ABSTRACT
An experiment was carried out to determination of different effects of hot water and immersion on Total Soluble Solids (TSS) of Different Banana Varieties. The experiment comprised three factors, namely hot water treatments (control, 45°C, 50°C, and 55°C), times of immersion (five minutes and ten minutes) and varieties (Mehersagar and Sabri). The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design with three replications. Main effect of hot water treatments, immersion periods and varieties were showed significant on percent total soluble solid. An increasing trend in TSS contents was observed in all treatments at all stages of ripening. Incase of main effect maximum TSS was found in Control temperature, Sabri variety and five minutes immersion periods respectively. Between two Banana varieties Sabri showed maximum TSS than Mehersagar in all treated conditions. The control treatments consistently showed higher TSS than the treated bananas, although none remained fresh by the 9th day. Five minutes immersed fruits showed maximum TSS than ten minutes in main and combined treatments. Longer immersion period had significantly effects and less increase TSS of the bananas than shorter immersion period. Among the treatments, both varieties showed lowest TSS in five minutes immersion at 50°C temperature than other treatments. Hot water treatment is better than untreated banana for storage and quality of banana.

ABSTRACT
Soil salinity problem is predominantly severe in developing countries, particularly in arid and semiarid regions, resulting in short-term damage to people's livelihoods and long-term repercussions on the country's food security. It is also a major challenge in Ethiopia and west Hararghe in particular where small-scale irrigated agriculture is practiced. Against this backdrop, this study was conducted to assess irrigation water quality in dry season wheat production in Dhungeta, Hule Mandhera, and Kinteri irrigation sites in west Hararghe Zone, Ethiopia. Based on an in-situ field survey, 9 composite irrigation water samples were collected by mixing several sub-samples. The mean water pH at Dhungeta (7.00), Hule Mandhera (7.94), and Kinteri (7.45) fields were grouped in the normal range for irrigation water. The salinity hazard of irrigation water at Dhungeta was medium (0.67 dSm-1), Hule Mandhera high (1.03 dSm-1) and Kinteri (0.99 dSm-1). The total mean of dissolved salt showed water has no restriction for use at Kinteri (153.6 mg L-1) and Dhungeta (426.67 mg L-1) while slight to moderate restriction of water for use was recorded at Hule Mandhera (708.27 mg L-1). The sodicity (alkalinity) hazard class of irrigation water was S1 (low sodium hazard). The mean of residual sodium carbonate was a marginal hazard at Hule Mandhera and safe at Dhungeta and Kinteri. Based on the permeability index, magnesium hazard water was found to be suitable for irrigation. Kelley’s index, Percentage sodium (Na+ %), and potential salinity specified that Hule Mandhera water is unsuitable whereas Dhungeta and Kinteri water were suitable for irrigation. Irrigation water is grouped as a low restriction (70-85) based on the irrigation water quality index. Generally, there is a prospect to decide that the irrigation water quality of the study sites is suitable for wheat production.

ABSTRACT
Participatory on-farm pre-extension demonstrations of soil test crop responses fertilizer recommendations were carried out for bread wheat production in the Sinana District. The study aimed to evaluate and demonstrate soil test crop responses fertilizer recommendations for bread wheat production and to enhance farmers' understanding and capabilities. The experiment was conducted across seven farmers' fields, with each field allocated 0.25 hectares per treatment. The treatments applied were based on specific recommendations using optimum nitrogen (46 kgha-1), phosphors requirement factor (Pf) (5.24), phosphorus critical level (Pc) (22 ppm) using bread wheat Galan verity 150 kgha-1 as test crop. During the experimental conducted in the Sinana District, two Farmer Research Groups (FRGs) having a total of 15 members were established. The results indicated that the highest grain yield of 60.325 kgha-1 was achieved with soil test-based fertilizer recommendations, while the lowest yield of 44.25 kgha-1 was obtained using traditional farmer practices. Soil test-based fertilizer recommendations significantly enhanced grain yield compared to traditional farmer practices, highlighting the effectiveness of targeted fertilizer application in optimizing crop production. Furthermore, the partial budget analysis demonstrated that soil test-based fertilizer recommendations yielded a net profit of 310,563.66 birr, with a remarkable marginal rate of return of 1190.83%. In contrast, the blanket recommendations used in traditional farmer practices were less profitable. Therefore, the dissemination of soil test-based fertilizer recommendations should be prioritized in the Sinana District and similar soil type and agroecology through scaling up and large-scale production is recommended.

ABSTRACT
Nutrient mining due to sub-optimal fertilizer use on one hand and unbalanced fertilizer use on the other have favored the emergence of multi-nutrient deficiency in Ethiopian soils. Therefore, the study was conducted on twenty-six farmers' fields in Dugda District of East Shewa Zone of Oromia, during the main cropping seasons of 2018-2020. These studies were conducted to determine the economically optimum rate of nitrogen fertilizer in the first year Phosphorus critical (Pc) and phosphorus requirement factor (Pf) in the second year respectively. The treatments consisted of factorial combinations of three levels of TSP (0, 100, and 200) kg ha-1 with six levels of nitrogen (0, 23, 46, 69 92, and 115) kg ha-1 that gave a total of eighteen treatments. However, in the second two consecutive years, the experiment was conducted to determine phosphorus critical (Pc) and phosphorus requirement factor (Pf), and the treatments consisted of six levels of phosphorus (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50) kg ha-1 combined with a single level of nitrogen (69 kg ha-1) that gave a total of seven treatments. The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two replications and the gross plot size was 4 m x 5 m (20 m2) were used to determine optimum nitrogen in the first year and 4m x 5m (20 m2) and phosphorus critical (Pc) and also harvested from 4m2 plot areas. The analysis of variance indicated that Plant height, spike length, number of seeds per spike, biomass yield, and grain yield were highly significantly (p <0.01) influenced by the main effect of nitrogen fertilizer rates. However except for the number of seed per spike, TSP fertilizer significantly (p<0.05) affect plant height and the number of seed per spike as well as highly significantly (p <0.01) biomass and grain yield of bread wheat. The highest (68.76 cm) plant height, the highest (41.02) seed per spike, the highest (8867 kg ha-1) biomass, and the highest (3293 kg ha-1) grain yield were recorded by 200

ABSTRACT
This research aimed to evaluate the impact of the FADAMA III Development Project on the productivity and food security of livestock farmers in Abuja, Nigeria. Using a multi-stage sampling approach, which included both purposive as well as simple random sampling techniques, 250 livestock farmers were selected. Primary data were collected and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics to meet the research objectives. The findings indicated that the average ages of livestock farmers who took part. in the project and the age of those who didn't was 40 and 41, respectively. Approximately 45.8% of participants and 52.3% of non-participants had 10-17 years of farming experience. Additionally, the majority—75.8% of participants and 66.2% of non-participants—had received some level of formal education, which includes elementary to tertiary. Extension agents were crucial, serving as the main source of information about the FADAMA III Development Project for 72% of the participants. Logit regression analysis identified gender, farm size, marital status, association membership, access to inputs, and awareness level as significant factors influencing participation in the project at a 1% significance level. Moreover, the analysis showed that FADAMA III project’s participants exhibited noticeably more productivity than non-participants, with a favorable effect of 234.971 kg/ha at a 1% significance level. Regarding food security, participants experienced lower levels of inadequate access to food compared to non-participants. Lastly, absence of capital was identified as the main challenge for livestock farmers in joining the project. According to the survey, farmers should diversify their sources of income by taking up non-farming endeavors to boost their income and overall productivity.

ABSTRACT
Soybean [Glycine max L.] is a valuable crop, providing protein, oil, and income for farmers. Despite the significance of crop in study area, there was lack of knowledge on crop and response to B. japonicum. The study was conducted at Maale district of South omo zone southern Ethiopia to investigate the response of soybean varieties to B. japonicum. It was consisted of a factorial combination of seven soybean varieties namely, Awassa-95, Nyala, Nova, Awassa-04, Gozella, Afgat, and Pawe-2 with two levels of inoculation, with and without B. japonicum. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was used. Data were collected on phonological, nodule, growth, yield, and yield related parameters. The analysis of variance showed all measured parameters, except the number of seed pod-1 such as canopy spread, plant height, number of primary branches, number of nodules, number of effective nodules, above ground biomass yield, 1000 seed weight, harvest index, were significantly (p< 0.01) affected by B. japonicum. The interaction of varieties with B.japonicum were also significantly affected the number of pod plant-1 and grain yield ha-1.The maximum grain yield (2017.50 kg ha-1) was recorded from Awasssa-04 with B. japonicum. Based on the economic analysis, Awassa-95, Nova and Nyala variety with B. japonicum gave the higher value of economic return respectively, however, these varieties gave a lower grain yield. Therefore, a combination of Awassa-04 with B.japonicum is ideal for achieving maximum grain yield and Awassa-95, Nova and Nyala with B.japonicum was economically feasible options.

ABSTRACT
Soil acidity is a serious land degradation problem and worldwide danger, impacting approximately 50% of the world's arable soils and limiting agricultural yield. Soil acidification is a complicated series of events that lead to the production of acidic soil. In its widest sense, it can be defined as the total of natural and human processes that reduce the pH of soil solutions. Soil acidity affects around 43% of agricultural land in Ethiopia's humid and sub humid highlands. The main objective of this seminar is to highlight different literatures on the concepts of soil acidity and to give a wealth of knowledge on the causes of soil acidity, the effects it has on agricultural production, and management strategies for reducing soil acidity and raising crop yield. Acid soils in western Ethiopia are mostly caused by topsoil erosion caused by heavy rains and high temperatures. This results in the loss of organic matter and the leaching of exchangeable basic cations (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+). Because ammonium-based fertilizers are easily converted to nitrate and hydrogen ions in the soil, they play a significant role in acidification. One of the reasons of soil acidity is inefficient nitrogen usage, which is followed by alkalinity exports in crops. Soil acidity in Ethiopian highlands is mostly caused by the clearance of crop residues, continuous crop harvest without sufficient fertilization, cation removal, and usage of acid-forming inorganic fertilizers. Acid soil reduces nutrient availability and produces Al and Mn toxicity. In addition to these effects, soil acidity may rapidly degrade soil physicochemical qualities such as organic carbon (OC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil structure, porosity, and texture. Liming, the use of organic materials as ISFM, and the adoption of crop types that are resistant to Al toxicity are all alternatives for correcting acid soils. Liming can minimize toxicity by lowering concentrations, improving the availability of plant ........