Latest Articles
Original Research Article
ABSTRACT
Soil erosion is among the most challenging and continuous environmental problems in the highlands of Bale particularly in Ilasa Watershed of Goba District. Soil erosion which emanates from both anthropogenic and natural causes currently results decline in agricultural productivity, crop production on the other hand increases downstream flooding and reservoir sedimentation, and loss of valuable plant nutrients. Soil and water conservation (SWC) practices have been carried out to solve land degradation and erosion severity problems in the Ilasa Watershed through participatory approaches the objective of this study was to implement integrated physical SWC practices through participatory approach in the Ilasa watersheds; to rehabilitate degraded watershed using different physical SWC measures and to minimize the risk of soil erosion and increasing soil depth by trapping sediment loss from Ilasa watershed. Hence, different participatory integrated watershed management practices were introduced in the Ilasa watershed for five consecutive years to avert the problem of soil erosion. Community participatory in integrated watershed management particularly soil and water conservation measures interventions for degraded rehabilitation and gulley treatment were capacitated through training, practical field works, and researchable materials support. Awareness creation, increasing knowledge and skill of farmers, providing technical and resource supports, and implementing slope based appropriate SWC structure could help sustainable land management that ensures environmental quality and food security in the study area as well as in the other areas having related biophysical and socioeconomic settings. Among the major types of physical SWC structures and gulley rehabilitation structures constructed in the study watershed were soil bund; stone bund; stone-faced soil bund and cut-off drains, gully reshaping and filling, brushwood check dam, loose stone check dame, sandbag check dam ...
ABSTRACT
The aim of this review is to give an overview of current modern beekeeping technologies in Ethiopia and to highlight once again the challenges of adopting beekeeping technology. Bee-keeping in Ethiopia is common and one of the agricultural activities. Ethiopia is the leading honey producer in Africa and is one of the ten largest producers in the world (with around 23.6% of the African and 2.1% of the world production. Despite the long tradition of beekeeping in Ethiopia having the highest bee density and being the leading honey producer as well as one of the largest bee waxes exporting country in Africa, the share of sub sector in the GDP has never been commensurate with huge number of honey colonies and the country’s potential for beekeeping. To increase production and productivity of honey and bee wax, different improved technologies have been used in the last 7-10 year. Backyard beekeeping can not only be conducted with traditional, but also with transitional or modern beehives. Lack of bee-keeping equipment (like modern beehives, wax molds, honey extractors, queen excluders) and accessories, training on beekeeping technology, awareness creation, extension contact and market problem were the major determinant factors of adoption of modern beekeeping technology. Despite variations in distribution and adoption levels, the utilization of beekeeping technology has now commenced across all regions of the nation hives, adding and reducing supper. The management of bee colonies constitutes a fundamental aspect of contemporary beekeeping practices within the country. Beekeeping equipment and accessories must be readily available to beekeepers, with a significant focus on enhancing productivity and implementing proper management techniques for contemporary beehives. Such measures have the potential to enhance the likelihood of beekeepers adopting and utilizing modern beehive technology.
Original Research Article
ABSTRACT
The study has been conducted at farmer field under closed supervision of the Hill Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Khagrachari during the year 2019-2020, 2020-2021 & 2021-2022. One year round pummelo germplasm (CG Kha 001) was selected for the evaluation along with a seasonal pummelo. Mainly year round bearing occurred in the germplasm. Maximum numbers of mature (40) and immature (58) fruits were found in the month of October and May respectively. Average fruit weight was 1.50 kg. The edible portion was obtained in year round pummelo (37.35%) and the highest TSS (9.86%). The total number of fruits harvest per year (218) was collected from CG Kha 001. Consideration of fruit characteristics, edible quality, TSS, percent edible portion and yield potentialities, the germplasm CG Kha 001 was found promising.
Original Research Article
ABSTRACT
The study was conducted at the Hill Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Khagrachari during the year 2017 to 2019. Thirty (30) genotype of Coffea canephora (syn. Coffea robusta) commonly known as robusta coffee from the existing coffee orchard of HARS, Khagrachari was selected for the study. The average height of evaluated line (CC Kha 001) was medium (4.31 m) and regular bearing shrub of small tree. The average width and length of leaf was 9.2 cm & 20.86 cm respectively with 1.6 cm of leaf petiole length. The average width and length of individual fruit was 1.28 cm & 1.16 cm respectively with 1.06 cm of thickness. Harvesting duration of fruit berry was mid-January to mid-February. The seed colour of evaluated coffee plant (CC Kha 001) was greenish brown with roundish shape. The average length and width of individual seed was 1.09 cm & 0.99 cm respectively with 0.75 cm of thickness. Average weight of 100 been was 100.33 gm. Average berry weight (kg) per trunk was 8.08 (kg/tree).
Original Research Article
ABSTRACT
A field experiment was conducted at Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center under irrigated conditions during 2018, to evaluate the performance of tomato yield and yield components under an intercropping system with different basil planting densities and row arrangements. it was arranged in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement in randomized complete block design with three replications each consisting of ten treatments: two basil row arrangements (one tomato row alternating with one basil row (1T:1B) or with two basil rows (1T:2B)) and four basil population densities (66666, 50000, 33333 and 16666 plants ha -1). Results of the study indicated that intercropping system significantly (p<0.05) affected the yield and yield components of tomato. Inter-cropped tomato with basil had the highest yield (36657.8 kg ha-1) as compared to sole cropped tomato (31004.3kg ha-1) and inter-cropping with basil increased its yield by 15.42%. Therefore, basil with a density of 33,333 plants ha-1and intercropped with tomato with 1T:1B row arrangement could be recommended for the wondo genet and similar agroecology area. However, the effect of tomato-basil intercropping on the incidence and severity of major tomato insects and diseases needs further study.
Original Research Article
ABSTRACT
Tomato is one of the most important commercial and food vegetable crops in Ethiopia. Even though, the crop is dominantly cultivated in the rift valley area it also produced in the study area for local market. The crop is produced by the farmers by using varieties which the source is not known and poor in yield and low in disease tolerance. Hence, participatory variety selection through demonstration of four tomato varieties was conducted at Wondo Genet and Wondo woredas during 2020/2021. The experiment was conducted on station for researchers’ data collection by replicating three times and non-replicated plot basis for farmers’ evaluation. Four tomato varieties; Gelelima, Chali, ARP-d2 tomato and Melka salsa were used for evaluation purpose. The researcher data and farmers preferences were analyzed using SAS software and pair wise ranking respectively. The result showed that highest marketable fruit yield (49.83t ha-1) was obtained from Gelelima and the lowest (39.10t ha-1) was from the Melka salsa variety. Pair wise raking of farmers preference also, shown that Gelelima was the first and best variety according to their criterion at both locations. Therefore, based on the result obtained it is better and recommended to produce Gelelima tomato variety for the farmers of Wondo Genet and Wondo woreda and other similar agro-ecologies.
ABSTRACT
Bio-fertilizer are an important component of integrated nutrients management. Microorganisms that are used as bio-fertilizer components include; nitrogen fixers (N-fixer), potassium and phosphorus solubilizers, growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs), endo and ecto mycorrhizal fungi, cyanobacteria and other useful microscopic organisms. The use of bio-fertilizers leads to improved nutrients, water uptake, plant growth and plant tolerance to abiotic and biotic factors. This biological fertilizers would play a key role in productivity and sustainability of soil and also in protecting the environment as eco-friendly and cost effective inputs for the small holder farmers. Adding of the nutrients through the natural processes of nitrogen fixation, solubilizing phosphorus, and stimulating plant growth through the synthesis of growth-promoting substances are a good way to sustain our agricultural systems. Soil management strategies today are mainly dependent on inorganic chemical-based fertilizers, which cause a serious threat to human health and the environment. Bio-fertilizer has been identified as an alternative for increasing soil fertility and crop production in sustainable farming. The exploitation of beneficial microbes as bio-fertilizers has become of paramount importance in agricultural sector due to their potential role in food safety and sustainable crop production.