Production Scenarios of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) in Harari Regional State, Eastern Ethiopia

Mango production covers 35% of the total acreage allotted for fruit production in Harari Regional State, eastern Ethiopia. However, there is a declining trend in yield and quality of fruits from the trees. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the status, practices and challenges of mango production in the study area. Interviews were made taking 70 mango growers selected purposively in the major mango growing areas of the region using semi-structured questionnaire from 2012 to 2013. The results indicated that 50% of the households have few mango trees, 10-20 trees that are from seedling in origin derived from very few trees that were introduced from abroad via missionaries and traders a century ago. As a result, wide variations were observed in phenotypic features of trees within a farm as well as throughout the study area. In total, 39 distinct eco-types were recorded. Input shortage (water, fertilizer and pesticide), lack of improved technologies, pests (especially fruit fly and anthracnose), postharvest loss and poor marketing were the major problems specified by the growers. Therefore, focus should be given in improving the production, productivity and marketing of the crop in order to utilize the available and adaptable mango eco-types which are on the verge of disappearance

Genotype by Environment Interaction and Stability of Pod Yield of Elite Breeding Lines of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Eastern Ethiopia

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) yield under small scale farming of eastern Ethiopia is low (1.04 t ha-1) and highly variable over years and locations. Eleven elite breeding lines of groundnut were tested at Babile and Likale, eastern Ethiopia, in 2007, 2008 and 2009 to identify high yielding and stable genotypes. Additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model, cultivar-superiority measure, and genotype plus genotype by environment variation (GGE) were used to analyze multi-environment data. In the analysis of variance, all sources of variations showed statistically significant differences except year by genotype interaction indicating the possibilities for identification of best performing genotypes with specific and broad adaptability in the tested sites. AMMI analysis showed highly significant (P<0.01) effect of genotypes, environments and their interactions on dry pod yield. Similarly, the first and the second interaction principal component axis (IPCA 1 and IPCA 2) were highly significant (P<0.01) and explained 58.57 and 23.18 % of the G×E sum of squares, respectively. The environment had 84.7% effect, thereby explained high differences in genotype response to the tested environments. Genotype and genotype by environment interaction (GEI) accounted 6.6 and 8.7 %, respectively. Genotypes BaHa-jidu (-0.099), ICG-9251 (0.013), ICG-8644 (0.055) and Roba (0.057) with the lowest IPCA 1 showed the general adaptation in the mega-environment-1 (Ba2007, Ba2008 and Ba2009) and mega-environment-2 (Li2007, Li2008 and Li2009). BaHa-gudo had the highest mean dry pod yield (t ha-1) in a mega-environment-2 and highest PCA 1 score (0.343). Genotypes BaHa-jidu and BaHa-gudo had the smallest superiority measure values and had the highest dry pod yield and stability. In GGE bi-plot, PC 1 and PC 2 explained 51.2 and 30.6% of genotype by environment interaction, respectively. ICGV-8749 and BaHa-gudo were vertex genotypes at mega-environment-1 and mega-environment-2, respectively, whereas BaHa-jidu was vertex genotype in both mega-environments.Keywords: AMMI; GGE bi-plot; Groundnut; Mega-environment; Stability; Environment; Eastern Ethiopi

Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Yield and Yield Components of Food Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in Kaffa Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia

Declining soil fertility is one of the major problems causing yield reduction of barley in Southwestern Ethiopia. Therefore, field experiments were, carried out at Adiyo and Ghimbo districts, Kaffa Zone, Southwestern Ethiopia, to determine the effects of combined application of farm yard manure (FYM) and vermi compost (VC) with inorganic NP on growth, yield and yield components of food barley. The treatments included combinations of two rates (2.5 and 5 t ha-1) of FYM and two rates (2.5 and 5 t ha-1) of VC with 25%, 50% and 75% of recommended rates of inorganic NP, respectively. In addition, 100% recommended rate of inorganic NP (23 kg N ha-1 and 46 kg P2O5 ha-1) and zero rates were used for comparison. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that applying 5 t ha-1 FYM combined with 75% inorganic NP gave the highest number of productive tiller m-2 (227 and 215) and grain number spike-1 (37 and 36.7) and grain yield (3668 and 3486 kg ha-1) of barley at Adiyo and Ghimbo, respectively. The application of 5 t ha-1 FYM in combination with 75% inorganic NP has increased grain yield by 69.30% and 43.45% at Adiyo and by 66.86% and 45.49% at Ghimbo over the control and the application of 100% recommended rate of NP fertilizers, respectively. Similarly, the economic evaluation indicated that the application of 5 t ha-1 FYM + 75% inorganic NP gave the highest net return which is 15,858.50 Ethiopian Birr ha-1 at Adiyo and 13,108.00 Ethiopian Birr ha-1 at Ghimbo. Hence, it can be concluded that, the use of combined application of FYM (5 t ha-1) with 75% of recommended rates of inorganic NP in the study areas and other locations with similar agro-ecologies can significantly increase food barley yield and provide high economic return.Keywords: Farm Yard Manure; Food barley; Nitrogen; Phosphorous; Vermicompos

Agronomic and physiological response of maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids to plant density in the dry and wet Middleveld of Eswatini

Received: June 27th, 2022 ; Accepted: December 1st, 2022 ; Published: December 8th, 2022 ; Correspondence: [email protected] of the factors limiting yield of maize in Eswatini is use of non-optimum plant density for the different maturity group of maize hybrids in different agro-ecologies. Thus, an experiment was conducted at Malkerns (wet Middleveld) and Luve (dry Middleveld) in Eswatini to determine the effects of plant density on growth, yield components and grain yield of maize hybrids. Factorial combinations of three maize hybrids [SC 403 (early maturing), SC 621 (medium maturing), SC 719 (late maturing)] and five plant densities (41,667; 44,444; 47,619; 50,000, and 57,143 plants ha-1 ) were evaluated in Randomised Complete Block Design in three replications. The results showed that Malkerns had significantly higher crop growth rate (CGR) between V12 and R6 growth stages, relative growth rate (RGR) between V6 and V12 growth stages, mass of thousand kernels (395.60 g), aboveground dry biomass (22.71 t ha-1 ) and grain yield (7.67 t ha-1 ). Among maize hybrids, SC 719 produced significantly the highest CGR (18.37 g m-2 per day) between V12 and R6, aboveground dry biomass (23.05 t ha-1 ), number of kernels per m2 (2074), and grain yield (7.49 ha-1 ). Moreover, SC 719 grown at Malkerns recorded significantly the highest leaf area index (LAI) at V6, and the highest CGR (31.35 g m-2 per day) between V6 and V12 and the tallest plants. The highest density of 57,143 plants ha-1 produced the highest LAI, aboveground dry biomass (21.53 t ha-1 ) and grain yield (7.17 t ha-1 ). Thus, late maturing maize hybrid SC 719 and plant density of 57,143 plants ha-1 (70 cm × 25 cm) can be used to enhance the productivity of maize in the Middleveld of Eswatini

Development of Japanese Quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica) Embryo

This experiment was conducted to determine the development of Japanese quail embryo (Coturnix coturnix japonica), through observation and measurement of embryo organ development from the age of one day until hatching. The study used 15 female quails and 5 male quails. 15 female quails were divided into 5 cages, each cage containing 3 quails females and 1 male quail. Eggs which are inserted into an egg incubator is produced when the quail began the age of 3 months. Descriptive observation has been made ​​towards the development of organs in the embryo. Based on the results of the study, the growth and development of quail embryo organs occur in stages until hatching occurred during the 16 days

Effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and vermicompost fertilizers on productivity of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Babile, Eastern Ethiopia

ArticleThough groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a main cash crop for smallholder farmers in several districts of eastern Ethiopia, its yield is very low. Farmers apply little or no fertilizers to grow the crop possibly because no generic or recommended fertilizers rates available for farmers. Therefore field experiments were conducted for two consecutive cropping seasons in Babile district, to prove the hypothesis that one of the major factors that severely reduce the yield of the crop was lack of nutrients in the soil with the objective of investigating the effects of applying mineral NP fertilizers and vermicompost on the productivity of improved groundnut variety ‘BaHa-Gudo’. The experiment was 3 × 3 × 3 factorial with three replications laid down in a randomized complete block design comprising nitrogen (0, 23 and 46 kg N ha-1 ), phosphorus (0, 46 and 92 kg P2O5 ha-1 ) and vermicompost (0, 2.5 and 5 t vermicompost ha-1 ). The data on crop growth, nodulation and yield were collected and subjected to analysis of SAS 9.2 software. Means separation were made using Duncans Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% level of significance. The results revealed that growth, yield attributes, and yields were significantly (P < 0.01) affected by the main and interactions effect of the treatments. The pod yield obtained from combined application of 46: 46 kg N: P2O5 ha-1 and 2.5 t vermicompost ha-1 exceeded the pod yield produced from nil application of fertilizers by about 100%. The economic analysis also indicated that the highest marginal rate of return (671%) and net benefit ($ 1,830) ha-1 were obtained from combined application of 46: 46 kg N: P2O5 ha-1 and 2.5 t vermicompost ha-1 . From the results it could be concluded that applying the aforementioned doses of fertilizers combination would enable farmers increase productivity of groundnut so as to enhance farmers’ income and livelihoods

Clinical features, histopathology and differential diagnosis of sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a chameleon disease of unknown etiology, characterized by the growth of non-necrotizing and non-caseating granulomas and manifesting with clinical pictures that vary on the basis of the organs that are mainly affected. Lungs and intrathoracic lymph nodes are the sites that are most often involved, but virtually no organ is spared from this disease. Histopathology is distinctive but not pathognomonic, since the findings can be found also in other granulomatous disorders. The knowledge of these findings is important because it could be helpful to differentiate sarcoidosis from the other granulomatous-related diseases. This review aims at illustrating the main clinical and histopathological findings that could help clinicians in their routine clinical practice

Pemberian Berbagai Jenis Pakan Organik terhadap Kandungan β-Karoten dalam Telur Puyuh Jepang (Coturnix Japonica)

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk optimalisasi kualitas telur puyuh yang kaya β-karoten. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian eksperimental dengan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL). Hewan yang digunakan untuk produksi telur adalah 60 puyuh Jepang (Coturnix japonica) betina dikelompokkan dalam 4 kelompok percobaan, yaitu P0: Kontrol (puyuh diberi pakan komersial), P1: Puyuh diberi perlakuan dengan pakan organik standar, P2: Puyuh yang diberi perlakuan pakan organik yang mengandung ikan kembung, daun singkong + serbuk kunyit P3: Puyuh yang diberi perlakuan pakan organic yang mengandung rumput laut, daun singkong + serbuk kunyit. Masing-masing perlakuan terdiri dari 15 kali ulangan percobaan. Data dianalisis dengan Anova, dilanjutkan dengan uji Duncan (α=0.05.) Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemberian perlakuan pakan organik pada puyuh menyebabkan bobot telur puyuh menjadi lebih kecil dibandingkan yang tidak diberi perlakuan akan organik. Tidak terdapat perbedaan nyata terhadap konsumsi pakan dan bobot kuning telur, namun terdapat peningkatan rasio bobot kuning telur : bobot telur, peningkatan kadar β-karoten pada telur puyuh organik, baik pada P1, P2, dan P3.Hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa pemberian pakan organik dapat meningkatkan kandungan β-karoten dalam telur puyuh