Improvement of sheep skin quality after treatment with diazinon against cockle

Cockle, otherwise known as ekek locally, has been economically the most important skin defect among the tanneries in Ethiopia for the last three decades. The disease has been experimented on since 1996 when FAO sponsored the trials on sheep and goat skin improvement trial (TCP/ETH/4558&6712) and found that diazinon improved the skin quality of treated sheep at least by 1 grade. However, the trials had not been sustainable to find out what the skin quality of the lambs of the dams that had been treated with diazinon would look like. The trial carried out at Debre Birhan Agriculture Research Centre filled this gap and showed repeatedly that sheep treated against lice and keds with diazinon improved the skin quality of the adult by 1 grade and those of their lambs by 3-5 grades. It started with 367 Menz and 265 Horro sheep in October 2009 and completed in January 2011. Lice and keds count of the trial sheep was carried out before and after treatment with diazinon. After the treatment, the parasite count dropped to 0 and there was a significant difference between the skin grades of the sheep before and after treatment with diazinon at 95% confidence level. The dramatic skin quality improvement appeared in the lambs which, compared to the adult sheep skins, had improved by 89% to 90%

IntraCONtinental Sags (ICONS) formation, exhumation and landscape evolution: The Ethiopian testimony

The study of the Mekele Sedimentary Basin (MSB) in Ethiopia revealed geological and geophysical features that can be interpreted as resembling an ICONS (IntraCONtinental Sag). ICONS are groups of sedimentary basins that develop within the interior of continental plates. The MSB is filled with ~2 km thick mixed clastic-carbonate sediments ranging in age from Ordovician/Silurian (440 to 460 Ma) to middle Cretaceous (100 to 120 Ma). This study used field, remote sensing and satellite gravity data. Gravity data is used to conduct spectral analysis, forward and inverse modelling to outline the geometry of the basin and lithospheric-scale-structures across the region. Owing to its location over the juvenile Neoproterozoic accretionary Pan-African terranes, cooling and thickening of the basement beneath the basin is proposed as an alternative basin-forming mechanism. The MSB is unique in that the sedimentary formations and geological structures associated with ICONS are almost completely exposed on the surface due to a combination of tectono-magmatic and surface fluvial incision processes. Accordingly, the combined analysis of morphometric parameters and geophysical data to evaluate the regional geodynamic link between tectono-magmatic processes and landscape evolution during Cenozoic was carried out. Broad patterns of topographic variation along the strike of the western escarpment of the Afar Depression bordering the MSB reflect general properties of lithospheric heterogeneity. In the north and central region, the escarpment is underlain by a highly extended and almost tapered crust whereas in the south the highest escarpments overlie a thickened possibly underplated crust. These features partially correspond with the along-strike variation in geomorphic features. However, it appears that the first-order landscape development is primarily controlled by a regional process. Further, the incision history of the northwestern plateau drainage system was examined based on a case study from the Blue Nile Gorge, where ~1500 m Mesozoic section is exposed along the Blue Nile River. Unlike the MSB, the Blue Nile Basin is covered with Oligocene volcanic rocks, and hence, provides a good constraint on the incision history. Here, using geomorphic proxies from field, remote sensing, and published rate of incision through time curve stratigraphic control is evaluated. Despite vast variability, the study found limited influence of lithology

Identification of the causal agent of Botryosphaeria stem canker in Ethiopian Eucalyptus plantations

Plantations of exotic Eucalyptus make up more than 30% of Ethiopia's plantations, providing fuel and construction timber to the country. Species such as E. camaldulensis, E. saligna, E. grandis, E. citriodora and E. globulus are most commonly planted. During a survey of Eucalyptus diseases in 2000 and 2001, Botryosphaeria stem canker was observed in most plantations. The disease symptoms included tip die- back, coppice failure and stem cankers characterised by kino exudation. The aim of this study was to identify the species responsible for Botryosphaeria stem canker in Ethiopia. Culture and conidial morphology, as well as DNA-based identification involving Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs) and sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer regions (ITS) of the ribosomal RNA gene and the elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-α) gene, were used to identify isolates. Pathogenicity studies were conducted in the greenhouse and under field conditions. Results showed that Botryosphaeria parva is responsible for Botryosphaeria stem canker of Eucalyptus in Ethiopia. This is the first report of the fungus from this country. Greenhouse and field inoculation studies showed that the Ethiopian isolates are highly virulent. Careful site species selection and breeding trials are thus needed to reduce the impact of this disease in Ethiopia

Participatory smallholder dairy value chain development in Fogera woreda, Ethiopia: Experiences from IPMS project interventions

Market-oriented smallholder dairy in Fogera has an opportunity for growth because of growing urban population in the district itself as well as in the wider Bahr Dar–Gondar milkshed. IPMS in 2005 introduced a participatory market-oriented dairy value chain development approach with partner organizations. IPMS together with its partners also identified gaps in the dairy value chain through Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) and also designed interventions involving key value chain actors. This approach included increased use of knowledge capturing and sharing by the extension services. Major production interventions were the development of communal grazing areas through clearance of noxious weed called Hygrophilla auriculata and introduction of area enclosure, backyard fodder development and increased use of rice crop residues. Input service supply interventions included community-based trypanosomosis control and bulls stations. IPMS and its partners also provided the required support for establishment of two milk processing marketing cooperatives. Communal grazing area development is now practised in 16 villages (PAs) and harvested biomass production was estimated at 7 to 11 t of DM/year. As a result of the cut-and-carry system, the proportion of legumes increased, thus improving its nutritive value. The increased availability of the rice straw and bran resulting from rice value chain development in Fogera has also impacted dairy production. Urea treatments of rice straw as well as supplementary feeding with rice bran were demonstrated in 13 PAs. An on-farm experiment conducted by an MSc student indicated doubling of daily milk yields. However, use of straw could be increased further if urea for the treatment of straw could be made available in the dry season. Trypanosomosis control introduced in infested areas has significantly reduced the number of infected animals and the program is now institutionalized by regional, district and NGO partners. The introduction of bull stations resulted in increased number of improved Fogera breed cows and crossbreed with Holstein-Frisians. However, the number of improved dairy cows is still low and the District should consider the recently introduced mass insemination approach with the help of hormones. Marketing and processing of milk in urban and peri-urban areas through formation of small cooperatives has started; however, impact is still limited due to lack of business orientation, and alternative marketing outlets for individual producers. While some linkages were made with the larger Bahr Dar milkshed, more attention needs to be paid to this market once milk production increases. A household survey conducted in 2009, which assessed the combined impact of all interventions, showed significant differences in milk quantities sold by adopter and non-adopter households in the urban areas and doubling of butter production/sales in the rural areas. It is noted that this additional butter sales benefits rural women since they manage the production and sale of butter

Ocular Dermoid in Crossbred calf- A Case Report

The present paper deals with a typical case of ocular dermoid cyst in three weeks old crossbred calf. The patient had a history of lacrimation and a hairy growth in the left eye. Based on the history and clinical examination, the case was diagnosed as ocular dermoid cyst and removed successfully by superficial keratectomy.Key words: Calf, Dermoid, Keratectomy, Teratolog

Evapotranspiration in the Nile Basin: Identifying Dynamics, Trends, and Drivers 2002-2011

Analysis of the relationship between evapotranspiration (ET) and its natural and anthropogenic drivers is critical in water-limited basins such as the Nile. The spatiotemporal relationships of ET with rainfall and vegetation dynamics in the Nile Basin during 2002–2011 were analyzed using satellite-derived data. Non-parametric statistics were used to quantify ET-rainfall interactions and trends across land cover types and subbasins. We found that 65% of the study area (2.5 million km2) showed significant (p \u3c 0.05) positive correlations between monthly ET and rainfall, whereas 7% showed significant negative correlations. As expected, positive ET-rainfall correlations were observed over natural vegetation, mixed croplands/natural vegetation, and croplands, with a few subbasin-specific exceptions. In particular, irrigated croplands, wetlands and some forests exhibited negative correlations. Trend tests revealed spatial clusters of statistically significant trends in ET (6% of study area was negative; 12% positive), vegetation greenness (24% negative; 12% positive) and rainfall (11% negative; 1% positive) during 2002–2011. The Nile Delta, Ethiopian highlands and central Uganda regions showed decline in ET while central parts of Sudan, South Sudan, southwestern Ethiopia and northeastern Uganda showed increases. Except for a decline in ET in central Uganda, the detected changes in ET (both positive and negative) were not associated with corresponding changes in rainfall. Detected declines in ET in the Nile delta and Ethiopian highlands were found to be attributable to anthropogenic land degradation, while the ET decline in central Uganda is likely caused by rainfall reduction

Genome-wide association mapping for grain shape and color traits in Ethiopian durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum)

Grain shape and color strongly influence yield and quality of durum wheat. Identifying QTL for these traits is essential for transferring favorable alleles based on selection strategies and breeding objectives. In the present study, 192 Ethiopian durum wheat accessions comprising 167 landraces and 25 cultivars were genotyped with a high-density Illumina iSelect 90K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) wheat array to conduct a genome-wide association analysis for grain width (GW), grain length (GL), CIE (Commission Internationale l'Eclairage) L* (brightness), CIE a* (redness), and CIE b* (yellowness) traits. The accessions were planted at Sinana Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia in the 2015/2016 cropping season in a complete randomized block design with three replications. Twenty homogeneous and healthy seeds per replicate were used for trait measurement. Digital image analysis of seeds with GrainScan software package was used to generate the phenotypic data. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences between accessions for all traits. A total of 46 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified for all traits across all chromosomes. One novel major candidate QTL (−lg P ≥ 4) with pleiotropic effects for grain CIE L* (brightness) and CIE a* (redness) was identified on the long arm of chromosome 2A. Eighteen nominal QTL (−lg P ≥ 3) and 26 suggestive QTL (−lg P ≥ 2.5) were identified. Pleiotropic QTL influencing both grain shape and color were identified