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MAKERERE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF PLANT SCIENCES, MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY KATO MARTINS 16/U/18783 SUPERVISOR: PROF. ORYEM H. ORIGA TITLE: EFFECT OF LIGHT AND WATER GRADIENTS ON THE GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION OF COMMELINA BENGHALENSIS AND COMMELINA AFRICANA ON MAKERERE CAMPUS. A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANT SCIENCES, MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY, COLLEGE OF NATURAL SCIENCES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN BIOTECHNOLOGY OF MAKERERE UNIVERSITY. 18 APRIL, 2019. DEDICATION I dedicate this report to my dear mother Nalongo Jesca and my brother Wasswa Tonny in appreciation of their love, care and support they gave me during my entire research project. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT It is a matter of pleasure to glance back and recall the path one traverse during days of hard work and perseverance. It is still great at this juncture to recall the faces and spirits in the form of a supervisor, friends, and dear ones. I would consider this work nothing more than incomplete without attending to the task of acknowledging the overwhelming help; I received during the endeavor of mine. I would first thank the almighty God for thus far he has brought me. I am overwhelmed with heartfelt feelings of gratitude and profound indebtedness to my supervisor Prof. Oryem H. Origa for equipping me with the necessary knowledge and skills during the entire research project. Indeed, his guidance was profound. With all my love and affection, I record my indebtedness to my mother Nalongo Jesca and brother Wasswa Tonny for their abundant moral encouragement, willing support and inspiration, without which it could not have been possible for me to attain this stage. I am grateful for the help and support rendered by my fellow students in my program. i.e. Julius Okwir, Ntambi Saidi, and Paul Ssemanda for their support and encouragement during the research project. TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ................................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 6 SECTION 1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 8 1.0. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 8 1.1. Background. .................................................................................................................................. 8 1.2. Problem statement ..................................................................................................................... 13 1.3. Main objective. ........................................................................................................................... 13 1.4. Specific Objectives. ..................................................................................................................... 13 1.5. Significance of the study ............................................................................................................. 13 1.6. Hypothesis ................................................................................................................................... 13 SECTION 2 ................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.0. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................................... 14 SECTION 3 ................................................................................................................................................... 17 3.0. MATERIALS AND METHODS ........................................................................................................ 17 SECTION 4 ................................................................................................................................................... 19 4.0. EXPECTED RESULTS. .................................................................................................................... 19 4.1. ANALYSIS OF THE OBTAINED DATA................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. 4.2. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................... 25 SECTION 5 ................................................................................................................................................... 26 5.0. REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................ 26 5.1. APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................ 29 ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to assess the effect of light and water gradients on the growth and distribution of Commelina behghalesis and Commelina africana. This was specifically conducted in periods of high water content (January) and periods of low water content (March) Five replicates of one by one meters quadrants for each condition were set, i.e. low water content – full illumination (LF), Low water content – partial illumination (LP), High water content – full illumination (HF) and High water content – partial illumination (HP). The study was conducted in the vegetation cover behind the Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology in Makerere University. The Commelina spp were monitored and their length of stem, number of visible leaves, number of shoots and length of the internode were measured, counted and recorded. Length of stem, number of visible leaves (transformed), length of the internode and number of shoots results were subjected to three-way ANOVA to determine the effect of light and water gradients at P=0.05. Significant effect of water content were observed on Commelina benghalesis (ANOVA, P<2.081e-15) the effect of light on Commelina africana also showed a significant difference (ANOVA, P<1.625e-3). Control methods of these two obnoxious weeds; C. benghalesis and C. africana on Makerere University should be designed SECTION 1 1.0.INTRODUCTION 1.1.Background. Makerere campus is an institution proudly known for research. Many of its sites have been adopted for the growth of different plants both local and foreign. But for a couple of years, they have been affected by noxious weeds including Commelina benghalensis and Commelina africana. It is believed that after studying the conditions for the growth of Commelina africana and Commelina benghalensis, they can be controlled thus favouring the growth of the research plants. Scientific classification of Commelina benghalensis Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Monocots Clade: Commelinids Order: Commelinales Family: Commelinaceae Genus: Commelina Species: Commelina benghalensis Commelina bengalensis can be an annual or perennial herb. Leaves are ovate to lanceolate, 2.5- 7.5cm long, 1.5-4cm wide, with parallel venation, entire leaf margin and pubescence on top and bottom. The leaf sheath is covered in red and sometimes white hair at the apex which is the primary identification factor for this species. Stems can be erect or crawling along the ground rooting at the nodes or climbing if supported, 10-30cm in height, 20-90cm in length covered in a fine pubescence and dichotomously branched. Flowers are produced in clusters, funnel shaped, fused by two sides 10-20mm long, 10-15mm wide, on peduncles 1-3.5mm in length (Flanders, 2007; Prostko, 2005; Webster et al.,2005). Ariel flowers are staminate, perfect and chasmogomous with 3 petals, 3-4 mm long. The upper two flower petals are blue in colour, with the lower petal lighter in color and much less prominent. Seeds are rectangular, 1.6-3mm long, 1.3-1.8mm wide, brown to black in color and have a netted appearance.(Prostko,2005; Webster et al.,2005) The incredible growth in the presence of Commelina benghalensis in the south eastern United States since the mid 1990s had been associated with a number of drastic changes in the cropping systems: Among these changes are the elimination of use of pre-emergence herbicides with soil residue activity in cotton crops, the increased use of reduced tillage along with the elimination of cultivation as a method for controlling weeds, reliance on glyophosphate based systems in cotton or glyophosphate based systems in cotton or glyophosphate resistant cotton.(Webster, 2007; Webster 2006). However, in Africa and India, leaves and stems of Commmelina benghalensis are chopped and cooked as vegetables and used as a feed for livestock. Most species of C. benghalensis are also used as medicinal for ailments such as sore feet, sore throat, burns, eye irritation, thrush in infants and stomach irritation. Specifically in South Africa, it is used to combat infertility. (van der berg, 2004) Commelina benghalensis is often found on disturbed sites, forest edges, road sides, agricultural sites, and home gardens. Vegetation and flower growth are optimal between 30 – 35 degrees Celsius but can grow between 20 – 40 degrees Celsius (Van der Burg, 2004; Webster et al., 2005). Commelina benghalensis acts as a herbaceous perennial in its native range and as an annual weed