RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Noise remains a nuisance which impacts negatively on the physical, social and psychological wellbeing of man. It aggravates chronic illnesses like hypertension and other cardiopulmonary diseases. Unfortunately, increased activities from industrialization and technological transfers/drifts have tumultuously led to increased noise pollution in most of our fast growing cities today and hence the need for concerted efforts in monitoring and regulating our environmental noise. OBJECTIVE: To assess the equivalent noise level (Leq) in Abuja municipality and promote a simple method for regular assessment of Leq within our environment. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional community based study of the environmental Leq of Abuja municipality conducted between January 2014 and January 2016. The city was divided into 12 segments including residential, business and market areas via the Abuja Geographic Information System. The major markets were captured separately on a different scale. Measurements were taken with the mobile phone softwares having validated this with Extech 407730 digital sound level meter, serial no Z310135. Leq(A) were measured at different points and hours of the day and night. The average Leq(A) were classified according to localities and compared with WHO standard safety levels. RESULTS: LeqD ranged 71-92dB(A); 42-79dB(A) and 69-90dB(A) in business/ parks, residential and market places respectively. The Night measurements were similar 18dB(A)-56dB(A) and the day-night Leq(A)=77.2dB(A) and 90.4dB(A) for residential and business zones. CONCLUSION: The night noise levels are satisfactory but the day and day-night levels are above the recommended tolerable values by WHO and therefore urgently call for awareness and legislative regulations.
RESUMO
Legume tree crops, which establish easily and do not require extensive agronomic inputs, constitute potentially valuable sources of supplementary feeds that subsistence and medium-scale livestock farmers in the tropics could use to improve livestock nutrition and productivity. A field trial was conducted with Gliricidia sepium cuttings to investigate the effect if three stock lengths (20, 30 and 40 cm), two stock diameters (1.5-2.5) and (3.0-3.5 cm) and three planting angles (30 degrees, 60 degrees and 90 degrees) in a factorial experiment. There were high significant differences (p < 0.05) in all the growth parameters of the stock diameters and stock lengths used. The highest dry matter yield of 3.83, 4.61 and 4.65 t ha(-1) were produced by stock length 20, 30 and 40 cm, respectively. The highest planting angle of 90 degrees produced the tallest shoot height and biggest basal diameter, while the least planting angle of 30 degrees produced the least shoot height and basal diameter, respectively. The interactions between the smaller stock diameter and the least planting angle (30 degrees) produced the least values of growth parameters. Gliricidia cuttings could be easily established with thicker stock diameter of not less than 3.0 and 40 cm stock length, planting in an angle between 60 and 90 degrees.
