Nursery propagation, field adaptation and carbon sequestration potential of Pistacia chinensis (Chinese Pistachio)

The study was conducted to assess appropriate means of nursery propagation and to evaluate field adaptation and carbon sequestration potential of Pistacia chinensis- a root stock for edible nut bearing pistachio. The trial was conducted at Debre Zeit and Wondo Genet in 2006. Matured seeds of the species with protective seed coats were sown on standard soil mixture (SSM) that comprised 3 % top soil, 2 % cow dung and 1 % sand and their germination was compared with seeds with protective seed pods that were sown on composted farm yard manure (FYM). Two independent experiments were conducted in completely randomized design with four replications, each replication containing one hundred pure viable seeds. Mean comparisons of germination percentages revealed highly significant differences between the treatments (seeds with protective seed coats sown on farm yard manure) and control groups (seeds with protective seed coats sown on standard soil mixture) at P<0.05. Thus, the most viable means of propagating Pistacia chinensis under the nursery conditions of Debre Zeit was sowing seeds with pods on farm yard manure. In a separate experiment, seeds without pods were also sown in replicates on standard soil mixture and their germination was compared with that of intact seeds (Seeds with their pods) sown on standard soil mixture. Mean comparisons of germination percentages for seeds without pods disclosed a highly significant decline as compared to the control groups i.e. intact seeds at P<0.05. Height and collar diameter of trees averaged 194.61cm and 4.82 cm for Debre Zeit and thus are found significantly different from their counterparts (141.1cm for height and 3.35cm for diameter) at Wondo Genet

Effect of oral administration of Gnidia Stenophylla Gilg aqueous root extract on food intake and histology of gastrointestinal tract in mice

Background: Aqueous preparations of a medicinal plant, Gnidia stenophylla Gilg (Thymelaeaceae) are commonly used to cure malaria and other ailments in Ethiopia. This study evaluated the safety of the plant extract by determining its effects on food intake and histology of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) after oral administration for 13 weeks in albino mice.Methods: Thirty mice were equally assigned to three groups. Group I served as control and received a vehicle while groups II and III were given 400 and 800 mg/kg body weight/day plant extract respectively, orally, for 13 weeks. At the end of the study, the mice were scarified and postmortem gross and histopathological evaluations were performed on their stomachs and intestines.Results: Chronic oral treatment with the extract for 13 weeks did not induce any sign of illness and death and had no effect on food intake of the mice. Furthermore, extract treatment at both doses did not produce any detectable gross morphological change in GIT. Microscopic evaluation of sections of the stomach, duodenum and jejunum of the mice treated with 400 mg/kg body weight did not show any histopathological change. In the mice treated with 800 mg/kg body weight, however, the GIT sections revealed cytoplasmic vacuolation, hydropic degeneration and excessive erosion of the surface mucosal cells.Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that aqueous root extract of G. stenophylla at effective antimalarial dose is safe even when taken for a longer period in mice. At a higher dose, however, the extract may induce gastrointestinal irritation. Further studies on other vital organs and non-rodent species including humans are recommended.Keywords: Gnidia stenophylla Gilg, aqueous root extract, chronic toxicity, histology, histopathology, gastrointestinal tract, gastrointestinal irritation deficit, Ethiopi