Mobile Phone Usage for Accessing Agricultural Information in Southern Ethiopia

This study was conducted in Ethiopia to determine the use of mobile phones in agriculture. The study included 320 household heads who owned mobile phones. Data were collected using an interview schedule. The results revealed that the majority (90.6%) of household heads made phone calls for agricultural purposes. Over three quarters (85.9%) of the household heads received phone calls related to agriculture. Short message service (SMS) was poorly used. It is concluded that mobile phones are playing an important role as an informational medium. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture in Ethiopia needs to develop a mobile-based agricultural information dissemination system to enhance information delivery to rural farming households.     

Variation of Agro-morphological Characters in Moroccan Barley Landraces Under Near Optimal and Drought Conditions

In many areas of North Africa, barley is often the only possible rainfed crop. In these regions water deficit is the primary constraint affecting crop production. Twenty barley landraces collected from different localities in south Morocco and four modern varieties were characterized in two field experiments, one under well-irrigated and one under limited-irrigated conditions. Nine agro-morphological characters were evaluated: Plant height, tiller number per plant, number of grains per spike, number of spikes per plant, spike weight, spike length, plant weight (PW), number of internodes of rachis (NIR), and length of the last internode of rachis. The correlation coefficients among characters were nearly the same in the well- and limited-irrigated experiment. Under limited-irrigated conditions, plant growth was significantly decreased as measured by all characters except NIR, which was unaffected. The percentage of reduction, ranging from 80.08% to 5.82%, was recorded on PW and NIR, respectively. The injury index ranging from 4.02 to 0.06 was recorded on PW and NIR, respectively. Using discriminant analysis the genotypes were arranged in three, clearly separated groups that varied in their tolerance to drought stress.     

Response of Sunflower to Sulfur Rate and Time of Application under Two Tillage Systems in a Silty Clay Soil of Dera Ismail Khan Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Sulfur (S) availability is a characteristic of conservation tillage. We studied the effects of S on sunflower yield and fatty acid profile under conventional and conservation tillage in silty clay soil of D.I. Khan, Pakistan. Conventional tillage consisted of disk plowing followed by tiller and rotavator, while conservation tillage comprises tiller and disc harrowing. Treatments comprise six sulfur levels (S₁ = 0, S₂ = 20 kg S ha^?1 at sowing, S₃ = 10 kg S ha^?1 at sowing +10 kg S ha^?1 25 days after sowing (DAS), S₄ = 40 kg S ha^?1 at sowing, S₅ = 20 kg S ha^?1 at sowing + 20 kg S ha^?1 25 DAS, and S₆ = 20 kg S ha^?1 at sowing + 10 kg S ha^?1 25 DAS + 10 kg S ha^?1 50 DAS) replicated thrice. After 2 years of experimentation, soil samples were collected (from 0 to 0.30 m depth) for organic matter (OM), total soil N (TSN), and available sulfur analysis. Conservation tillage significantly increased OM, TSN, and S contents in 0–0.30 m soil compared to conventional tillage. Likewise, sunflower plants showed higher achene yield, better fatty acid profile, and net economic returns in conservation tillage than in conventional tillage. Application of 20 kg S ha^?1 at sowing and 10 kg S ha^?1 at each 25 and 50 DAS recorded significantly higher achene yield, higher oil, and linoleic acid contents; however, oleic and oleic/linoleic ratio did not increase with higher S rates. Conservation tillage was effective in increasing OM, TSN, and available S besides increasing yield and economics in silty clay soil.     

Effect of body condition score on the testicular biometrical measures,semen characteristics and testosterone level in jackass

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of body condition score (BCS) on testicle and epididymis biometrics, semen characteristics and testosterone level in Egyptian Jack. This study was conducted on 50 mature Jacks divided according to their body condition score into four groups: Poor (G1), moderate (G2), good (G3) and fat (G4). The complete testis was collected immediately after execution in the Giza Zoo abattoir; then, the epididymis was carefully dissected at the testicular junction. Biometrical measures including length, weight and volume were determined for the right and left testis and epididymis. Also, epididymal sperm was collected from all examined animas and evaluated for sperm concentration, progressive motility, viability and sperm abnormalities. Serum samples were collected for determination of total testosterone level. Results showed that the body condition score of the examined animal affects their biometrical measure of testicles and epididymis. There is a significant decrease (p < .05) in biometrical measures for the testicles and epididymis, sperm concentration, motility, viability and testosterone level in poor BCS animals (G1). The highest values were recorded in Good BCS (G3) Jacks. Conclusion: Jacks with good BCS (G3) should be selected for breeding activity in donkey.     

Influence of follicle size,methods of retrieval on oocytes yield and morphology in Egyptian Jennies ovaries with special reference to maturation rate in vitro

This work was designed to evaluate the ovarian follicular development, oocytes morphology, methods of oocytes reterival, and the effect of different in vitro maturation (IVM) media on cumulus cell expansion and nuclear maturation of Jennies oocytes. Experiment 1, the number of small (<6 mm), medium (6 to 9 mm) and large size (>10 mm) ovarian follicles was recorded. Cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) were reterived and classified into 4 Grades based on their cumulus-cells investment and the homogenous of the ooplasm. In Experiment 2, COCs were recovered by using 18-G, 20-G needle or slicing and scraping of ovarian follicles to determine the number and morphology of the recovered COCs. In Experiment 3, Grade A and B COCs were IVM in DMEM-HG, DMEM-LG, DMEM-F12, TCM199, TCM199-F12 or CR1aa media supplemented with 10 % FCS?+?10 μg FSH/mL?+?10 IU hCG/mL?+?50 μg/mL gentamicin. Maturation was performed for 36 h at 38.5 °C under 5 % CO₂ in humidified air. After IVM, cumulus cell expansion and oocytes nuclear canfiguration were determined. An average of 6.40?±?0.26 follicles was recorded per Jenny ovary, representing 3.37?±?0.46, 1.89?±?0.14 and 1.14?±?0.16, for the small, medium and large size follicles, respectively. Oocyte recovery was higher (P?P?P?P?P?P?P?P?Conclusion: Slicing and scraping or aspiration of follicles using 18-G needle increased the number and percentage of Grade A Jennies oocytes. TCM199-F12, CR1aa and TCM199 medi are more suitable for IVM of Jenny oocytes by promoting cumulus cells expansion and nuclear maturation to M II stage.     

Metabolism of alveolar cells: histochemical evidence and relation to pulmonary surfactant

Large alveolar cells of normal dog lung are rich in enzymes concerned with oxidative and synthetic pathways. In three experimental situations where ability of the lung to produce surfactant was impaired, the enzyme-rich cells were lacking or absent. Findings support the concept that these cells are sites of active metabolism, possibly including production of surfactant.     

A sero-survey of subtype H3 influenza A virus infection in dogs and cats in Japan

A sero-epidemiological survey of human and equine H3 influenza A virus infections in dogs and cats using the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and neuraminidase inhibition (NI) tests was conducted. Serum samples were collected from 582 dogs and 237 cats in Japan during the periods 2002-2008 and 1997-2008, respectively. Although no HI antibodies against equine H3 virus were detected, 9 (3.8%) from cats and 12 (2.1%) from dogs were HI-positive against human H3 virus. Only one serum each from dogs and cats was NI-positive against N2 virus. These findings suggest that although equine H3 influenza virus infections have not been prevalent in companion animals, human H3N2 influenza A virus infections have occurred in dogs and cats in recent years in Japan.