Epidemic characterization and modeling within herd transmission dynamics of an “emerging trans-boundary” camel disease epidemic in Ethiopia

A highly acute and contagious camel disease, an epidemic wave of unknown etiology, referred to here as camel sudden death syndrome, has plagued camel population in countries in the Horn of Africa. To better understand its epidemic patterns and transmission dynamics, we used epidemiologic parameters and differential equation deterministic modeling (SEIR/D-model) to predict the outcome likelihood following an exposure of susceptible camel population. Our results showed 45.7, 17.6, and 38.6 % overall morbidity, mortality, and case fatality rates of the epidemic, respectively. Pregnant camels had the highest mortality and case fatality rates, followed by breeding males, and lactating females, implying serious socioeconomic consequences. Disease dynamics appeared to be linked to livestock trade route and animal movements. The epidemic exhibited a strong basic reproductive number (R (0)) with an average of 16 camels infected by one infectious case during the entire infectious period. The epidemic curve suggested that the critical moment of the disease development is approximately between 30 and 40?days, where both infected/exposed and infectious camels are at their highest numbers. The lag between infected/infectious curves indicates a time-shift of approximately 3-5?days from when a camel is infected and until it becomes infectious. According to this predictive model, of all animals exposed to the infection, 66.8 % (n?=?868) and 33.2 % (n?=?431) had recovered and died, respectively, at the end of epidemic period. Hence, if early measures are not taken, such an epidemic could cause a much more devastative effect, within short period of time than the anticipated proportion.     

Genotypic diversity and patterns of variation in a germplasm material of Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun)

The amphidiploid species Brassica carinata A. Braun is believed to have originated in the plateaus of Ethiopia and has been cultivated there as an oilseed crop since antiquity. The species possesses agronomically important genes of rare occurrence. Although there is a large number of collections in Ethiopia, information on the extent of their genetic diversity is very limited. Thirty-six accessions of ecologically diverse regions were tested at three locations and multivariate analyses on 13 morphological and seed characters were performed. There was generally a large amount of divergence in all characters. Geographic isolation of genes, however, was not observed. Both principal component and cluster analyses disclosed complex relationships among the accessions and characters. Accessions with potential genes of interest to improve earliness, yield components and oil and protein contents have been identified. Length of growing period and yield components contributed most for divergence and clustering pattern. Oil, glucosinolate and protein contents also varied among the accessions but not so much between clusters. Increasing protein in high-glucosinolate genotypes reduced oil content and should be more efficient in genotypes of low-glucosinolate genetic background.     

Genetic variation in nitrogen‐use efficiency of tef

Tef (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is the ancient and most important cereal food crop of Ethiopia. A set of 20 tef genotypes was investigated in field experiments at three environments in Ethiopia to estimate genetic variation in nitrogen (N)‐use efficiency and in characters related to N accumulation as well as their relationships to grain yield. In each environment, genotypes representing both widely grown landraces and recently released cultivars were grown under three N‐fertilizer rates (0, 4, and 8 g m^–2 N). In grain yield, modern cultivars were superior to landraces, whereas in other characters, differences were less clear. The variation in grain yield was significantly related to the variation in total grain N and total plant N. Grain yield weakly correlated with N‐utilization efficiency and N harvest index. Broad sense heritability was higher for grain yield, total grain N, total plant N, and N harvest index than for N‐use, N‐uptake, and N‐utilization efficiencies. The contribution of uptake efficiency to the variation in N‐use efficiency decreased from 75% to 55% and that of utilization efficiency increased from 22% to 43% at the 4 to 8 g m^–2 N‐supply rate change. This study clearly suggests that tef N‐use efficiency would be increased by selecting genotypes with greater uptake efficiency at low N‐supply levels.     

Socioeconomic characteristics of urban and peri-urban dairy production systems in the North western Ethiopian highlands

In order to evaluate the socio-economic characteristics of urban and peri-urban dairy production systems in the North western Ethiopian highlands, a field survey was conducted which included 256 farms. It is concluded that urban farmers tend to specialize on dairy production and support the family income from non-agricultural activities, while agricultural activities other than milk production forms an additional source of income in peri-urban farms. The specialization of urban dairy producers includes the more frequent use of crossbred cows with higher milk yield. Urban and peri-urban dairy production contributes to food security of the population and family income of the farmers’ families, but also provides a job opportunity for otherwise unemployed people. Access to farm land, level of education and access to certain input services such as training, veterinary and credit services were identified as the major constraints for the future development of the dairy sector.     

Bovine tuberculosis is more prevalent in cattle owned by farmers with active tuberculosis in central Ethiopia

A case control study was conducted between October 2004 and April 2005 to determine the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in cattle in central Ethiopia relative to the tuberculosis status of their owners. A total of 174 farmers (87 with active tuberculosis and 87 with no active tuberculosis), and 1041 cattle (506 owned by farmers with active tuberculosis and 535 by farmers without active tuberculosis) were included. The comparative intradermal cervical tuberculin test was used in cattle while clinical symptoms, chest X-ray and Ziehl-Neelsen staining were used for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in the farmers. In addition, mycobacterial culture, biochemical tests, and drug susceptibility tests were performed for the identification Mycobacterium spp. from both humans and cattle. The prevalence of BTB was threefold higher (odds ratio [OR]=4.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.79-6.2) in cattle owned by farmers with active tuberculosis (24.3%) than in those owned by farmers who did not have active tuberculosis (8.6%). Cattle owned by farmers with active tuberculosis were four times more likely to have tuberculosis than cattle owned by farmers with no active tuberculosis. Furthermore, cattle owners who consumed raw milk were at greater risk (chi2=14.1, P<0.001, OR=3.34) of having active tuberculosis than those who consumed boiled milk. Of the 42 human isolates, 31 (74%) were Mycobacterium tuberculosis, seven (16%) were Mycobacterium bovis while four (10%) were considered a typical mycobacteria on the basis of biochemical and drug sensitivity tests. Of the 11 cattle isolates, two (18%) were Mycobacterium tuberculosis, five (46%) Mycobacterium bovis, and four (36%) were atypical mycobacteria. The prevalence of tuberculosis was higher in cattle owned by farmers with active tuberculosis than in cattle owned by farmers who did not have active tuberculosis, which could suggest possible transmission of Mycobacterium spp. between cattle and their owners.     

Evaluation of 20 enset (Ensete ventricosum) landraces for response to Xanthomonas vasicola pv. Musacearum infection

Xanthomonas wilt, caused by Xanthomonas vasicola pv. musacearum (Xvm), formerly X. campestris pv. musacearum, is the most threatening and economically important disease of enset (Ensete ventricosum), the multipurpose food security crop orphan in south and southwestern Ethiopia. Xvm has also had a major impact on banana and plantain production in east Africa following its detection in Uganda in 2001 and subsequent spread. The only current effective control of this disease relies on integrated disease management strategies including minimizing field pathogen inoculum and deployment of wilt-resistant enset landraces. Identifying landraces with stable and durable Xvm resistance will greatly accelerate breeding programmes. While previous reports have identified landraces with varying degrees of tolerance to Xvm, no systematic study has collectively assessed their relative resistance. Here we undertook a detailed “common garden” analysis of 20 enset landraces previously reported to exhibit lower susceptibility to Xvm using an aggressive Xvm inoculum isolated from a disease hotspot area. Detailed longitudinal and survival analyses were applied to each landrace, using a combination of area-under-disease progress stairs, disease index and apparent infection rate to capture disease metrics as well as disease progression symptoms. Considerable variation was observed among the 20 landraces; however, none exhibited full immunity to Xvm infection. Landraces Haella, Mazia and Lemat showed the lowest susceptibility to Xvm as evidenced by reduced disease units and higher survival rates compared to the susceptible control landrace Arkiya, which exhibited the highest infection level and lowest survival rate, consistent with a high degree of susceptibility to Xvm. Thus, we have in this controlled experiment identified new material suitable for incorporation into future breeding programmes to develop Xvm-resistant enset varieties.

     

Prevalence, risk factors, and major bacterial causes of camel mastitis in Borana Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was carried out from November 2010 up to April 2011 to estimate mastitis prevalence and associated risk factors and to assess its bacterial causes in traditionally managed camels in Borana Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Thus, 348 lactating camels were examined clinically, and subclinical cases were checked with California mastitis test (CMT). The overall prevalence of mastitis was 44.8 % (156/348), comprising clinical (19, 5.4 %) and subclinical (137, 39.4 %) cases. The quarter level prevalence of mastitis was 24.0 % (334/1,392). Of the total 1,392 examined teats, 30 were blind, and hence, from the 1,362 non-blind CMT-examined teats, 22.3 % (304/1,362) were CMT positive. Of the 304 CMT-positive samples, 264 were culture positive (197 Gram-positive, 41 Gram-negative, and 26 mixed isolates), and 40 were culture negative. The prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus was found to be the highest at both the animal (12.8 %, 39/304) and quarter level (2.9 %, 39/1,362). Regression analysis revealed higher likelihood of mastitis occurrence among camels from Dharito (OR?=?3.4, 95 % confidence interval (CI)?=?1.8, 6.4), Gagna (OR?=?3.4, 95 % CI?=?1.8, 6.5), and Haro Bake (OR?=?2.6, 95 % CI?=?1.3, 5.1) than camels from Surupha. Likewise, there was higher chance of mastitis occurrence among camels at the early lactation stage (OR?=?2.3, 95 % CI?=?1.1, 4.6) and camels with udder/teat lesions (OR?=?13.7, 95 % CI?=?1.7, 109.4) than among camels at late lactation stage and camels with healthy udder/teats, respectively. In conclusion, this study reveals the current status of camel mastitis in Southern Ethiopia.     

Exploiting the diversity of barley landraces in Ethiopia

The paper describes a methodology to incorporate the collection of barley landraces available in the Plant Genetic Resources Centre of Ethiopia (PGRC/E), as well as future collections, in the Ethiopian barley breeding program. Six hundred pure lines extracted from thirty Ethiopian barley landraces were evaluated and selected, along with the original populations, between 1989 and 1993. Three lines were identified which significantly outyielded the local landrace in some of the testing sites and had a higher average yield across sites and seasons. The yield of these lines was similar to the best improved variety also developed from a landrace population. Despite the relatively small number of landrace-lines (600) in the original population, the exploitation of the diversity existing within Ethiopian barley germplasm has produced in only five years promising lines for yield at low input conditions and for disease and insect resistance. Some lines had a yield potential comparable with the best breeding lines produced earlier, and one is under multiplication for release.     

Evaluation of accessions of vetch species for agronomic performance under nitosol and vertisol conditions in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Vetch is an annual forage legume and accessions of its species performed differently under different soil conditions. Twenty accessions of five vetch...     

Rural innovation systems and networks: findings from a study of Ethiopian smallholders

Ethiopian agriculture is changing as new actors, relationships, and policies influence the ways in which small-scale, resource-poor farmers access and use information and knowledge in their agricultural production decisions. Although these changes suggest new opportunities for smallholders, too little is known about how changes will ultimately improve the wellbeing of smallholders in Ethiopia. Thus, we examine whether these changes are improving the ability of smallholders to innovate and thus improve their own welfare. In doing so, we analyze interactions between smallholders and other actors to provide new perspectives on the role played by smallholder innovation networks in the agricultural sector by drawing on data from community case studies conducted in 10 localities. Findings suggest that public extension and administration exert a strong influence over smallholder networks, potentially crowding out market-based and civil society actors, and thus limiting beneficial innovation processes. From a policy perspective, the findings suggest the need to further explore policies and programs that create more space for market and civil society to participate in smallholder innovation networks and improve welfare. From a conceptual and methodological perspective, our findings suggest the need to incorporate rigorous applications of social network analysis into the application of innovation systems theory.