Inaugural Lectures
Permanent URI for this collection
Inaugural Lectures (Department of Plant and Science)
Browse
Recent Submissions
- ItemOpen AccessSix-Legged Science in Nigeria and its Development(Obafemi Awolowo University Press, 1985-03-12) Akingbohungbe, A.E"Six-legged science" is a literal substitute for the more technical term, "entomology" which, put simply, is the study of insects. Insects are characterised by a number of features among which is the possession of six legs (a pair each per thoracic segment) and hence the substitute term, "six-legged science". Traditionally, entomology had as its dimensions the following areas of specialization: insect morphology, insect taxonomy, insect physiology, insect ecology, medical and veterinary entomology, and agricultural entomology. The last two are also frequently integrated variously to give what is called, "economic entomology." The hall-mark of today's science is the high degree of specialization evolved, and entomology has not been an exception.
- ItemOpen AccessThe Endless Struggle of Man with Plant Viruses(Obafemi Awolowo University Press, 1987-04-14) Ladipo, J. L.Man has been a struggling being against the menace of viruses on his person, his animals, his crop plants and other plants useful to him from the beginning of history. The skin . lesions on the mummified body of an Egyptian king (Ramese V) who died around 1100 Be at the age of 40 years suggested that he died of smallpox (Good heart; 1969). Before the development of a vaccine against Smallpox, it was one of the world's most devastating human diseases. Those who escaped the fatal effect of the disease invariably had their faces disfigured. Poliomyelitis is another viral disease of man that dates back to the earliest times. The leg deformity of an Egyptian who died about 3000 Be suggested that he must have died of paralytic poliomyelitis (Good heart, 1969). Since the interest in this lecture is not in the struggle of man against viruses that attack him directly, the two examples cited above cue sufficient to show man as a direct. victim of such.
- ItemOpen AccessMicrobes: Unseen Agents of Economic Development(Obafemi Awolowo University Press, 2008-07-08) Odeyemi, OluThis inaugural lecture is entitled "Microbes: Unseen agents of economic development" in order to focus our attention on the beneficial microorganisms and the economic power of microbes that have now transformed the small and virtually unseen bugs into big businesses.
- ItemOpen AccessMedicinal Plants, Parasites and Snails in Health(Obafemi Awolowo University Press, 1999-03-16) Adewunmi, Clement O.The dominion of man over living and non-living things is the major attribute possessed by him in conquering his environment and space. This lecture titled “Medicinal Plants, Parasites and Snails in Health” deals with our efforts, and those of others in manipulating plants, parasites and snails for better health. Plants and animals suffer from a range of parasites, including protozoa; nematodes. arthropods-and fungi. They show a variety of protective adaptation. Some plants produce chemicals - phytoalexins - specifically in response to attack by micro-organisms and parasites. The anti-nematode effect reported for known phytoalexins suggests that these compounds have nematostatic rather than a nematocidal effect.
- ItemOpen AccessInsects and Human Welfare with Special Reference to their Role in Agricultural Production(Obafemi Awolowo University Press, 1978-10-19) Adenuga, A. O.This I believe is the second ineugural Lecture to be delivered by a Professor of Plant Science in this University but the first by a Nigerian Professor of Plant Science. My predecessor, Professor Duncan, who first inaugurated the chair of Plant Science showed in his treatise quite clearly the importance of weather in agricultural production in a discipline known as agro climatology. My own lecture today on "Insects and Human Welfare," is in the area of insect science known technically as entomology. You can see, therefore, that Plant Science has a broad scope, some of its disciplines seemingly unrelated to an uninitiated observer. Indeed, I have often been asked: 'If you study insects, which are in any case animals, why are you not in the Department of Animal Science?'. As an agricultural entomologist the ultimate aim of my study of insects is to be able to reduce the damages insect pests do to crop plants, livestock and agricultural produce, and quite recently, that function has been extended to the improvement of environmental factors under which beneficial insects like parasites or predators of insect pests and insects that pollinate flowers can multiply and thrive well. But principally because insect pests of crops are several times more numerous than pests of livestock, entomologists are based in the Department of Plant Science rather than the Department of Animal Science.