1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of Study
Over the centuries, the use of medicinal herbs has become an important part of daily life despite the progress in modern medical and pharmaceutical research (MazidMohd, 2012). A wide range of medicinal plant parts are used as raw drugs as they posses varied medicinal properties thus herbal drugs constitute a major part in all traditional systems of medicines. Plants above all other agents have been used for medicine from time immemorial because they have fitted the immediate personal need are easily accessible and inexpensive (Mukherjee, 2008). Most plant used in treatment of digestion, diaherea, constipation, toothache, flu, hepatitis, skin infection, diabetics (Okonmah, 2011).
Garden Egg plant (Solanum melongena (Linnaeus)) is one of the most important fruit and leafy vegetable widely cultivated in tropical Africa; probably the third after tomato and onion, and before okra (Grubben and Denton, 2004; Hanson et al., 2006). It belongs to the Solanaceae family, which includes crops such as tomatoes, potatoes and capsicums. Owing to the fact that eggplant is widely consumed on a daily basis especially in the forest zone, the crop represents a very important source of income for many rural and urban households (Danquah, 2000; Owusu- Ansah et al., 2001). It is known for its ability to provide large amounts of food from a small space. Also, the fruits have a storage life up to three months and can be dried and stored for later use, when the growing season is over and nothing fresh is available (NRC, 2006; Stone et al., 2011; National Research Council, 2006).
Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to carry out a Comparative Analysis of Medical and Antimicrobial Components of Cucumber and Garden Egg.
1.2 Statement of Problems
Eggplant is susceptible to several diseases and pests that cause serious crop losses. This problem has been addressed by hybridizing eggplant with wild resistant Solanum species, which present a wide genetic diversity and are source of useful agronomic traits. However, this approach is limited by sexual incompatibilities (Collonier et al. 2001) and difficulties in obtaining fertile progenies (Gleddie et al. 1986). In addition, traditional improvement methods may be hampered by the scarcity of natural resistance sources for some important diseases, impairing the obtention of resistant varieties (O’Brien 1983; Melo & Costa 1985; Lin & Xiao 1995). For example, no natural resistance sources are known for anthracnosis (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides), southern wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) and the most common fungal disease of eggplant in Brazil, the Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae).
1.3 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to analyze the Medical and Antimicrobial Components of Cucumber and Garden Egg. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To evaluate the Antimicrobial Components of Cucumber and Garden Egg
- To identify the effects of temperature and period on the quality of cucumber
- To detect the effects of temperature and period on the quality of garden-eggs
- To screen out and identify insect pest resistant/tolerant eggplant and cucumber variety for exploitation in crop improvement.
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