghana, adjacent to Burkina Faso Togo.

Functional foods are increasingly becoming a part of our daily diets, as they not only provide essential nutrients but also help protect the body against non-communicable diseases, offering a range of additional health benefits. The bioactive compounds responsible for these effects are typically derived from plants. This study aims to investigate the potential of Senna occidentalis leaf and seed extracts in enhancing the nutritional and functional properties of yogurt. Its ethanolic extracts were obtained using ultrasonic water bath and cold maceration techniques, with 70% ethanol yielding the highest total phenolic content (TPC) in the leaf extracts (55.44 ± 0.1 mg GAE). Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and reducing sugars. The antioxidant activity of the extracts reached 91.65%, with the macerated seed extract performing best. Yogurt fortified with varying concentrations of these extracts was evaluated over 21 days for pH, titratable acidity, syneresis, antioxidant activity, and sensory properties. The fortified yogurts showed increased acidity and syneresis, while their antioxidant activity decreased over time. Sensory evaluation revealed that the higher the extract concentrations, the lower the acceptability, with the 5% leaf extract yogurt scoring the lowest. These findings support the incorporation of S. occidentalis extracts as functional ingredients in dairy products, though extract concentration must be optimized for consumer preference.