Fhatuwani Nixwell Mudau

University of KwaZulu-Natal | ukzn · Department of Horticultural Science

Black nightshade ( Solanum nigrum ) is an important indigenous leafy vegetable consumed in sub‐Saharan Africa. The species is an important source of micronutrients for medicinal purposes. A controlled experiment was conducted at the University of KwaZulu‐Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, to investigate the effect of zinc and boron applications...

The cultivation of bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.) has been shown to be affected by light availability which has encouraged the use of different net shading to filter the amount of light on the plant. The objective of this study was to enhance the levels of caffeoyl-D-glucaric acid derivatives through UV induced geometrical isomerization. Bush...

Green synthesis is a promising strategy for producing eco-friendly, non-toxic, and less expensive metallic nanoparticles from plants and microorganisms. This research synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from fermented leaf extract of bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC). The physicochemical characterization of AgNPs was conducted by UV-vis spect...

Background: In South Africa, Umzimkhulu Local Municipality (ULM) is one of the areas where many households engage in subsistence agricultural activities for survival. However, there are several pests reported and studies have identified as constraints in potato production. Objectives: The current study was conducted to evaluate the indigenous appro...

A plant health clinic is a system in which under-resourced and smallholder farmers can access basic services of plant healthcare from a plant clinic in relation to infected or symptomatic plants and plant products for pest diagnostic and identification purposes. The factors that influence smallholder farmers’ awareness and accessibility to plant he...

Bacterial endophytes reside within the tissues of living plant species without causing any harm or disease to their hosts. These endophytes can be isolated, identified, characterized, and used as biofertilizers. Moreover, bacterial endophytes increase the plants' resistance against diseases, pests, and parasites, and are a promising source of pharm...

Herbal tea is a rich source of secondary metabolites which are reputed to have medicinal and nutritional efficacy. These secondary metabolites are influenced by the abiotic and biotic stresses that improve the production of herbal teas in terms of biomass production, accumulation and partitioning of assimilates of compounds. In this study, various...

Athrixia phylicoides DC. (Bush tea) is a shrub harvested in the north-eastern mountain regions of South Africa and belongs to the Asteraceae family. Generally, A. phylicoides is consumed as a hot tea beverage for its associated health benefits. The use of bush tea extracts for beauty enhancement has not been investigated even though several ethnobo...

The production of nutritious food amongst rural farmers has been a challenge for m Cany years. Challenges can be attributed to many factors, including poor access to water, use of old planting methods, financial challenges, etc. Therefore, new climate-smart technologies (CSTs) were introduced to the farmers. The CSTs implemented in the study were i...

Soil erosion by water is a major global environmental concern due to its devastating effect on agricultural sustainability and food security. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effectiveness of agri-mats on water erosion control using a laboratory rainfall simulator. Six agri-mat samples were subjected to a runoff and infiltration...

Some of the limiting factors for smallholder farmer soybean production in South Africa are low native soil phosphorus (P) availability and poor utilization efficiency of added P. Phosphorus fertilization, use of improved or high yield potential cultivars and appropriate cropping systems could increase soybean yields. The objective of this study was...

Nanoparticles possess several properties, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, catalytic, magnetic, optical, and electronic properties, that have allowed them to be used in different fields. Among them, zinc oxide (ZnO) has received copious consideration due to its technological and medicinal applications. Plant-mediated synthes...

Background: Nanoparticles are globally synthesized for their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, catalytic, magnetic, optical, and electronic properties that have put them at the forefront of a wide variety of studies. Among them, zinc oxide (ZnO) has received much consideration due to its technological and medicinal applications. In t...

South Africa is home to a variety of herbal teas, such as bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.), honeybush tea (Cyclopia intermedia E. Mey and C. subternata Vogel), special tea (Monsonia burkeana Planch. ex Harv.), and rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis (Burm.f.) R. Dahlgren) that are known to possess anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic p...

Bush tea (Athrixia phyllicoides DC.) is a herbal tea which contains bioactive compounds. Naturally, these metabolites aid plants to defend themselves against a wide spectrum of biotic and abiotic stresses. The objective of the study was to identify hydroxyl-cinnamic acids affected by UV (Ultraviolet) light exposure of bush tea through ultra-high-pe...

Background: Nanoparticles are globally synthesized for their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, catalytic, magnetic, optical, and electronic properties that have put them at the forefront of a wide variety of studies. Among them, zinc oxide (ZnO) has received much consideration due to its technological and medicinal applications. In t...

The African continent harbours many native species with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical potential. This study reviewed underutilised crops in South Africa to determine their potential as food and herbal medicinal crops. Over 5,000 species have been identified and earmarked for their medical attributes in formal and informal setups. Researchers, pl...

Background: Nanoparticles are globally synthesized for their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, catalytic, magnetic, optical, and electronic properties that have put them at the forefront of a wide variety of studies. Among them, zinc oxide (ZnO) has received much consideration due to its technological and medicinal applications. In t...

This chapter looks at useful alkaloids derived from plants against some chronic diseases. Alkaloids are derived from plants, animals, and some are produced by fungi and ergot. The use of herbal alkaloids, those derived from plants, has significantly contributed to healthcare and natural product research. The healthcare benefits of herbal alkaloids...

Additional index words. herbal tea, quality control, protected environment, light intensity, quality index Abstract. Horticultural practices and quality of bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.) are critical for herbal tea industrialization. The objective of the current study was to determine the effect of selected shade nets and seasonal variation on...

Plant health clinic is a mechanism in which farmers are able to access basic plant healthcare and services from relevant authority in relation to infested or suspected infested plants and plant products for diagnostic purposes. Plant health clinic is an integral part of the plant health system which provides early pest diagnostic and advisory servi...

Potassium (K) is an essential nutrient in plant metabolism, ionic balance, and stress resistance. In this study, the effects of K on agronomic attributes and on mineral and primary metabolite content in African potato were determined. K was administered hydroponically at four concentrations (4.00, 6.00, 8.00, and 10.00 meq·L ⁻¹ ) using Steiner’s un...

Background: Nanoparticles are globally synthesized for their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, catalytic, magnetic, optical, and electronic properties that have put them at the forefront of a wide variety of studies. Among them, zinc oxide (ZnO) has received much consideration due to its technological and medicinal applications. In t...

This chapter looks at useful alkaloids derived from plants against some chronic diseases. Alkaloids are derived from plants, animals, and some are produced by fungi and ergot. The use of herbal alkaloids, those derived from plants, has significantly contributed to healthcare and natural product research. The healthcare benefits of herbal alkaloids...

We evaluated the phytosanitary risk associated with illegal importation of pest-infested plant commodities into South Africa. Samples were collected from different South African ports of entry over 8 years (2011 to 2019) and data were analysed descriptively using Statistical Software Package. Pests were frequently detected on commodity species such...

Momordica species (Family Cucurbitaceae) are cultivated throughout the world for their edible fruits, leaves, shoots and seeds. Among the species of the genus Momordica, there are three selected species that are used as vegetable, and for medicinal purposes, Momordica charantia L (Bitter melon), Momordica foetida Schumach (Bitter cucumber) and Momo...

This paper presents existing linkages within the spheres of government on plant health institutional and legislative framework and further identifies the existing limitations and risks on the current existing framework on the plant health system. A survey was conducted in South Africa with the relevant scientists from the National Department of Agr...

Growers usually apply elevated nitrogen levels when plants are established at high densities to obtain improved yields. It is not known how this practice affects phytochemical and antioxidant properties of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and rocket [Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC]) during postharvest storage, which are important quality aspects of these...

Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne sp.) is a major concern due to difficulty of control. Secondary metabolites naturally occurring in plants offer a method for combating invasion by root-knot nematode . The study was conducted to investigate nematocidal effects of plant parts of fermented Lantana camara L. collected around the Visage, George and Mooke...

Biostimulants are natural substances that can be applied to seeds, plants, and soils. They can induce physiological and biochemical responses in crops, change the plant’s phenotypic characteristics, and promote plant growth. Among other effects, biostimulants help break dormancy, enhance root development, and increase photosynthetic activity in veg...

Labile organic carbon (LOC) fractions are considered as sensitive indicators of change in soil quality and can serve as proxies for soil organic carbon (SOC). Although the impact of tillage, crop rotation and crop residue management on soil quality is well known, less is known about LOC and SOC dynamics in the sweet sorghum production systems in So...

Questions on sustainable and appropriate cropping systems for bioenergy sweet sorghum in the smallholder farming sector still exist. Therefore, a short-term experiment was carried out to study the influence of management on microbial biomass carbon (MBC), β-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, and urease activities in a sweet sorghum cropping system in S...

Plant-beneficial microorganisms are determinants of plant health and productivity. However, the effects associated with secondary plant metabolism and interactions in the rhizosphere for Cancer bush Lessertia frutescens (L.) is unclear. The study was conducted to understand the mechanism of rhizobium inoculation for L. frutescens, variations in phy...

The influence of ecological factors on the growth of bush tea was studied at Haenertsburg, Witvlag, and two sites at Khalavha in the Limpopo Province of South Africa in three consecutive years viz., 2014, 2016 and 2017, respectively. In each site, a hundred meter transect divided into one square meter quadrats five meters apart was laid. In each qu...

Bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.) is an aromatic South African indigenous plant used for many decades as a health beverage and medicine. Several studies have extensively investigated wild bush tea’s secondary metabolites, but the entire profiling of cultivated bush tea’s metabolites is limited in the literature. Thus, the objective of this study...

Bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.) is a South African indigenous herbal tea rich in secondary metabolites with medicinal significance. However, studies on the effects of seasonal changes on bush tea and quantification of its metabolites using untargeted approach have not been explored. Therefore, this study’s objective was to investigate the effec...

In many poorer parts of the world, biofortification is a strategy that increases the concentration of target nutrients in staple food crops, mainly by genetic manipulation, to alleviate prevalent nutrient deficiencies. We reviewed the (i) prevalence of vitamin A, iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies; (ii) availability of vitamin A, iron and Zn biof...

The low soil fertility status of South African marginal soils threatens sustainable production of biofuel feedstock in smallholder farmers. It is therefore imperative to development sustainable and optimal management practices that improve soil fertility. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of tillage, rotation and crop residue...

Purpose The present study was carried out to determine (1) essential minerals, total polyphenols, total flavonoids, moisture and ash of four selected South African herbal teas and (2) the effect of blending bush tea with other known commercial herbal teas. Design/methodology/approach The method used to determine moisture and ash contents followed...

Soil degradation is the greatest threat to agricultural production globally. The practice of applying or retaining crop residues in the field as mulch is imperative to prevent soil erosion, maintain soil quality and improve crop productivity. However, smallholder farmers resort to maximizing profit by removing crop residues after harvest to sell or...

Baby spinach is a relatively new crop in South Africa that has commercial significance in retail stores. Currently, seed companies have developed varieties that have not been evaluated locally. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the growth, development and quality of five selected baby spinach cultivars in Gauteng province, South Africa...

South Africa has a traditional heritage of using indigenous herbal teas, and the demand for herbal teas motivated by the functional health benefits has far exceeded global supply. This has led to worldwide interest in the sensory characteristics and volatile compound characterisation of herbal drink formulations. The objective of this study was to...

Baby spinach seeds are generally difficult to germinate due to seed dormancy which leads to poor and erratic germination. The seeds are very expensive for poor resource farmers in South Africa since they are imported from Europe and the United States by major seed companies. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of different salt tr...

Theka-Kutumela et al.: Physiological and phytochemical responses of baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) cultivars to combined NPKS nutrition and Bacillus subtilis BD233 inoculation using LC-MS-2129-APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 18(2):2129-2140. Abstract. Baby spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is grown for its nutritional benefits, edible...

The interest in natural plant remedies in assisting with reducing health problems around the world is growing. This directly causes an increase in the consumption of herbal teas. Studies show that the preferentially high antioxidant activities of the flavonoids in herbal teas are due to their chemical structure. The hydroxyl groups on the B ring an...

Nnzeru et al.: 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals secondary metabolic variations of special tea (Monsonia burkeana Planch. ex Harv) populations from three selected locations in South Africa-14095-APPLIED ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 17(6):14095-14103. Abstract. The present study was conducted to assess the secondary metabolit...

Athrixia phylicoides DC (bush tea), a South African indigenous tea, has been consumed in rural communities with its nutritional and medicinal attributes well documented [1]. The low consumption of bush tea in more urbanized areas means the tea can not immulate the success of other South African herbal teas such as rooibos and honeybush [2]. Therefo...

There is limited information on how plant density and nitrogen (N) application rate for basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) and cultivated rocket [Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC.] affect crop growth, and yield and quality. A field trial was conducted to assess effects of plant density, N application rate, and their interaction, on growth and yield of basil...

Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease, the second deadliest malignancy in men and the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men. Traditional plants have been applied to handle various diseases and to develop new drugs. Medicinal plants are potential sources of natural bioactive compounds that include alkaloids, phenolic compounds, terpenes, and...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the health and medicinal importance of bush tea ( Athrixia phylicoides DC) and special tea ( Monsonia burkeana Planch. ex Harv), two of Southern African indigenous herbal teas. Design/methodology/approach The two herbal teas, A. phylicoides and M. burkeana were extracted individually and in combi...

Soil use and management effect on soil microstructure was quantified. Soil aggregates ∼10 mm diameter were collected from two fields: a five-year-old No-till natural fallow management (NTNF) and continuous cultivation (CC). The aggregate microstructure was determined with X-ray micro-focus computed tomography (X-ray μCT) and image analysis was done...

Spinach is an annual, cool-season, green leafy vegetable that in temperate areas can be grown year-round. However, different seasons can influence the quality and shelf life of the produce. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of different seasons on the quality of baby spinach leaves during growing and postharvest storage....

This study was conducted to evaluate the response of bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.) to rainfall, relative humidity and temperature. Four sites, namely, Haenertsburg, Witvlag, and two sites at Khalavha in the Limpopo Province of South Africa were selected for investigation. Data on average rainfall, relative humidity and temperature were obtain...

Camellia sinensis is the most consumed beverage worldwide. It contains a wide variety of secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, saponins, tannins, catechins, and polyphenols, generated through a condensation reaction of cinnamic acid with three malonyl-CoA groups. In addition to the metabolic processes occurring within this plant, there are also...

The goal of this study was to investigate and identify the existing knowledge gaps on plant health systems of the national and provincial officials responsible for biosecurity issues and plant health matters at the Departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) in South Africa. In this study, stratified random sampling was used and a sem...

Bush tea is a popular South African herbal and medicinal tea with the potential for commercialization. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of different rates of applied nitrogen (N) and timing (early and late) of N application on yield, chemical composition, pharmacologic activity, and cytotoxicity of bush tea. Factorial treat...

Bush tea is a popular South African herbal and medicinal tea with the potential for commercialization. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of different rates of applied nitrogen (N) and timing (early and late) of N application on yield, chemical composition, pharmacologic activity, and cytotoxicity of bush tea. Factorial treat...

Bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.) is a root perennial shrub used as indigenous tea and medicinal tea in South Africa. Thus, concurrent trials were conducted under different growing conditions as follows: in the glasshouse, field planted and wild, naturally grown, to investigate the effects of seasonal harvests and growing environments on carbohyd...

Bush tea (Athrixia phylicoides DC.) is a popular medicinal South African indigenous plant and it has been used for many decades as a health beverage and medicine. The objective of the study was to profile metabolites for assessment of quality of bush tea (A. phylicoides DC.) subjected to different pruning levels. Treatments consisted of untreated c...

Baby spinach is rich in phytochemicals that provide great benefits to consumers’ health. The study aim was to investigate the effect of the growth harvest stage, postharvest storage duration and temperature on quality of baby spinach leaves. A 3 × 5 × 3 factorial experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design with four replicates per...