The frankincense tree of Ethiopia : ecology, productivity and population dynamics

Keywords: Boswellian papyrifera, Frankincense tree, matrix model, population dynamics, population bottleneck, tapping. Combretum – Terminalia woodlands and Acacia – Commiphora woodlands are the two dominant vegetation types that cover large parts of the dry land areas in Ethiopia. Several of their tree and shrub species yield economically valuable products such as gum Arabic, frankincense and myrrh. Boswellia papyrifera provides the widely traded frankincense that accounts for >80% of the export revenues that the country is earning from gum and resin resources. Unfortunately, the Ethiopian dry woodlands and the B. papyrifera populations are disappearing rapidly due to the combined effects of over-harvesting gums and resins, overgrazing by livestock, recurrent fires, and excessive wood harvesting. The current lack of small saplings in the remaining populations of Boswellia suggests that the populations may not be sustained for the future. The main objectives of this thesis were to determine diversity and production patterns in B. papyrifera dominated dry woodlands, to show the regeneration status in various B. papyrifera populations, and to evaluate the effects of environment, frankincense harvesting, and grazing on the population dynamics of B. papyrifera. The main research questions were: (1) how do environmental conditions affect the tree/shrub species richness and production of Ethiopian dry woodlands? (2) what factors determine the frankincense production by B. papyrifera trees? (3) how do the vital rates and population dynamics of B. papyrifera vary across habitats that differ in soil conditions and biotic factors? (4) What are the major bottlenecks in the life cycle of the trees that hinder the sustainability of the remaining populations? To address these questions, tree populations were studied in the highlands of Abergelle and the lowlands of Metema. Metema also has a longer wet season length, higher annual rainfall and better soil fertility status than Abergelle. In total 36 and 22 tree and shrub species representing 20 and 9 families were recorded in Metema and Abergelle woodlands, respectively. The most dominant plant families were Burseraceae, Fabaceae, Combretaceae and Anacardiaceae. The vegetation at both sites was dominated by B. papyrifera. The two sites differed in species richness, diversity and production. Metema, the site with the longer wet season, had a higher species richness, diversity and production than Abergelle. The productivity of woodlands also increased with a higher clay content and greater soil depth. Populations structures indeed lacked the saplings, except for one very isolated population on a steep mountain slope. The studied frankincense trees produced 41 to 840 gram of frankincense during a year with seven collection rounds, and 185 to 1826 gram of frankincense during a year with 14 collection rounds. The variation in frankincense production was large across individuals. Frankincense production increased with tree size, tapping intensity, and tapping frequency. The increase in production, however, levelled-off beyond a stem diameter of 20 cm, a tapping intensity of 9 spots, and a tapping intensity of 10 rounds. Growth rate, survival rate and fruiting probability varied across populations, but were not related to soil conditions or biotic factors. The growth rates of the 12 Metema populations varied between 0.86 to 0.98, suggesting that they were all decreasing. Matrix model analyses indicated that the mortality of adult trees was the major bottleneck for sustainable population growth, and that the lack of sapling recruitment was a second major bottleneck. These bottlenecks appear both in tapped and non-tapped stands. Remarkably, tapped stand showed higher growth rates than nontapped stands, probably because productive stands were selected for harvesting resin. All results suggest that the remaining populations of B. papyrifera will disappear in the near future if the current situation continues. Frankincense production is expected to halve in 15- 20 years. Unexpectedly, tapping had no negative effect on vital rates, nor on population growth rates indicating that other factors are responsible for the decline of the populations. Adult mortality by insect infestation and windfall, and the negative impact of grazing and fire on the establishment of saplings need extra attention. Management should be directed towards releasing two major population bottlenecks (improve sapling regeneration, reduce adult mortability) to maintain the Boswellia populations and frankincense production in the future. </p

Selecting for food-feed traits in desi and kabuli genotypes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum)

The study explored the genetic and environmental variability in chickpea for food-feed traits. Seventy nine genotypes of 17 early-maturing desi genotypes, 19 early-maturing kabuli genotypes and 43 late-maturing kabuli genotypes were evaluated for food-feed traits in 7 trials laid out in a randomized complete block design in 3 locations in Ethiopia. All trials showed wide genotypic ranges in various traits related to grain yield, straw yield and straw quality. Analysis of variance for individual trials showed significant (P<0.05) effects of genotype, location and their interaction on grain and straw yields, CP, IVOMD and NDF in all populations. Correlation analysis exhibited either positive or insignificant correlations with straw yield in all trials. The correlation between IVOMD and grain yield was insignificant in all trials. Grain yield correlated significantly (P<0.001) and positively to NDF in early maturing kabuli, however, the correlation was moderate (r= 0.396). Grain yield correlated either weakly or insignificantly to CP and Ca in the trials. The correlation between P and grain yield was ignored as the straw content of P was very small in all genotypes (<1.78 g/kg). Weak or absence of correlations between grain yields with straw traits would enable chickpea breeders to manipulate grain yield and straw traits independently. This presents an opportunity to identify parental genotypes for improving grain yield and straw traits for individual locations

Selecting for food-feed traits in early and late maturing lentil genotypes(Lens culinaris)

To explore genetic and environmental variability of food-feed traits in lentil genotypes, straws of 78elite genotypes and 4 checks of early and late maturing lentil types were evaluated for their nutritive value and potential trade-offs of the nutritive parameters with straw yield and grain yield. Further, effects of genotypic and environmental sources on variation in the nutritive value were also determined. Straw nutritive traits were analyzed by a combination of conventional laboratory techniques and Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy. Results from eight trials carried out across 3 different sites in Ethiopia showed highly significant genotypic variation (P<0.05) in grain yield, straw yields and straw nutritive traits. This confirmed the existence of exploitable genetic variation in these traits. Similarly, the relationship between grain yield and straw yield was positive. The correlation between grain yield and nutritive parameters of straw was insignificant or negative. The correlation between maturity types and straw traits was either neutral or negative. Genotype by environment interactions were significant (P<0.05) for straw yield and nutritive traits indicating that variation in the traits is dependent of environment. It is possible to develop genotypes with a combination of food-feed traits from early and late maturing lentil types to address the high demand for grain and livestock fodder in various agro ecological zones in mixed crop-livestock farming systems using appropriate breeding approaches

Livestock Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Ethiopia by region: a graphic summary

This report is based on the Inventory of GHG emissions from cattle, sheep, and goats in Ethiopia (1994-2018) calculated using the IPCC Tier 2 approach approved by the Ministry of Agriculture (Wilkes et al., 2020). That national inventory report presented in detail the data sources, methods and results for GHG emissions from cattle, sheep and goats at the national level. This report summarizes the main results for each region in Ethiopia

Community Seed Production of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and Lentil (Lens culinaris Medic) in Ethiopia

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medic) are the most important grain legumes covering 21.3% of the total acreage (1.6 million ha) and 24.1% of production (23.2 millon tons) of all pulse crops in Ethiopia (CSA 2012). They are grown by more than 1.7 million farmers; are major staple food legumes and are a good source of dietary protein (17 %, 23%). These crops require low input for production and can maintain and restore soil fertility (can fix up to 60 kg N /ha/year). Moreover, they are high potential crops for domestic and export markets and considered to be strategic crops for national food security and agricultural development in the country. Two different types of seed supply systems, formal and informal (community seed production) are known in Ethiopia. To date the majority chickpea and lentil producers obtain their seed for planting informally from own saved seed or through local exchange. The informal seed system for chickpea and lentil currently operates at the individual farmer or community level and depends on local knowledge of plant and seed selection, sourcing, retaining and management, as well as local diffusion mechanisms. It is, therefore, important to continually search for solutions to improve the availability of, access to and use of quality seed required by farmers. In this paper, we provide an overview of community seed production and delivery systems of chickpea and lentil operating in the country; review the initiatives and document best approaches to improve the availability of improved quality seeds to farmers in order to maximize productivity of these crops in Ethiopia

Optimizing near infrared reflectance spectroscopy to predict nutritional quality of chickpea straw for livestock feeding

Multidimensional improvement programs of chickpea require screening of a large number of genotypes for straw nutritive value. The ability of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) to determine the nutritive value of chickpea straw was identified in the current study. A total of 480 samples of chickpea straw representing a nation-wide range of environments and genotypic diversity (40 genotypes) were scanned at a spectral range of 1108 to 2492 nm. The samples were reduced to 190 representative samples based on the spectral data then divided into a calibration set (160 samples) and a cross-validation set (30 samples). All 190 samples were analysed for dry matter, ash, crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, Fe, P, and in vitro gas production metabolizable energy using conventional methods. Multiple regression analysis was used to build the prediction equations. The prediction equation generated by the study accurately predicted the nutritive value of chickpea straw (R2 of cross validation > 0.68; standard error of prediction < 1%). Breeding programs targeting improving food-feed traits of chickpea could use NIRS as a fast, cheap, and reliable tool to screen genotypes for straw nutritional quality

Innovative Partnership Approach to Chickpea seed production and Technology Dissemination: Lessons from Ethiopia

Innovative partnership in chickpea seed production and technology dissemination was assessed in increasing chickpea productivity through facilitated access to quality seed. The study was designed to evaluate the benefits gained from partnership implemented for the last 10 years in chickpea technology by seed system of crop production. Farmers' participatory variety selection (FPVS)' has been implemented as epicenter of the new innovation. The varieties selected by the farmers were ultimately demonstrated and visited by large number of farmers and other stakeholders. This was complemented with the establishment and technical backstopping of farmers' seed producer associations to produce and market quality seed to fill the gap by the formal sector. Intervention with chickpea technologies were initiated right after training partners in chickpea seed and grain vale chain. From 2008 to 2015, over 350 FPVS trials were conducted concurrently with demonstrations. The farmers' seed producer associations cover the lion's share of the seed supply and became an innovative approach that enhanced the chickpea seed system. The production of certified and quality declared seed increased from 632.7t in 2008 to 3290 tons in 2014. The drastic increase in productivity and production of chickpea during the intervention period were largely attributed to the interventions made. The national chickpea productivity has doubled in a decade's time (2006-2015) and attained peak of 1.9ton ha-1 in 2014. Similarly production showed drastic increase during the intervention period where the production in 2015 was 124% more compared to the production in 2006. Lessons were driven from the approach that many development parties and the government policy recognized the approach as key player for enhancing the chickpea sector

Multidisciplinary approach to genomics research in Africa: the AfriCRAN model

This article is an outcome of the African Craniofacial Anomalies Research Network (AfriCRAN) Human Hereditary and Health (H3A) grant planning meeting in 2012 in Lagos, Nigeria. It describes the strengths of a multidisciplinary team approach to solving complex genetic traits in the craniofacial region. It also highlights the different components and argues for the composition of similar teams to fast track the discovery of disease genes, diagnostic tools, improved clinical treatment and ultimately prevention of diseases

Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis for Various Quantitative Traits in Desi Chickpea Genotypes under Rainfed Conditions in Ethiopia

Chickpea is rich in protein and micronutrients and plays a significant role in human diet especially as accompaniment to staples, but grain yields in Ethiopia are still below the crop potential. Field experiments were conducted during 2007/8-2009/10 to determine relationships among yield and some yield components using correlation and path coefficient analysis in desi chickpea grown under rainfed conditions. Correlation studies revealed that seed yield was significantly and positively correlated with days to flowering, days to maturity, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, stand count at harvest, plant height and biomass. The path coefficient analysis based on seed yield, as a dependent variable, revealed that biomass had the greatest direct effect on seed yield (0.0146) and followed by stand count at harvest and plant height. Both correlation and path analyses indicated that biomass, stand count at harvest and plant height were the major direct contributors to seed yield. Thus, the present study suggests that more biomass production, stand count at harvest and plant height are major yield factors in selecting high yielding desi chickpea cultivars

Stability Analysis in Chickpea Genotype Sets as Tool for Breeding Germplasm Structuring Strategy and Adaptability Scoping

Chickpea research program has come across realizing the importance of restructuring the working germplasm pool in Ethiopia where we have 39 divergent agroecological zones (AEZ). Though chickpea is not suit to all, it adapts in more than 30% of the agroecologies having different scale of responses. Hence, as show case we have tried to scan the agroecologies discrimination power based on crop using three sets of bred-crop responses. Evidently enough, germplasms in all the sets have revealed differential responses for economical yield and associated traits, from the three set of 57 entries put under 47 environments. The AMMI stability value and stability index have been able to discriminate genotypes with designated position; and supposed the breeding program would signify values by attempting both environment and genetics still as key considerable factors