Occurrence and diversity of fungal pathogens associated with water hyacinth and their potential as biocontrol agents in the Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Water hyacinth poses serious socio-economic and environmental problems in Ethiopia. To integrate fungal pathogens into water hyacinth management, a survey was conducted in the Rift Valley of Ethiopia. Based on morphological characterization and DNA sequencing, 25 fungal species were identified that belong to nine genera. Alternaria tenuissima, A. alternata, Aspergillus niger, Phoma sp., Curvularia trifolii, Mucor fragilis, M. racemosus, A. fumigatus, Fusarium oxysporum, and F. equiseti were the most common fungi detected. However, their occurrence was influenced by water wave action, temperature, season, and altitude. Among the fungal pathogens, A. alternata, A. tenuissima, F. oxysporum, F. equiseti, and Neofisicoccum parvum were highly pathogenic to water hyacinth. Alternaria alternata and A. tenuissima did not cause disease symptoms on ecologically important plant species (e.g. Noug, Tef, and Coffee). Application of the fungal pathogens on water hyacinth plants also showed 11%–67%, 22%–72%, 15%–55%, and 12%–50% reduction in fresh weight, dry weight, plant height, and root length of water hyacinth, respectively. This study suggests that fungal species have the potential to control water hyacinth biologically and provides baseline data for biological control efforts in the future.     

The Effect of Seed-Tuber Physiological Age and Cultivar on Early Potato Production

Enhancing physiological aging of seed‐potatoes has the potential to substantially affect production, especially for short‐season growing areas. This study analysed the effect of seed‐tuber age and cultivar, jointly, to identify the combination for optimum early crop production, based on field experiments conducted at two locations in Nova Scotia, Canada. The potato cultivars Superior, AC‐Novachip, Niska, and Yukon Gold were aged by exposing seeds stored at 4 °C to warming periods of 0, 242 (3 weeks), and 484 (6 weeks) day‐degrees, prior to planting. Cultivar and age levels were completely randomized within each location and replicated four times. Harvest periods at 65, 80 and 95 days after planting (DAP) were analysed as an unbalanced split‐plot factorial, with year as a random blocking factor, location as a whole plot treatment, and cultivar and age crossed as subplot treatments. Total yield and marketable yield from Yukon Gold improved with physiological age when harvested early at 65 and 80 DAP, while that from AC‐Novachip improved when aged only 3 weeks. Niska was not affected by age. Overall, AC‐Novachip was consistently better than the remaining cultivars, regardless of age. The best treatment combination that maximized marketable yield was Yukon Gold aged 6 weeks planted at a commercial farm and harvested 95 DAP. For early harvest (65 DAP), however, AC‐Novachip aged 3 weeks and Yukon Gold aged 6 weeks generated the highest yields. Niska and Superior generated lower yield and higher culls.     

Evaluation of thermal, pneumatic and biological methods for controlling Colorado potato beetles (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say)

Summary The efficacies of four methods (hot water steam (HS), open flame (OF), pneumatic collector (PC), bio-insecticide NOVODOR (BT)) for controlling Colorado potato beetles (CPB) in potatoes were compared under field conditions. HS, OF and PC were tested at various driving speeds, and all methods were tested on CPB that were at three life stages. The results suggest that the best time to control CPB is at L_1–2 stage using BT (86% effectiveness). When averaged across driving speeds, OF performed better than HS and PC with 56% efficacy on L_1–2, and 45–50% on L_3–4 and Adult life stages. PC worked relatively better on L_3–4 than on L_1–2 and Adult life stages. HS gave excellent efficacy (63% on L_1–2, 52–54% on L_3–4 and Adult) at 1.0 km/h speed. This research demonstrated the potential of alternative CPB control methods, and identified the optimum life stage and driving speed for best results.     

Jasmonate effect on in vitro tuberization of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivars under light and dark conditions

Summary Effects of jasmonic acid (JA) on in vitro tuberization of six potato cultivars were examined. Tuberization was carried out in the dark, or with 8 h photoperiod on MS media with vitamins, 8% sucrose, 0.6% agar and either 2.5 μM JA (JAMed) or no JA using explants either preconditioned with 2.5 μM JA (JAPret) or not. Cultivars Amisk, Russet Burbank, Sangre and Umatilla Russet produced the most (1.0–1.7) and the largest microtubers per explant. Tuberization was inconsistent in Shepody and poor in Atlantic. All cultivars tuberized significantly better in 8 h than in the dark. JA effects were cultivar specific and larger in the dark than in light. In the dark, Amisk, Atlantic and Umatila Russet tuberized better in JAMed than in JAPret. These cultivars did not benefit from JA treatments in light. Russet Burbank and Sangre tuberized in the dark better from JAPret cuttings than on JAMed medium. JA had no effect on tuberization in Shepody. JA double treatment in light vs. control and individual JA treatments significantly reduced tuberization in Shepody and Russet Burbank.     

Growth-room and field studies with seed tubers treated with ethylene and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) during storage

Based on ethylene management in potato storage, we hypothesized that the applied treatments would modify number of sprouts per seed tuber. Thus, in combination with in-row spacing (closer for seed, wider for processing) in the field treatments will give either (1) a high number of small tubers destined for seed use, or (2) a relatively smaller number of large, uniform tubers suitable for processing. A three-year study (2001–2003), conducted with two french fry processing cultivars, Russet Burbank (RB) and Shepody (SH), aimed at the development of a novel modified atmosphere seed tuber storage treatment. Seed tubers were stored at 4 C from October to May of each year in a cold room under five modified atmospheric regimes: (1) air ventilation only (Control); (2) 4 µl L^?1 ethylene applied continuously beginning in November and (3) beginning in February; (4) 1 µ1 L^?1 MCP (1-methylcyclopropene) applied as a gas for 48 h only in early December followed by continuous 4 µl L^?1 ethylene and (5) MCP alone applied as above. Each year, once a month (mid-January until end of April), a number of seed tubers was taken from each storage treatment, planted to pots and grown for 4 wk in a growth-room. In these studies, shoot emergence from the ethylene-treated seeds of both cultivars occurred significantly earlier, giving higher number of stems per tuber and stolons per stem than Control and MCP treatments. Moreover, the time to emergence after planting decreased with the increased length of storage. Field studies that were conducted from the end of May (planting) until October each year, produced similar trends (although not significant atP≤0.05) and resulted in a higher number of tubers per stem. In RB at the closer in row spacing (30 cm) used for seed production, ethylene enhanced yield of smaller tubers in the 30- to 115-g and 115- to 300-g categories. The ethylene storage treatments also increased tuber number per plant, but not the total mass of harvested potatoes. The MCP treatment, in combination with the wider in-row spacing (40 cm) used for the production of processing tubers, significantly increased the percentage of large tubers (>300 g). In SH, contrary to RB, the ethylene treatments did not alter tuber size distribution and the application of MCP reduced tuber size rather than increasing it. Results from this study suggest that both ethylene and MCP can be used in seed potato storage to influence the tuber size distribution of the crop from that seed.     

Effect of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vachellia tortilis</Emphasis> on understory vegetation,herbaceous biomass and soil nutrients along a grazing gradient in a semi-arid African savanna

The spatial pattern and abundance of herbaceous vegetation in semi-arid savannas are dictated by a complex and dynamic interaction between trees and grasses. Scattered trees alter the composition and spatial distribution of herbaceous vegetation under their canopies. Therefore, we studied the effect of Vachellia tortilis on herbaceous vegetation composition, biomass and basal area, and soil nutrients on sites with varying grazing intensities in the central rift valley of Ethiopia. Data were collected on species composition, cover and biomass of herbs and grasses, and soil moisture and nutrient contents under light, medium, and heavy grazing pressures, both under the inside and outside of V. tortilis canopies. Species richness was similar in both locations but decreased with increased grazing. Only the overall biomass and herb cover were significantly greater under the canopy than outside, and overall biomass showed significant unchanging decline with increased grazing. However, vegetation cover was significantly greater on moderately grazed sites compared to low and heavily grazed sites. All soil variables were significantly higher under V. tortilis canopies than outside. Our findings suggest that V. tortilis has more effect on composition and diversity of herbaceous vegetation than on species richness, and that V. tortilis promotes the herbaceous layer biomass by reducing soil moisture loss and increasing soil fertility under the inside than outside the canopies. Therefore, we suggest that management practices should be directed on reducing pressure on V. tortilis by regulating grazing. Low to moderate grazing levels (i.e., a stocking rate less than 39.6 TLU ha^?1 yr^?1) seems to be tolerable to ensure sustainable conservation of the species in the study area in particular and in semi-arid savannas in general.     

Seeding rate and seed spacing modulate root yield and recovery of slicer and dicer carrots differently

Field experiments were conducted on carrot (Daucus carota var. sativus), involving a slicer variety, Caro choice; and a dicer variety, Red Core Chantenay (RCC), to determine the interactive effects of seeding rates (SR) and line spacings (LS), to identify optimal SR and LS and to understand the influence of various seed spacings on yield and root recovery. Caro choice and RCC were sown at various seeding rates: 18, 22, 27, 33 (slicer); 9, 12, 14, 18 (dicer) seeds 30 cm⁻¹ at three different line spacings: 2.5, 3.8 and 5.7 cm. The interaction between SR and LS on total root yield and yield of supreme quality roots (1.9–3.1 cm diameter) was not significant whereas, the interaction for recovery of root grades was significant for Caro choice. In contrast, the interaction between SR and LS was marginally significant for the total yield and for the yield of supreme quality roots (3.8–5.1 cm diameter) but not for the recovery percentage of any of the root grades in RCC. A line spacing of 3.8 cm and SR of 22 seeds 30 cm⁻¹ for Caro choice, and LS of 5.7 cm and SR of 18 seeds 30 cm⁻¹ for RCC were optimal to obtain the highest total and supreme quality root yield, respectively. Seed spacing between the range of 4.6–38 cm² exhibited a significantly negative relationship with total root yield and marginally significant positive relationship with the recovery percentage of 1.9–3.8 cm roots in Caro choice. Neither total yield nor recovery percentage of 3.8–5.1 cm roots showed any significant relationship with seed spacing in RCC, suggesting that RCC may be less sensitive to the spatial variations compared to Caro choice and would adjust physiologically and/or morphologically to equalize yield.     

Field-scale validation of an automated soil nitrate extraction and measurement system

One of the many gaps that needs to be solved by precision agriculture technologies is the availability of an economic, automated, on-the-go mapping system that can be used to obtain intensive and accurate ‘real-time’ data on the levels of nitrate nitrogen (NO₃–N) in the soil. A soil nitrate mapping system (SNMS) has been developed to provide a way to collect such data. This study was done to provide extensive field-scale validation testing of the system’s nitrate extraction and measurement sub-unit (NEMS) in two crop (wheat and carrot) production systems. Field conditions included conventional tillage (CT) versus no tillage (NT), inorganic versus organic fertilizer application, four soil groups and three points in time throughout the season. Detailed data analysis showed that: (i) the level of agreement, as measured by root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and coefficient of efficiency (CE), between NEMS soil NO₃–N and standard laboratory soil NO₃–N measurements was excellent; (ii) at the field-scale, there was little practical difference when using either integer or real number data processing; (iii) regression equations can be used to enable field measurements of soil NO₃–N using the NEMS to be obtained with laboratory accuracy; (iv) future designs of the SNMS’s control system can continue to use cheaper integer chip technology for processing the nitrate ion-selective electrode (NO₃ ⁻–ISE) readings; and (v) future designs of the SNMS would not need a soil moisture sensor, ultimately saving on manufacturing costs of a more simple system.     

Variation in podophyllotoxin concentration in leaves and rhizomes of American mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum L.)

Podophyllotoxin is a precursor for compounds used in the synthesis of commercially available anticancer drugs and their precursors etoposide, teniposide, and etopophos. Podophyllotoxin is currently obtained from the underground plant parts (roots and rhizomes) of Himalayan mayapple (Podophyllum emodii Wall.) but is also found in several other species, including American mayapple. There is no information in the literature on podophyllotoxin concentration in the roots or rhizomes of the American mayapple, and it was not clear if podophyllotoxin concentration in underground plant parts is correlated with the concentration in aboveground plant parts. The objective of this study was to estimate podophyllotoxin concentration in the leaves and rhizomes of 28 accessions of American mayapple under natural conditions (wild) and compare this to podophyllotoxin concentrations of the same accessions in the leaves when cultivated. Podophyllotoxin concentration in the rhizomes was positively correlated to soil organic matter content and to the concentrations of soil-available P and Na. Podophyllotoxin in the leaves was negatively correlated to soil-available Mg concentrations. The concentration of podophyllotoxin in the leaves varied from undetectable amounts to 2.52%, whereas podophyllotoxin in rhizomes varied from 0.14% to 0.42%. Most of the accessions had greater than 0.45% podophyllotoxin concentration in the leaves under both wild and cultivated conditions. There was no significant correlation between the podophyllotoxin concentrations in rhizomes and leaves; nine accessions had the highest podophyllotoxin concentration in leaves under natural environment. Another nine accessions had the highest podophyllotoxin in the leaves under cultivated conditions, and an additional eight accessions had greater podophyllotoxin concentrations in roots than in leaves irrespective of the environment. The results from this study may contribute toward developing American mayapple into a new cash crop for U.S. farmers.