Browsing by Author "Kinyua, J.K."
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Item Correlation Of Leaf Glucose Content With Mineral Nutrients Uptake Of South African Geranium (Peiargonium sidoides)(Egerton University, 2014) Kinyua, J.K.; Egerton UniversityPelargonium sidoides is a medicinal plant grown in Kenya for export to Germany where it is used in the manufacture of drugs for lung related diseases. The farm contributes to the well being of the local community by providing permanent employment to for over 80 persons, with 80 percent being women. It also offers free pre-primary education to their children including the ones from the neighbourhood. The broad spectrum of activity against viruses and bacteria may be caused by the coumarins and phenolic acids from a root of a healthy plant. Health of P. sidoides is controlled by appropriate mjneraJ uptake and glucose concentration in the leaves. This concentration is governed by soil nutrients concentration and plant uptake capacity. Inorganic and organic fertilizers are normally applied to the crop. The relationship between nutrients uptake, glucose, and chlorophyll contents has not been established.Item Correlation of Leaf Glucose Content with Mineral Nutrients Uptake of South African Geranium (Pelargoniumsidoides)(James Kibiru Kinyua, 2014) Kinyua, J.K.The relationships between soil nutrients uptake, leaf glucose contents, and chlorophyll contents of Pelargonium sidoides was investigated. Pelargonium sidoides is a medicinal plant grown in Kenya for export. It is used in the manufacture of drugs for lung related diseases. P. sidoides plants were elected at a field site, where the soil N, P, K and Ca contents had prior been analysed. These plants were dressed with both inorganic (Calcium Ammonium Nitrate, Triple Super Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Nitrate) and organic fertilizers (worm leachate) of known nutrient levels. Leaf glucose contents before and after application of the mineral nutrients were measured by colorimetry. Verification of the colorimetric results was done by high performance liquid chromatography fitted with a refractive index detector (HPLC). Predictions for nutrients in soil and plant tissues were done by DRIFT FTIR. Leaf chlorophyll measurements were done by Soil Plant Analysis Development units (SPAD). The mean glucose contents before and after each nutrients application were subjected to GENSTAT statistical software for the ANOVA and t-test to find out whether there were any significant differences between the two. The results indicated that the levels of leaf glucose increased with type and uptake of certain applied fertilizers. FTIR predictions closely matched the wet chemistry data. Uptake of calcium corresponded to the highest increase of glucose while that of worm leachate had the least effect. Change in glucose levels was evident within an hour after application, suggesting the possibility of predicting nutrients uptake within a short period. Chlorophyll content was also found to increase with nutrients uptake. All plants treated with fertilizers displayed significantly higher glucose contents in comparison to the control samples. The study opened way for real time analysis of plant status and allowed for real time interventions where necessary.Item KARI/VRC/CRAC Proceedings July 2008(Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, 2008) Kenya Agricultural Research Institute; Mugambi, J.M.; Nginyi, J.M.; Wamae, L.W.; Kinyua, J.K.; Wafula, E.I welcome you all (staff and visitors) to this year's Centre Research Advisory Committee (CRAC) meeting. This is an event in the research cycle of KARI that is meant to shape our research proposals. We must therefore take it seriously. We are now adopting a value-chain approach to research. According to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia a value chain is a chain of activities. Products pass through all activities in the chain so that at each activity the product gains some value. The chain of activities gives the products more added value than the sum of added values of individual activities. In order for this to happen, we must carry out research as a multi-disciplinary team for a mix of expertise and different comparative advantages. We must also have market information to ensure that the products of our research have outlets.
