Non-timber forest products and household incomes in Bonga forest area,southwestern Ethiopia

We identified the major non-timber forest products （NTFPs）, their contributions to household incomes, and the determinants influenc-ing engagement of households in using NTFPs in the Bonga forest area of Gimbo and Decha Districts of Kaffa Zone, southwest Ethiopia. Six Kebeles （the lowest administrative unit in Ethiopia） were sampled from two Districts and 150 households were randomly sampled using propor-tional-to-size techniques based on the number of farm households in each Kebele. Secondary data were collected from and focus group discussions were conducted with selected individuals. The farmers diversified liveli-hood activities such as crop and livestock production, collection of NTFPs and off-farm activities. NTFPs played a significant role in household incomes. The contribution from the major NTFPs （forest coffee, honey and spices） accounted for 47% of annual household in-come. The role of NTFPs was influenced by a number of factors. Vari-ables including being native to the area （＋）, total land holding （＋）, pos-session of livestock （＋） and access to extension （＋） significantly affected forest coffee production. Age of household head （-）, land holding （＋） and distance of the market from the residence （-） significantly affected honey production. Size of landholding （＋）, distance to market （-） and distance of the forest from the residence （-） were significant variables determining the NTFP incomes derived by the households. Attention is needed in the design of policies and strategies for the well-being of households to the contribution of NTFPs to local incomes and the variables that affect the collection of NTFPs must be considered.     

Species of Ticks on Camels and Their Seasonal Population Dynamics in Eastern Ethiopia

A study was conducted to identify the species of ticks found on camels (Camelus dromedarius) and their seasonal population dynamics in Eastern Ethiopia. Collection and identification of the ticks were undertaken at 2-month intervals from December 1997 to August 1999. On each occasion, all the visible adult ticks were collected from one side of the body of each of the same 17 camels. The most abundant species of ticks on the camels were Rhipiephalus pulchellus (85.2%), Hyalomma dromedarii (5.9%), Amblyomma gemma (4.0%) and Amblyomma variegatum (1.8%). The average tick load per camel was higher during rainy months than during dry months. The smallest number of ticks per camel was observed during the driest month (December), whereas the highest was recorded in the wettest month (August). Any strategy intended to mitigate problems of tick infestation of camels in this area should take into account the identified tick species and their season of abundance.     

Diversity among germplasm lines of the Ethiopian cereal tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]

Three hundred twenty germplasm lines of the major Ethiopian cereal, tef, [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter], were evaluated for 20 morphological, phenological and agronomic characters in two-replicated randomized complete blocks at Debre Zeit and Melkassa Agricultural Research Centers in Ethiopia during the 1995 main season. The objectives were to assess the diversity of the lines, and to estimate the broad sense heritability (H) and genetic advance (GA) of the various characters. The mean squares of genotypes were highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) for all the traits. The phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation ranged in that order from about 6–40% and 3–23% for days to maturity and grain yield/plant, and days to maturity and number of spikelets/main shoot panicle, respectively. The cluster analysis grouped the genotypes into 14 major complexes consisting of one to 183 lines. Of the 19 principal components involved in explaining the entire variation among the genotypes the first five which had eigenvalues of more than one explained about 73.8%. The first principal component which accounted for about 34% of the total variance was due chiefly to plant height, culm and panicle length, diameters of the two basal culm internodes, main shoot panicle mass and grain yield, number of main shoot panicle branches and spikelets, and days to panicle emergence and maturity. Estimates of H varied from about 22% for length of the lowest main shoot stem internode to 74% for number of main shoot panicle branches. Values of GA (expected from selection of the superior 5% of the lines and expressed relative to the means) ranged from about 3% for days to maturity to 36% for number of spikelets/main shoot panicle. Overall, the study indicated the existence of trait diversity in tef germplasm and this can be exploited in the genetic improvement of the crop through hybridization and selection. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Increased number of large non‐atretic follicles and co‐dominance effects account for high litter sizes in Bonga sheep

To understand the ovarian basis for prolificacy of Bonga sheep, a total of 31 ewes were selected based on litter size (LS) records and divided into two groups: High Prolificacy (HP) (n = 20) with LS ≥ 2 and Low Prolificacy (LP) (n = 11) with LS = 1. At a synchronized estrus, follicular dynamics were determined using transrectal ultrasonography. Plasma estradiol concentrations were also monitored. In total 27 ewes were observed in estrus being 9/11 LP (82%) and 18/20 HP (90%). On the day of estrus (day 0), the mean number of large follicles was higher (p < .05) in HP (1.78 ± 0.19) than in LP (1.0 ± 0.28) ewes. Prior to estrus, more (p < .05) medium follicles were visible for HP compared to LP ewes. Plasma estradiol concentrations were higher in HP compared to LP ewes (18.91 ± 0.41 vs. 14.51 ± 0.65 pg/ml; p < .05) and similarly was ovulation number (2.3 ± 0.15 vs. 1.28 ± 0. 14; p < .05). Higher ovulation rates and litter size in Bonga sheep are evidenced by the previous presence of more large follicles and the existence of co‐dominance effects as most likely medium follicles are selected to ovulate.     

Soil Properties,Yield, and Landscape Relationships in South-Central Saskatchewan Canada

ABSTRACT

Soil water and nutrient availability are major limiting factors for crop production in the Canadian prairies. Most variations in soil properties observed across prairie farm fields are the result of the effect of landscape on water and soil redistribution. The relationships among soil chemical properties (pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, and available nutrients), soil water, elevation, and canola seed yield were investigated in a transect across a hummocky, undulating farm field in the Brown soil zone of south-central Saskatchewan. Overall, seed yield was highest in foot slope positions in the landscape where soil organic matter, nutrients, and available water content were higher. Correlations between soil properties and seed yield were highest for pH (R = ?0.46, P < 0.01), which was followed by organic C % (R = 0.27, P < 0.05), water content (R = 0.23), extractable potassium (K) (R = 0.18) and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) supply rates to exchange resin membranes (R = 0.15). Extractable N and P were poorly correlated with seed yield (R < 0.1). The landscape region with soil parameters and yield closest to the average for the entire transect was the back slope region, suggesting that in similar landscapes, this region would be most appropriate for selection as a representative benchmark sampling site.     

On farm evaluation of sun-dried Ziziphus spina-christi leaves substitution for natural pasture hay on feed intake and body weight change of Bati goat breeds in Ethiopia

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding different levels of sun-dried Ziziphus spina-christi (ZC) leaves on feed intake and live weight gain of local male goats. Twenty-five male local breed of goats at 1 year of age (body weight; BW?=?20.7?±?0.72 kg) were randomly allocated to five treatments and five replications. Treatments were as follows: T1 (grass hay only; control group); T2 (75% grass hay + 25% ZC leaves); T3 (50% grass hay + 50% ZC leaves); T4 (25% grass hay + 75% ZC leaves), and T5 (100% ZC leaves). The study lasted for 90 days. During this period, feed intake, BW change, and average daily gain were evaluated. There was a significant difference in total dry matter intake of goats fed on different levels of ZC leaves compared with the control group. Mixing of the pasture grass hay diet improved (P?<?0.05) goats feed intake from 440 to 592 g/head/day at the minimum proportion of 25% ZC and natural pasture mixture. However, there was no significant difference (P?>?0.05) in feed intake among the supplemented groups (T2–T5) as ZC leaves proportion increased. Goats in the control group and in the 25% ZC treatment diet gained 31.4 and 46.7 g, which was not different (P?>?0.05). The highest average daily BW was gained (P?<?0.05) in goats supplemented with the highest level (100%) of ZC leaves. T5 (100% ZC leaves supplementation) showed a significant increment (P?<?0.05) in body weight gain of goats over other treatments and the control. Feed conversion ratio was increased (P?<?0.05) with increased inclusion level of ZC leaves. Goats on supplemented treatments 1 and 2; treatments 4 and 5 had no significant difference (P?>?0.05) in feed conversion efficiency while there was a significant (P?<?0.05) difference between treatments 2 and 3 diets which had higher (P?<?0.05) feed conversion ratio than the control groups. Generally, the results of the current study showed that supplementation of goats with above 50% level of dried ZC leaves in their diet significantly increased feed intake and body weight gain by improving feed conversion efficiency of goats.

     

Phenotypic diversity for qualitative and phenologic characters in germplasm collections of tef (Eragrostis tef)

A total of 3600 entries of tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] germplasm collections representing 36 populations from six regions of Ethiopia were evaluated for phenotypic diversity in six qualitative and phenologic characters. High values of Shannon–Weaver diversity index ( ) were recorded for most characters in each population. Monomorphism was high for anther color (purple) and panicle form (loose). Larger variances for were obtained among regions than among populations within a region from hierarchical analysis of variance. Significant (P<0.05) to highly significant (P<0.01) t-values were observed among values of some regions for seed color, panicle form and days to maturity. A substantial level of variance (P<0.05) was obtained for populations within altitudinal zones only for days to maturity. Altitudinal zones exhibited similar levels of diversity across characters for these collections. Generally, considerable variations important for tef improvement work have been observed and regions with highest diversity for some traits have been suggested for future in situ or ex situ germplasm conservation works. Although similar mean diversity indices were obtained among regions, they were non overlapping.     

Quantitative trait diversity in tef [ Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] germplasm from Central and Northern Ethiopia

One thousand and eighty tef, Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter, entries representing 36 populations collected from six central and northern regions of Ethiopia were evaluated at Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center during the 1995 main season to assess the quantitative trait diversity in the germplasm with respect to collection regions and altitude zones. Hierarchical analysis of variance showed large (p 0.01) variations within populations, and among populations within regions and altitude zones in all the 14 traits studied. The variations among regions were significant (p 0.05) for number of main shoot culm nodes, and panicle branches and spikelets. But only days to maturity, number of culm nodes, diameters of the two basal culm internodes, and harvest index depicted discernible (p 0.05) clinal variability. The 36 populations clustered into six major (75% similarity level) groups consisting of two up to 15 populations. Five principal components (PCs) explained about 81% of the entire phenotypic diversity among the populations. Of these, the first three PCs accounted for about 65% of the gross variance. About 31% of the total variance explained by the first PC alone originated chiefly from variability in main shoot panicle grain yield and length, culm length and diameter of the two basal culm internodes. Likewise, about 23% the variance accounted for by the second PC was due mainly to variations in grain and shoot phytomass yield/plant, and harvest index. Overall, the study demonstrated that tef is a highly versatile crop species and the enormous wealth of quantitative trait diversity in the germplasm indicates immense potential for the genetic improvement of the crop through breeding.