Optimization of Neochetina eichhorniae Warner and Neochetina bruchi Hustache for the management of water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms in the Central Rift Valley lakes through the use of different nutrient levels in Ethiopia

Water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, is an alien invasive weed in Ethiopia that has been established in freshwater bodies. Eichhornia crassipes negatively affects water transportation, fishing and biodiversity among others. Hence, implementation of eco-friendly management option such as biological control is a mandatory. The weevils, Neochetina eichhorniae Warner and N. bruchi Hustache, are the principal biocontrol agents against E. crassipes in their native ranges and have been introduced to Ethiopia for the management of the weed. The weevils and their host are affected by the nitrate and phosphate contents of the water body. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of N. bruchi and N. eichhorniae in relation to water nutrient contents in the management of E. crassipes. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in a 4x4x3 factorial arrangement. Eight weeks after the treatments’ application, the population of the weevils and E. crassipes growth parameters were recorded. The larval population was significantly (p < 0.05) affected only by the interaction effect of N. bruchi and the nutrient levels. Among the treatments, the highest mean number of larvae was found on the plants given high and medium nutrient levels. There was also a significant interaction (p < 0.05) between the two weevils adult density. The mean number of emerged adult density of the weevils increased with increasing nutrient levels. The nutrients and weevils exhibited a significant interaction effect on E. crassipes leaf scarring and petiole tunnel. Leaf scarring at the highest weevil density and nutrient level was sixfold greater than that at the lower nutrient level and weevil density. The tunnel length of the weed was threefold higher at the highest nutrient level regardless of the weevil density. The growth parameters of E. crassipes were found to be greater at high nutrient level, except for the mean number of flowers. Conversely, the growth parameters showed a non-uniform trend with the increasing density of the weevils. The current result suggests reduction in E. crassipes could be achieved by lowering the water nutrient levels and use of N. bruchi and N. eichhorniae. &nbsp

Effect of phosphate solubilizing bio-inoculants and vermicompost application on mineral uptake and growth of coffee (Coffea arbica L.) seedlings under greenhouse condition

Arabica coffee (Coffea Arabica L.) is an economically important crop with the highest export revenue in Ethiopia. This study was designed to evaluate the bacterial and fungal phosphate solublization efficacy and to determine yield attributes of coffee seedlings under glasshouse conditions. The study was conducted at Jimma Agricultural Research Center.  The experiment was done with completely randomized design (crd) in three (3) replications. Three potent bacterial isolates viz., rchvcb1, RScB1.19 and RMaB2.11 and three potent fungal isolates viz., rscf1.19 rlvcf2 and rchvcf2 were obtained from Jimma University, Veterinary Medicine, Microbiology Laboratory. The three bacterial isolates were tested for antimicrobial resistance pattern and for their potential to serve as bio-control agents. All the bacterial isolates showed 100% resistance to all the six antimicrobials tested. The growth of pathogenic Fusarium xyloriodes was slightly inhibited by rscf1.19. Single inoculation of rscf1.19+Phosphate  fertilizer and dual inoculation of rscf1.19 and rchvcb1 with P fertilizer significantly (p<0.05)  increased plant height, root length, stem girth, leaf number, leaf area, fresh and dry weights of coffee seedlings. However, all the treatments combined with vermicompost showed suppressive characteristics with no   seedlings emergency at all. rscf1.19 and rchvcb1 can be recommended as bio-fertilizers after conducting necessary field trials in order to    reduce the cost required for chemical fertilizers

Phytobeneficial traits of Rhizobacteria isolated from degraded soil and evaluate their effect in augmentation of Acacia (Acacia abyssinica Hochst. Ex Benth) seeds germination

Microbes are an integral component of the soil ecosystem but degraded soil has few native beneficial microbes. This necessitates the characterization of phytobeneficial bacteria having numerous features. The study was initiated to evaluate rhizobacteria enhancing Acacia (Acacia abyssinica) seed germination. Isolates were selected based primarily on phosphate solubilization activity and other traits hydrogen cyanide (hcn), phytohormone, hydrolytic enzyme, siderophore, ammonia. Among isolates, 45% each was categorized as high and medium phosphate solubilizers and the amount was found to range from 195 to 373 µg/mL. The highest solubilization index (SI) 7 was recorded for Acinetobacter BS-27 and 6 for Pantoea BS-38. The maximum P and iaa were produced by Pseudomonas FB-49 (373 and 659.07µg/mL), respectively. Isolates with multiple traits were chosen for seed germination. Accordingly, Agrobacterium RS-79 and Pseudomonas BS-26 showed 100% activity. A 100% seed germination and vigor index (343.33 and 306.67) were observed in Pseudomonas BS-26 and FB-49. Degraded soil is considered a source for phosphate solubilizing and other beneficial bacteria with many traits to be used for seed germination assay

Effects on Glomus mosseae

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to assess the effects of inoculating winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) with plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) of the genus Paenibacillus under phosphate P-limited soil conditions in the presence or absence of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Glomus mosseae. Four P. polymyxa strains and one P. brasilensis strain were compared at two cell concentrations (106 and 108 cells g−1 seeds) of inoculation, and surface sterilized AMF spores were added to pots. Mycorrhizal root colonization, plant growth, and plant uptake of phosphorus were analyzed. Bacterial phosphate solubilization was examined separately in vitro. Most P. polymyxa strains, isolated from wheat, had dramatic effects per se on root growth and root P-content. No treatment gave significant effect on shoot growth. AMF root colonization levels and total plant uptake of P were much stimulated by the addition of most P. polymyxa strains. The AM fungus alone and the P. brasilensis, alone or in combination with the fungus, did not affect total plant P-levels. Our results indicate that practical application of inoculation with plant host-specific rhizobacteria (i.e., P. polymyxa) could positively influence uptake of phosphorus in P-deficient soils by wheat plants, provided that suitable AM fungi (e.g., G. mosseae) are present

African <em>Moringa stenopetala</em> Plant: An Emerging Source of Novel Ingredients for Plant-Based Foods

Moringa stenopetala is a multi-purpose tropical plant native to East Africa. The plant is exceptionally rich in nutrients and health-promoting bioactive compounds. It is among the top plants that could potentially feed the world and alleviate nutritional deficiencies. Moringa stenopetala is a versatile plant because its various parts, including leaves, seeds, flowers, pods, bark, and roots are useful to humans. Especially, the leaves and seeds are high in protein with all the essential amino acids. Based on the FAO database, M. stenopetala seed protein with its essential amino acid content stands highest among all commercial plant protein sources. Though it is a high-value plant and extensively used for food and traditional medicine by the local people in its native place, it is underutilized elsewhere. This chapter reviews recent research efforts that aim to unlock the potential of the plant as a source of ingredients for food, cosmetic and nutraceutical industries

Microbial inputs in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) production systems, southwestern Ethiopia

Arabica coffee is the key cash crop and top mainstay of the Ethiopian economy and requires sustainable production methods. Southwestern natural forests, the site of this study, are believed to be the centre of origin and diversity for Coffea arabica and still harbour wild Arabica coffee that may serve as an important gene pool for future breeding. Cost reductions, sustainability and quality improvement are now the major priorities in coffee production systems and require organic growing of coffee. Current developments in sustainability involve rational exploitation of soil microbial activities that positively affect plant growth and this study examines this possibility. The composition of coffee shade tree species and density of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spores and coffee-associated rhizobacteria in different coffee production systems in southwestern Ethiopia were investigated. The main objectives were to: 1) systematically identify the dominant coffee shade tree species; 2) quantify and characterize AMF populations with respect to spatial distribution; 3) screen for beneficial rhizobacteria (microbial biofertilizers and biocontrol agents), particularly in the rhizosphere of coffee plants; and 4) characterize rhizobacterial isolates of particular interest using molecular tools (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis and 16S rDNA gene sequencing). Sampling and determination of microbial functional characteristics followed standard methods. Nineteen dominant shade tree species belonging to 14 plant families were identified, with the tree legume (Millettia ferruginea) dominating. All soil samples contained AMF spores and members of the Glomeromycota, Glomus spp. dominating. AMF spore density was affected by sampling point, site, depth, shade tree species and shade tree/coffee plant age. Coffee-associated rhizobacterial isolates showed multiple beneficial traits (phosphate solubilization, production of organic acids, siderophores, indoleacetic acid, hydrogen cyanide, lytic enzymes and degradation of an ethylene precursor). Many isolates also revealed a potent inhibitory effect against emerging fungal coffee pathogens such as Fusarium xylarioides, F. stilboides and F. oxysporum. According to in vitro studies Bacillus, Erwinia, Ochrobactrum, Pseudomonas, and Serratia spp. were the most important isolates to act as potential biofertilizers, biocontrol agents or both. Thus, these indigenous isolates deserve particular attention and further greenhouse and field trials could ascertain their future applicability for inoculum development

Effect of Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria and Fungi, Mineral Phosphate and Vermicompost Application on Major Soil Chemical Characteristics, Mineral Uptake and Growth of Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) Seedlings under Nursery Condition

አህፅሮት &nbsp;ይህ ጥናት የተዘጋጀው የባክቴሪያ እና የፈንገሶች ፎስፌት ማዳበሪያ ቀማሪነትና የአሟሚነት ብቃታቸውን መገምገም፣ የቡናን ምርታማነት አመላካች ባህርይ በሆነው የቡና ችግኝ ዕድገት ላይ በቡና ችግኝ ማፊያ ጣቢያ ደረጃ መፈተሽና አጅግ በጣም ጥሩ ብቃት ያሳዩትን መምረጥ ነበር። ጥናቱ የተከናወነው ከየካቲት እስከ ነሐሴ ወር 2011 ዓ.ም. በጅማ ግብርና ምርምር ማዕከል የቡና ችግኝ ማፍያ ፕላስቲክ በመጠቀም ነበር። ይህ ሙከራ የተከናወነው ፍፁም በዘፈቀደ አሠራር እያንዳንዱን ተጠኝ በሶስት ቅጅ በመደጋገም ነበር። ሙከራው 4 ስብስቦች ነበሩት፣ 1ኛው ስብስብ ሁለት ምድብ ያለው ፎስፌት ማዳበሪያ አሟሚ ባክቴሪያና ፈንገሶች ምድብ እና ፎስፌት ማዳበሪያ ከፎስፌት አሟሚ &nbsp;ባክቴሪያና ፈንገሶች ጋር የተጣመረ ምድብ፣ 2ኛው ስብስብ 3ባክቴሪያዎችና 3ፈንገሶች እና ሁለት ደረጃ ያለው ፎስፌት የተጣመረበት፣ 3ኛው ስብስብ በነጠላ 6ቱ ፎስፌት ቀማሪ ባክቴሪያና ፈንገሶች 1.5 ኪ.ግ አፈር ከ300ግራም ቨርሚኮምፖስት ጋር የተደባለቀ፤ 3ኛው ስብስብ ባለ2 ፋክቶሪያል ሙከራ ሆኖ (3 ደረጃ ያላቸው ፎስፌት ቀማሪ ባክቴሪያና ፈንገሶች እና 3 ደረጃ ያላቸው ፎስፌት ቀማሪ ባክቴሪያና ፈንገሶች ከቨርሚ ኮምፖስት ጋር የተጣመረበት) ነበር። ሁሉም የሙከራ ስብስቦች ነጋቲቭ እና ፖዘቲቭ ማነፃፀሪያ የነበራቸው ሲሆን ስብስብ 3 እና 4 በተጨማሪ ቨርሚኮምፖስት ብቻውን እንደማነፃፀሪያ &nbsp;ነበራቸው። ባክቴሪያና ፈንገሶች ከፎስፈት ማዳበሪያ ጋር ሲጣመሩ የላቀ ትርጉም ያለው በተክሎች ዕድገት ላይ አሳይቷል። በተጨማሪም RSCF1.19 ከ3ቱ ባክቴሪያዎች (RCHVCB1, RScB1.19, RMaB2.11) ጋር ተዋህደው በአንድ ላይ ፎስፌት ማዳበሪያ ጋር ሲዘሩ በቡና ችግኝ ዕድገት ላይ እጅግ የላቀ ውጤት ተመዝቧል። በአጠቃላይ አብላጫ ያለው የተክሎች ዕድገት ባህሪይ መለኪያ የሆኑ ነገሮች በነጠላና በጥምረት አጨማመር ጊዜ ከቨርሚኮምፖስት ጋር በመጣመሩ ምክንያት ከነገቲቭና ፖዘቲቭ ማነፃፀሪያ ጋር ሲወዳደር ጭማሪ ዕድገት አሳይቷል። በጥቅሉ ትርጉም አዘል ውጤት ያልሆነ ነገር ግን ከፍተኛ የሆነ N,P እና K አጠቃቀም በተፈጥሮ ማዳበሪያ ቀማሪ ባክቴሪያ፣ ፈንገሶችና ሰው ሰራሽ ፎስፌት ማዳበሪያ ጥምረት ጊዜ ከነገቲቭና ፖዘቲቭ ማነፃፀሪያ ጋር ሲወዳደር ብልጫ ያለው ውጤት ተመዝግቧል። ቨርሚኮምፖስት ከRSCF1.19 &nbsp;እና RLVCF2 ፈንገሶች ጋር ሲጣመሩ እጅግ የገዘፈና ጤናማ የሆነ የአረቢካ ቡና ችግኝ በደቡብ ምዕራብ ኢትዮጵያ አፈር ላይ ለማሳደግና ለማምረት የተመረጠ ሆኖ ተገኝቷል። &nbsp; &nbsp; Abstract &nbsp;This study was designed to evaluate the efficiency, select the best performing bacteria and fungi isolates for phosphate solubilization, and yield attributes of coffee seedlings under nursery conditions. The study was conducted at Jimma Agricultural Research Center from February to August 2019, in plastic pots. This study was carried out in CRD in three replications per treatment. The experiment has 4 sets where set 1 had the bio-inoculant factors and phosphate factor combined factorially. Set 2 had 3 factors (3PSF, 3PSB, and 2 p levels) in factorial combinations. Set 3 has a single factor (the 6 inoculants under basal VC (300g/1.5kg soil). Set 4 was a two factor trial: PSF (3 levels) and PSB (3 levels) combined factorially under basal VC. All sets had negative and positive (rec. NP) controls, and set 3 and 4 had sole VC as the additional control unit. Bio-inoculant and phosphate combination were significantly responded to all growth attributes. Moreover, co-inoculation of RSCF1.19 with three bacterial isolates (RCHVCB1, RScB1.19, and RMaB2.11) in combination with phosphate led to significantly higher tested growth parameters. A similar increase in growth attributes was observed in both single and dual inoculation due to VC used when compared with both positive and negative control. Non-significant but higher NPK-uptake was observed in a combination of bio-inoculants and phosphate fertilizer compared to the positive and negative control. The combination of VC with RSCF1.19 and RLVCF2 fungal isolates can be recommended as bio-inoculants for solubilizing inorganic phosphate and to obtain vigor and healthier coffee seedlings in the southwest soil of Ethiopia for coffee Arabica cultivation

Isolation and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns of Bacterial Pathogens Causing Otitis Media in Children in Jimma Hospital, Southwestern Ethiopia

No abstract - Available on PD