As a result of the critical importance of herbage quality and danger of poor mineral nutrition of forage legumes that affect livestock feeds in Nigeria, this investigation was conducted. The experiment entailed field trials at Samaru, Nigeria over three wet seasons to evaluate the response of mineral composition of lablab (Lablab purpureus L. Sweet) herbage to phosphorus application and cutting treatments. The treatments were composed of factorial combinations of four rates of phosphorus application (0, 12, 24 and 36 kg P ha^-1), two cutting heights (10 and 20 cm) as the main plot and four cutting ages (6, 12, 18 weeks and at maturity) as the sub-plot a in split plot design with three replications. Cutting lablab to a 10 cm stubble produced significantly higher calcium and phosphorus concentrations in the dry herbage than cutting to 20 cm. The Ca:P ratio in the herbage increased as age of cutting increased but cutting height did not influence this parameter. A phosphorus application rate of 12 kg P ha^-1 produced the highest ash concentration in lablab herbage under a 12-week cutting regime. However, the highest phosphorus concentration of lablab herbage was produced with a zero phosphorus application rate under a cutting height of 10 cm. Under the first herbage cut, ash content increased significantly with age of cutting. It is beneficial to feed lablab herbage to livestock before crop attains physiological maturity. The nutritive value of the herbage determines the most appropriate time to feed lablab herbage to livestock.

tissue analysis --- mineral concentration --- lablab --- Herbage --- cutting treatments

The objective of the study was to compare the effectiveness of pedigree and independent culling levels methods for early selection in the F₃ and late selection in the F₅ generations. The experiments were conducted at South Valley University Experimental Farm at Qena during 2007 through 2010 summer seasons. The F₃, F₄, F₅ and F₆ generations of the grain sorghum hybrid (Giza 15 x Dorado) were studied. Highly significant differences were observed among F₃ families for all studied traits. After three cycles of selection, the genetic variability retained after independent culling level was larger and more pronounced than that after single trait selection. However, the genetic variability retained in the F₆ was larger after late than after early selection. Late pedigree selection in the F₅ increased grain yield/plant by 9.57% compared to 12.70% from the bulk sample after three cycles of selection for this trait started early in the F₃. Selection for early flowering and 1000-grain weight improved these traits but decreased yield in both early and late selection. Late selection in the F₅ generation in these materials was more efficient than early selection in the F₃ families. Pedigree selection though proved to be an efficient selection procedure for improving the selected traits. However, it was accompanied with some deleterious effects in some unselected related traits. ICL caused moderate increases in most measured traits that were comparable for early and late selection.

days to flowering --- Pedigree selection --- independent culling levels --- grain weight --- grain yield --- sorghum bicolor

The objective of the present investigation was to study the effects of two cycles of pedigree selection in improving days to heading, 1000-grain weight and grain yield/plant in two segregating populations of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Two cycles of pedigree selection for the days to heading, 1000-grain weight and grain yield/plant were practiced in two segregating populations of wheat in the F₃-F₅ generations. Highly significant differences among F₃ families in both populations and sufficient genotypic coefficients of variation were observed for all studied traits. Estimates of realized gains showed that heading date were earlier by 4.10 and 6.91% for populations I and II, respectively, than the bulk sample after the two cycles of selection. Grain weight increased 14.72 and 6.43% for populations I and 8.01 and 1.68% for populations II over the better parent and the bulk sample, respectively, after two cycles of selection. Selection also improved grain yield/plant in both populations over the better parent and the bulk sample by 12.20 and 3.37% for populations I and 7.93 and 1.60% for populations II, respectively. In population I, one family (No. 26) yielded 17.21% more and was 4.42% earlier than the bulk sample. In population II, the best selected family (No. 82) was common to the three selection criteria and outyielded the bulk sample by 15.32%, was earlier by 2.73% and produced 9.10% heavier grain weight. Single trait selection proved to be an efficient selection method for improving both studied populations. However, this improvement was often accompanied with significant adverse effects on correlated traits.

Pedigree selection --- days to heading --- grain weight --- grain yield --- segregation --- spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)