Evaluation of crop residue retention, compost and inorganic fertilizer application on barley productivity and soil chemical properties in the central Ethiopian Highlands

Soil fertility depletion is a serious problem in the highlands of Ethiopia. A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive cropping seasons (2009-2010) on farmers’ fields in Degem Wereda, North Shewa, Oromiya Regional State. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of crop residue, compost, inorganic fertilizer and cropping system as a component of an integrated soil fertility and plant nutrient management system on barley productivity and soil chemical properties. The treatments included eight selected combinations of organic and inorganic nutrient sources, including retention of crop residues. The design was randomized complete block with three replications. Results showed that barley yield and some yield components significantly responded to the application of different soil fertility management practices. The highest barley grain yield (2575 kg/ha) and total biomass (5185 kg/ha) were obtained from the applications of the recommended nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) fertilizer followed by 2353 and 5148 kg/ha for grain yield and total biomass, respectively, due to the applications of half doses of the recommended NP fertilizer and 3 t/ha EM-compost. The grain yield of barley consistently increased as the total biomass increased. Although the highest yields were achieved from the application of the recommended NP fertilizer rate, the other integrated soil fertility management treatments also resulted in significant yield advantages compared to the control. Yields from the applications of three treatments 1/ half the recommended rate of NP fertilizer and 3 t/ha conventional compost; 2/ retention of 30% of crop residue plus half the recommended rate of NP fertilizer and faba bean mixed intercropping; and 3/ half doses of NP fertilizer plus 3 t/ha EM-compost were almost identical. Barley grain yield showed significantly positive correlations with the total biomass (r = 0.94), spike length (r = 0.43) and number of productive tillers (r = 0.42), respectively. Partitioning of treatments into single degrees of freedom orthogonal contrasts revealed that barley grain yield, total biomass, spike length and productive tillers significantly differed due to the different soil fertility management treatments. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that application of half the recommended rate of NP fertilizer with 50% of the recommended dose of compost (3 t/ha) can be an alternative best integrated soil fertility management measure instead of only inorganic fertilizers for sustainability. The results of this experiment can be reproducible in other similar agro-ecologies and farming systems of the country.Keywords: Barley productivity, chemical soil properties, compost, crop residue, inorganic fertilizer, sustainabilit

Evaluation of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) genotypes for resistance to late blight at Sinana Southeastern Ethiopia

Late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, is one of the most significant constraints to potato production in Bale high lands and other regions of Ethiopia. Hence, this requires to develop high yielding and late blight resistant varieties. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine host resistance of potato against Phytophthora infestans in order to develop late blight resistant/tolerant genotypes. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications at Sinana Agricultural Research Center during 2014 main cropping season. The genotypes showed highly significant (P<0.01) differences for all the characters studied. Genotypes exhibited wide ranges of mean values for all characters. The highest total tuber yield (46.1 t ha-1) was obtained from the advanced clone, CIP-392640.524 followed by Belete (41 t ha-1). Late blight appeared early on farmer's cultivar Kellacho (48 days after planting) and late on advanced clones CIP- 399062.102(74 days after planting). Percent severity index (PSI) and area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) ranged from 33.91 to 91.67% and 105 to 2370, respectively. Eleven newly introduced clones and the released variety "Belete" recorded PSI 33 to 39.7% and AUDPC 105 to 264.1. Hence, these genotypes can be categorized as moderately resistant. The study revealed the presence of considerable variability in tested genotypes for economically important traits and the higher chance of selecting genotypes with high yield and moderately resistant to late blight. However, it appears that further evaluation of genotypes across seasons and locations to identify genotypes that could be released as varieties seem to be quite pertinent.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 6 (1): 21-25, June, 201

Upscale of sheep and goat community based breeding: Mid term report

Presentation in: Midterm Review and Implementation Support Mission. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 7-18, 2022

Prevalence and factors affecting use of long acting and permanent contraceptive methods in Jinka town, Southern Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

Introduction: In Ethiopia, knowledge of contraceptive methods is high though there is low contraceptive prevalence rate. This study was aimed to assess prevalence and associated factors of long acting and permanent contraceptive methods in Jinka town, southern Ethiopia. Methods: Community based cross sectional survey was conducted to assess the prevalence and factors affecting long acting and permanent methods of contraceptives utilization from March to April 2008. Eight hundred child bearing age women were participated in the quantitative study and 32 purposively selected focus group discussants were participated in the qualitative study. Face to face interview was used for data collection. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 13.0 statistical software. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were computed to analyze the data. Results: The prevalence of long acting and permanent contraceptive method was 7.3%. Three fourth  (76.1%) of the women have ever heard about implants and implant 28 (50%) were the most widely used method. Almost two third of women had intention to use long acting and permanent methods. Knowledge of contraceptive and age of women have significant association with the use of long acting and permanent contraceptive methods.Conclusion: The overall prevalence of long acting and permanent contraceptive method was low.  Knowledge of contraceptive and age of women have significant association with use of long acting and permanent contraceptive. Extensive health information should be provided.Key words: Long acting, permanent, contraceptive, women, Ethiopi

Fizička i kemijska svojstva gorskog bambusa (Yushania alpina) uzgojenoga u Etiopiji

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant currently known on earth, a property that enables it to be the best alternative as a future source of wood fi ber. This study investigated the effect of site and culm height on the physical and chemical properties of Yushania alpina culms grown in Ethiopia. Matured Yushania alpina 3 to 5-year-old samples were harvested from Hagere-Selam and Rebu-Gebeya sites. The culms were subdivided into three equal lengths (bottom, middle, and top), and the variations in physical and chemical properties between the two sites and the culm heights of Yushania alpina were investigated. The results showed that the average values of MC, basic density, tangential and longitudinal shrinkage of Yushania alpina culms for Hagere-Selam and Rebu-Gebeya sites were (91.78 and 80.32 %), (0.65 and 0.63 g/cm3), (6.63 and 5.84 %) and (0.63 and 0.56 %), respectively. The average values of cellulose, lignin, extractive and ash contents in the culms for Hagere-Selam and Rebu-Gebeya sites were (52.84 and 50.71 %), (26.55, and 26.04 %), (8.41 and 8.02 %) and (1.95 and 2.17 %), respectively. The results revealed that the site affected the MC, basic density, cellulose, lignin, extractive, and ash contents of Yushania alpina culms but not the tangential and longitudinal shrinkage. The culm height of Yushania alpina affected MC, basic density, tangential shrinkage, longitudinal shrinkage, cellulose, lignin, extractive, and ash contents. In the case of both sites, the highest percentages of MC, tangential and longitudinal shrinkage, and ash content were observed at the base and lowest at the top of the culms. On the contrary, both sites observed thehighest magnitude of basic density, cellulose and extractive at the top and lowest at the base of the culms. The variations in physical and chemical properties at different sites and culm heights infl uence the utilization of Yushania alpina culms for industries and end products.Bambus je trenutačno najbrže rastuća biljka u svijetu, što je čini najboljom alternativom za budući izvor drvnih vlakana. Ovom je studijom istraživan utjecaj staništa i visine bambusa Yushania alpina, uzgojenoga u Etiopiji, na fizička i kemijska svojstva njegove stabljike. Uzorci Yushania alpina stari tri do pet godina skupljeni su sa staništa Hagere-Selam i Rebu-Gebeya. Stabljike su podijeljene na tri jednake duljine (baza, sredina i vrh) na kojima su istraživane varijacije fizičkih i kemijskih svojstava stabljike s obzirom na dva staništa i visinu bambusa. Rezultati su pokazali da su prosječne vrijednosti sadržaja vode, gustoće te tangentnoga i uzdužnog utezanja stabljike Yushania alpina sa staništa Hagere-Selam i Rebu-Gebeya bile 91,78 i 80,32 %; 0,65 i 0,63 g/cm3; 6,63 i 5,84 % te 0,63 i 0,56 %, a prosječne vrijednosti sadržaja celuloze, lignina, ekstraktiva i pepela sa staništa Hagere-Selam i Rebu-Gebeya bile su 52,84 i 50,71 %; 26,55 i 26,04 %; 8,41 i 8,02 % te 1,95 i 2,17 %. Rezultati su pokazali da je stanište utjecalo na sadržaj vode, gustoću te sadržaj celuloze, lignina, ekstraktiva i pepela u stabljikama Yushania alpina, ali ne i na tangentno i uzdužno utezanje. Visina stabljike Yushania alpina utjecala je na sadržaj vode, gustoću, tangentno i uzdužno utezanje te na sadržaj celuloze, lignina, ekstraktiva i pepela. Za oba staništa utvrđen je najveći sadržaj vode, tangentno i uzdužno utezanje te sadržaj pepela u bazi stabljike, a najmanji u vrhu stabljike. Nadalje, u vrhu stabljike s oba staništa primijećena je najveća gustoća, sadržaj celuloze i ekstraktiva, a najmanje su vrijednosti izmjerene u bazi stabljike. Varijacije fizičkih i mehaničkih svojstava s obzirom na stanište i visinu stabljike utječu na upotrebu stabljike Yushania alpina u industriji i za završne proizvode

The journey of Radiology in Ethiopia

The practice of radiology began after the invention of X-rays in 1895 which then spread to different parts of the world. There is no documentation on how and when the x-ray was introduced to the Ethiopian medical practice. However, radiology as a profession was in place for the last four decades. Similar with the experience in other countries, the history of progress in the field of radiology in the Ethiopian setup is related directly to technological advances that occurred during the past few decades.Radiography was the main modality used in the first two decades. In the early years of the initiation of radiology training,  only radiographs and ultrasounds were available for training and service. In the subsequent years, modern cross-sectional imaging equipment was introduced. This was mainly accomplished with the involvement of the private institutions which played a significant role. So far, there are more than 300 practicing radiologists as diagnosticians. Recently, also radiologic interventions were also introduced with the commencement of subspecialty training

Validation of new satellite rainfall products over the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

Accurate measurement of rainfall is vital to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of precipitation at various scales. However, the conventional rain gauge observations in many parts of the world such as Ethiopia are sparse and unevenly distributed. An alternative to traditional rain gauge observations could be satellite-based rainfall estimates. Satellite rainfall estimates could be used as a sole product (e.g., in areas with no (or poor) ground observations) or through integrating with rain gauge measurements. In this study, the potential of a newly available Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) rainfall product has been evaluated in comparison to rain gauge data over the Upper Blue Nile basin in Ethiopia for the period of 2000 to 2015. In addition, the Tropical Applications of Meteorology using SATellite and ground-based observations (TAMSAT 3) and the African Rainfall Climatology (ARC 2) products have been used as a benchmark and compared with CHIRPS. From the overall analysis at dekadal (10 days) and monthly temporal scale, CHIRPS exhibited better performance in comparison to TAMSAT 3 and ARC 2 products. An evaluation based on categorical/volumetric and continuous statistics indicated that CHIRPS has the greatest skills in detecting rainfall events (POD D0.99, 1.00) and measure of volumetric rainfall (VHID1.00, 1.00), the highest correlation coefficients (r D0.81, 0.88), better bias values (0.96, 0.96), and the lowest RMSE (28.45mmdekad 1, 59.03mmmonth 1) than TAMSAT 3 and ARC 2 products at dekadal and monthly analysis, respectively. CHIRPS overestimates the frequency of rainfall occurrence (up to 31% at dekadal scale), although the volume of rainfall recorded during those events was very small. Indeed, TAMSAT 3 has shown a comparable performance with that of the CHIRPS product, mainly with regard to bias. The ARC 2 product was found to have the weakest performance underestimating rain gauge observed rainfall by about 24 %. In addition, the skill of CHIRPS is less affected by variation in elevation in comparison to TAMSAT 3 and ARC 2 products. CHIRPS resulted in average biases of 1.11, 0.99, and 1.00 at lower (\u3c 1000ma.s.l.), medium (1000 to 2000ma.s.l.), and higher elevation (\u3e 2000ma.s.l.), respectively. Overall, the finding of this validation study shows the potentials of the CHIRPS product to be used for various operational applications such as rainfall pattern and

Research into self-help groups and speed school graduates' experiences of schooling

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