Treatments of common bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with insecticides for managing bean stem maggot [Ophiomyia spp. (Tryon) (Diptera: Agromyzidae)] in SNNPR, Ethiopia

Bean stem maggot (BSM) is one of the main threatening insect pests that cause significant bean plant mortalities and associated grain yield reductions. The field research work was conducted for three successive years (2018 - 2020) in Burji, southern Ethiopia, to decide the effects of insecticide seed treatment in reducing bean plant mortality and severity/damage caused by BSM and enhancing the grain yield of common bean. The research contained seven treatments and was arrayed in a randomized complete block design with three replicas. In 2018, the lowest seedling mortality (SM) (11.78%) and matured plant mortality (MPM) (21.89%) were registered from Diazinone-treated plots. However, it was not statistically varied from Thiram + Carbofuran (13.33% for SM and 22.22% for MPM). Bean seeds treated with Diazinon considerably reduced initial percent severity index (PSIi) by 79.79% and final percent severity index (PSIf) by 79.98%, followed by Thiram + Carbofuran with PSIi by 55.67% and PSIf by 76.98% over untreated plots. Lowest total number of larvae (TNL) (15.00 and 22.67) and pupae (TNP) (11.00 and 13.67) were noted from Diazinone and Thiram + Carbofuran, in that order. Comparable fashions for SM, MPM, PSIi, PSIf, TNL, and TNP were encountered for these insecticides in 2019 and 2020. Grain yields of 2229.37 and 2213.39 kg ha-1 (in 2018) and 2648.29 and 2503.20 kg ha-1 (in 2020) were attained from Diazinone and Thiram + Carbofuran, respectively. Monetary analysis also affirmed that Diazinone ($126,429.52 ha-1) and Thiram + Carbofuran ($122,241.67 ha-1) led to a higher monitory advantage over untreated control and other insecticides. Therefore, Diazinon and Thiram + Carbofuran, one of them as an alternative option, could be advised as a seed treatment to the growers for efficient control of BSM and optimization of grain yield

Age, period and cohort analysis of age-specific maternal mortality trend in Ethiopia: A secondary analysis.

BACKGROUND:Maternal mortality (MM) was persistently high for several decades in Ethiopia though it has declined in recent years. The roles of time-varying elements in this decrease are unknown. Analyzing MM with age-period-cohort analysis will provide evidence to policymakers to re-direct resources towards vulnerable age groups. The aim of this analysis was to determine the role of age effect, period effect and birth cohort effect on the trend of age-specific maternal mortality in Ethiopia. METHODS:Age-period-cohort (APC) analysis was applied to examine the effect of age, period and birth cohort on MM in Ethiopia using data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) from years 2000, 2005, 2011 and 2016. Age-specific maternal mortality rates were calculated using standardized maternal death compared to age-specific population per 100,000 woman-years of exposure and the trend was analyzed. RESULT:In most age groups, the MM rate decreased in 2015 compared with the previous years except for older women. According to the APC analysis, the age-cohort effect explains the MM rate better than age-period effect. The period effect shows the risk ratio of MM after 2005 decreased compared with before. The cohort effect illustrates women born after 1980 has lower risk ratio compared with the older one. CONCLUSION:Maternal mortality in Ethiopia declined overall in recent years. However, certain age groups still face high maternal mortality rates. A national policy on MM reduction interventions for the identified high-risk age groups is required

Prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis and assessment of trypanocidal drug resistance in tsetse infested and non-tsetse infested areas of Northwest Ethiopia

The Northwestern region of Ethiopia is affected by both tsetse and non-tsetse transmitted trypanosomosis with a significant impact on livestock productivity. The control of trypanosomosis in Ethiopia relies on either curative or prophylactic treatment of animals with diminazene aceturate (DA) or isometamidium chloride (ISM). In the present work; questionnaire survey, cross-sectional and experimental studies were carried out to; a) assess the utilization of trypanocidal drugs; b) determine the prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis and; c) assess the drug resistant problems respectively in Tsetse and non-tsetse infested areas on NW Ethiopia. A total of 100 respondents were included for the survey and the questionnaires focused on the drug utilization practices for the control of Trypanosomosis. Blood from cattle 640 (324 cattle tested in 2011, 316 cattle tested in 2012) and 795 (390 cattle tested in 2011, 405 cattle tested in 2012) were examined from tsetse infested and non-tsetse infested areas respectively using the buffy coat technique and thin blood smear for the detection of trypanosomes and measurement of packed cell volume (PCV). For the assessment of trypanocidal drug resistance three isolates, one from tsetse (TT) and two from non-tsetse (NT) areas were used on thirty six trypanosome naïve calves. The experimental animals were divided randomly into six groups of six animals (TT-ETBS2-DA, TT-ETBS2-ISM, NT-ETBD2-DA, NT-ETBD2-ISM, NT-ETBD3-DA and NT-ETBD3-ISM), which were infected with T. vivax isolated from a tsetse-infested or non-tsetse infested area with 2 × 106 trypanosomes from donor animals, and in each case treated with higher dose of DA or ISM. The results of the questionnaire survey showed trypanosomosis was a significant animal health constraint for 84% and 100% of the farmers questioned in non-tsetse and tsetse infested areas of Northwest Ethiopia respectively. Responses on trypanocidal drug utilization practices indicated that risk factors for the development of drug resistance are common and treatment failures are frequently seen. Accordingly, the majority of farmers in tsetse infested area get trypanocides from drug stores and unauthorized sources whereas those from non-tsetse area get from veterinary clinics. Moreover, treatment administration is mainly by animal health personnel and treatment frequency is a maximum of three times/year/animal in non-tsetse area whereas it is administered mainly by the farmers more than seven times/year/animal in tsetse infested area. The prevalence of trypanosomosis varied from 17.59% in 2011 to 25.0% in 2012 in tsetse infested areas with a significant (P = 0.023) difference. Similarly, in non-tsetse infested area the prevalence was varied from 3.85% in 2011 to 5.93% in 2012 without significant rise. Trypanosoma congolense (75%) was the most prevalent followed by T. vivax (20.58%) and mixed infections (4.41%) in tsetse infested area while in non-tsetse infested area only T. vivax was detected. The overall mean PCV in parasitaemic animals (20 ± 2.3 SD) was significantly (P < 0.001) lower than that of aparasitaemic animals (27 ± 4.3 SD). The assessment of trypanocidal drug resistance tests revealed one isolate of non-tsetse infested area against DA in group NT-ETBD2-DA is resistant to the higher dose used with 3 relapsing animals (50% relapses) in the group. Another two relapses were detected one against ISM for the isolate from tsetse infested area (TT-ETBS2-ISM) and one against DA for another isolate (NT-ETBD3-DA) from the non-tsetse area. In conclusion, trypanosomosis is widely prevalent in both study areas causing significant reduction in the mean PCV values. Farmers' trypanocidal utilization practices appear to pose risks of drug resistance problems. The in vivo drug resistance tests indicated the presence of resistant parasites with the higher dose against DA for NT-ETBD2 isolate and suspected resistance problems were detected against ISM and DA for TT-ETBS2 and NT-ETBD3 isolates respectively. Therefore, trypanosomosis is a major constraint in Northwest Ethiopia and drug resistance is a threat in the control of trypanosomosis in both study areas