Seed germination and in vitro regeneration of the African medicinal and pesticidal plant, Bobgunnia madagascariensis

Propagation of the medicinal and pesticidal tree, Bobgunnia madagascarensis is difficult due to poor and erratic germination of its seeds and slow growth of its seedlings. This study involved two separate experiments. The first evaluated the effect of pre-sowing treatments and growing medium on ex vitro seed germination and early seedling development. The second experiment involved in vitro germination, shoot initiation and rooting of shoots. Pre-sowing seed treatments involved soaking seeds in cold and hot water for 12 and 24 h and soaking in different concentrations (0, 100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/l) of gibberellic acid for 24 h. Soaking of seeds in cold or hot water for up to 24 h did not achieve more than 45% germination, while seeds treated with gibberellic acid achieved <20% germination rates. On the other hand, in vitro procedures achieved 30 to 70% germination of seeds. Seedling survival of ex-vitro germinated seeds was higher (>76%) when seeds were sown in a growing medium without compost compared with a medium with compost (<43%). All shoot-tips isolated from the in vitro germinated seedlings on B5 media without plant growth regulators continued to grow as a single shoot, while shoot-tips cultured on B5 supplemented with 0.1 mg/l of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and thidiazuron (TDZ) produced two shoots each after four weeks. It was concluded that B. madagascariensis seeds had very low ex vitro germination percentages. Although, in vitro cultures improved seed germination, axillary shoot multiplication and rooting were not satisfactory. Therefore, further studies are needed to develop an optimal in vitro multiplication protocol for B. madagascariensis.Key words: Axillary shoot multiplication, gibberellic acid, in vitro regeneration, seed germination, Swartzia

Impediments, opportunities and strategies to enhance trade of wild and semi-wild food plants in Bunyoro- Kitara Kingdom, Uganda

This study examined the impediments, opportunities and strategies to enhance trade of wild and semiwild food plants (WSWFPs) in Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, Uganda. Semi-structured questionnaire was administered face-to-face to sixty six (66) traders of WSWFPs in the formal markets: five (5) mobile hawkers and eleven (11) home-based/roadside traders. As a result of their small number, all traders that were found selling WSWFPs were interviewed. Data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics in excel spreadsheet and MINITAB statistical package. A number of challenges including high perishability, market dues, inaccurate consumers’ perceptions, seasonal shortfalls and unreliable supply, unorganized markets, little or no value addition, limited market information, and the inexistence of market promotional activities affected the trade in WSWFPs. However, the growing market demands, increasing focus of most service providers in creating awareness on WSWFPs, ever-changing perception on nutritional values of WSWFPs by the public, current government emphasis on value addition of traded agricultural products, little or no capital requirement for starting up trade in WSWFPs, and absence of restrictive regulations on sale of WSWFPs were regarded as good opportunities that could be exploited to enhance trade in WSWFPs. Key strategies for improved marketing WSWFPs included among other things, training gatherers and traders on value adding activities prior to sale, deliberate investment in promotional and awareness campaigns to expose the hidden benefits of WSWFPs, scrapping market dues levied on traders selling WSWFPs, helping gatherers and sellers to organise themselves to form viable supply and market groups, linking gatherers and sellers to good markets, as well as providing them with available market information. There is thus, a need for concerted efforts to implement some of these feasible marketing strategies to improve on the markets of WSWFPs in the kingdom.Key words: Wild edibles, wild food, semi-cultivated food, marketing wild food, Uganda

Comparison of the subspecies of Sclerocarya birreaby sex and environment

A comparison of stand parameters between wild and on farm populations of the 3 subspecies of Sclerocarya birrea was done. Using plot-less sampling technique, 100 trees from six populations were measured for diameter at breast height (Dbh), branching height, height and crown diameter. There was significant (p<0.001) difference in Dbh, branching height and tree height between the three subspecies and between the populations. For all subspecies and populations, male trees were taller than female trees although the difference was not significant. While S. birrea subspecies birrea and caffra had trees in the wild taller than those on farm, the opposite was observed among trees of S. birrea subspecies multifoliolata. The mean crown sizes of male and female trees differed significantly (p<0.001) between the three subspecies and within a population. There were positive correlations (p> 50) between altitude and tree diameter, branching height, tree-height and crown diameter. Tree size was not found to increase due to farmers’ selection pressure and farming practices in Tanzania, probably because they are not retained purposely for their fruits as is the case in other countries in southern Africa.Key words: Sclerocarya birrea, Tanzania, population, habitat, gende

Perioperative care capacity in East Africa : results of an Ethiopian national cross-sectional survey

Acknowledgments The authors thank all hospitals who participated in the survey, all anesthesia providers, surgeons, obstetricians, nurses, and hospi- tal management staff who provided data voluntarily, and those who helped coordinate the study in their area.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Nutritional value of commonly consumed desert date tree products

The desert date ( Balanites aegyptiaca , Del. L.) is one of the neglected staple crops of growing importance in the drought and famine-prone areas of Uganda. Unfortunately, information on its nutritional composition is still lacking, thus limiting their wider use and promotion. This study was designed to determine the nutritional composition of various parts of B. aegyptiaca eaten by Ugandans. Samples were collected from Katakwi, Adjumani and Moroto districts in Uganda. Dry matter content of the leaves, flowers and fruit pulp ranged from 95% in fruit pulp, to 98% in leaves and flowers. Ash content of the leaves and flowers was 8.07%; while that of the fruit pulp was 6.97%. Fat content of the leaves (2.29%) was significantly higher than that in fruit pulp (0.37%). Similarly, crude protein content was greater in the leaves and flowers (16.95%) than in the fruit pulp (5.4%). The leaves and flowers were generally richer in macronutrients than in fruit pulp in the order of K>Na>Mg with mean values of 19.54, 3.32 and 1.26 mg g-1. Iron was the most abundant micronutrient in all Balanites parts. This was followed by Mn, Zn and Cu with mean values of 452.21, 60.65, 35.69 and 25.49 \ub5g g-1, respectively. A similar trend was found in fruit pulp. There is a need to determine the level of anti-nutritional factors in Balanites products and the effect of different leaf preparation methods on nutrient availability to further guide their wide usage.Le dattier du desert ( Balanites aegyptiaca , Del. L.) est une culture de base negligee qui cro\ueet dans les milieux \ue0 s\ue9cheresse et sujets aux famines en Uganda. Malheureusement, l\u2019information sur sa composition nutritionnelle est encore manquante, ainsi limitant son utilisation et sa promotion. Cette Vtude Vtait conduite pour d\ue9terminer la composition de B.aegyptiaca dans diff\ue9rentes parties consomm\ue9es par les ougandais. Des \ue9chantillons \ue9taient collect\ue9es dans les districts de Katakwi, Adjumani et Moroto en Ouganda. Le contenu en mati\ue8re s\ue8che des feuilles, des fleurs et des pulpes de fruits variait de 95% dans les pulpes de fruits, \ue0 98% dans les feuilles et fleurs. Le contenu en cendre des feuilles et fleurs \ue9tait 8.07% et 6.97% dans les pulpes de fruits. Le contenu en mati\ue8res grasse dans les feuilles (2.29%) \ue9tait significativement plus \ue9lev\ue9es que celui des pulpes de fruits (0.37%). De fa\ue7on similaire, le contenu en protein brute des fleurs \ue9tait plus \ue9lev\ue9 dans les feuilles et fleurs (16.95%) que dans la pulpe de fruits (5.4%). Les feuilles et les fleurs \ue9taient g\ue9n\ue9ralement plus riches en macronutriements que dans la pulpe de fruits dans l\u2019ordre de K>Na>Mg avec de valeurs maoyennes de 19.54, 3.32 et 1.26 mg g-1. Le fer \ue9tait le miconutriment plus abundant dans toutes les parties de Balanites. Ceci \ue9tait suivi de Mn, Zn et Cu avec pour valeurs moyennes 452.21, 60.65, 35.69 et 25.49 \ub5g g-1, respectivement. Une tendance similaire \ue9tait observ\ue9e dans la pulpe de fruits. Le besoin s\u2019impose de d\ue9terminer le niveau des facteurs anti-nutritionnels dans les produits de Balanites et l\u2019effet de diff\ue9rentes m\ue9thodes de pr\ue9paration des feuilles sur la disponibilit\ue9 de nutriments pour guider leur vaste usage

‘The Phone is My Boss and My Helper’ – A Gender Analysis of an mHealth Intervention with Health Extension Workers in Southern Ethiopia

Mobile health (mHealth) provides health services and information via mobile technologies, including mobile phones. There is considerable optimism in mHealth’s potential to overcome health systems’ deficiencies to ensure access to safe, effective and affordable health services. This has led to an ‘explosion of mHealth activities’ and ‘large-scale adoption and deployment of mobile phones’ by Community Health Worker (CHW) programmes. MHealth innovation in relation to CHWs, on which low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) disproportionately depend, has been reported to be ‘particularly promising’. CHWs’ use of mHealth has the potential to improve their motivation; decision-making; training; adherence to guidelines; data entry and quality; planning and efficiency; and communication and health promotion; while also enhancing coverage and timeliness of services and reducing costs. MHealth also allows the monitoring and tracking of health indicators in real time, providing crucial insights to policy makers and enabling CHWs to better serve communities