Participatory integrated watershed management: Evolution of concepts and methods in an ecoregional program of the eastern African highlands

This paper focuses on the conceptual evolution of watershed management within the context of an action research program operating in the highlands of eastern Africa, as informed by both theory and practice. Following a review of the watershed management literature, and brief program and methodological overviews, the paper explores in detail the concepts of “participation” and “integration” in watershed management. Conceptual and methodological dimensions of the terms are discussed in the context of a watershed implementation process, clarifying how “watershed issues” are defined by local users, how “stakeholders” are defined with respect to those issues, and how participation and integration may be operationalized in practice. Data are selectively chosen from different pilot sites to illustrate how concepts underlying watershed management have been refined, and methods improved. It is clear that “participation” in problem diagnosis and program implementation must move beyond community-level fora to socially-disaggregated processes and explicit management of trade-offs to diverse groups. Secondly, integration does not come about through implementation of parallel interventions, but rather through an explicit analysis of potential trade-offs and synergies of interventions to diverse system components, and strategies to define and reach systems-level goals. Each approach requires attention to ways to optimize returns to diverse social groups and system components while minimizing negative spin-offs. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for agricultural research and development in the eastern African region.     

Association between frost tolerance and the alleles of high molecular weight glutenin subunits present in Polish winter wheats

Subunits of high molecular weight glutenins strongly influence wheat bread making quality and can be associated with important agronomic traits. Polish winter wheats show a significant quantitative dominance of the null allele over the coding alleles of the Glu-A1 locus. To identify the causes of such skewed distribution, 116 F₅ lines obtained from six cross combinations were analyzed for their HMW glutenin subunits and 11 agronomic characteristics, such as plant height and uniformity, leaf blotch and leaf rust resistance, grain yield per plot, number of grains per ear, grain yield per ear, 1000 kernel weight, frost tolerance, total protein content and the SDS-sedimentation value. The SDS-sedimentation value, resistance to leaf blotch and frost tolerance showed statistically significant associations with the status of the Glu-A1 locus. It appears that chromosome 1A with the null allele at Glu-A1 carries a closely linked locus responsible for frost tolerance. With early strong selection for winter hardiness, the null allele of Glu-A1 becomes fixed in advanced breeding materials despite its strong negative impact on the end use quality.     

Fast‐to‐slow shift of muscle fiber‐type composition by dietary apple polyphenols in rats: Impact of the low‐dose supplementation

Our previous studies demonstrated that an 8‐week intake of 5% (w/w) apple polyphenol (APP) in the diet improves muscle endurance of young‐adult rats. In order to identify a lower limit of the dietary contribution of APP to the effect, the experiments were designed for lower‐dose supplementation (8‐week feeding of 0.5% APP in AIN‐93G diet) to 12‐week‐old male Sprague‐Dawley rats. Results clearly showed that the 0.5% APP diet significantly up‐regulates slower myosin‐heavy‐chain (MyHC) isoform ratios (IIx and IIa relative to total MyHC) and myoglobin expression in lower hind‐limb muscles examined (P < 0.05). There was a trend to increased fatigue resistance detected from measurements of relative isometric plantar‐flexion force torque generated by a stimulus train delivered to the tibial nerve (F(98, 1372) = 1.246, P = 0.0574). Importantly, there was no significant difference in the animal body‐phenotypes or locomotor activity shown as total moving distance in light and dark periods. Therefore, the present study encourages the notion that even low APP‐intake may increase the proportions of fatigue‐resistant myofibers, and has promise as a strategy for modifying performance in human sports and improving function in age‐related muscle atrophy.     

A method for extracting carboxy‐myoglobin from beef

The present study was conducted to devise a method for the effective extraction of carboxy‐myoglobin (COMb) from beef without carbon monoxide dissociation. The ratio of COMb to myoglobin was computed at absorptions of wavelengths 541 and 551 nm, which characterize COMb and the isosbestic point between COMb and deoxy‐myoglobin, respectively. The COMb extraction rate was found to vary with temperature, pH and oxygen conditions. The decrease observed in this rate was inversely proportional to the rise in extraction temperature. The COMb extraction rate was also affected by pH, and the stability of COMb in the extract solution was the highest at pH 8.0–9.0. Moreover, the presence of oxygen was found to disturb COMb extraction. According to these results, nearly all COMb could be extracted from carbon‐monoxide‐treated beef under stirring conditions in pH 8.5 deoxidized buffer, at 1°C, and under N₂ flow with the improved extraction method in this study (98.1 ± 2.7%). The decrement of COMb in the extract was accelerated by light, and the COMb was stable for 20 min in the dark, at 1°C. The extraction conditions for COMb described above should allow the accurate evaluation of COMb in meat tissue.     

Assessment on major factors that cause skin rejection at Modjo export tannery,Ethiopia

A study was conducted from November 2009 to March 2010 with the objective of identifying the major causes of skin rejection on fresh, pickled, and wet blue skins at Modjo Mesaco Global tannery. A total of 401 fresh and 1,873 pickled and wet blue skins from the routine production system of the tannery were used. Overall, high prevalence of sheep ked (100%) followed by biting louse (64.4%), tick (50%), and sucking louse (45.8%) were observed on fresh sheep pelts, while, on fresh goat pelts, a high prevalence of sucking louse (54.5%), followed by tick (50%), and biting louse (35.5%) were observed. From the total of 90 rejected pickled and wet blue skins of sheep and goats, 98.8% were “ekek” and scratch, 85.6% sheep and goat pox, 74% poor substance, 73.3% heat, 72.2% scar, and 52.2% knife cut-in skins. Large number of skins rejections was recorded in large-sized skins (29.8%), and the lowest observed was in medium-sized skins (11.1%). There were highly statistically significant association (p < 0.05) between size and grades of shoat skins. Ekek and scratches together with sheep and goat pox were the common skin defects that hamper skin quality. However, there was no significant association (p > 0.05) between sheep and goat skins. Ekek and scratch caused high rejection of skin and entailed serious economic loss in terms of foreign exchange earning to Ethiopia. Therefore, the main causes of skin rejection and factors that cause downgrading of skin should be controlled.     

Development and characteristics of ω-gliadin-free wheat genotypes

Omega gliadin proteins are one of the most allergenic components of wheat gluten. Proteins of the ω-5 subgroup are recognized as main allergens causing wheat dependent exercise induced anaphylaxis—the most dangerous, life-threatening IgE mediated food allergy. A set of wheat genotypes lacking all ω-gliadins has been developed by cumulating inactive gene variants in three gliadin coding loci (Gli A1, Gli B1 and Gli D1), using traditional plant breeding methods. Endosperm proteins of ω-gliadin-free genotypes were compared to a control genotype containing all ω-gliadins by A-PAGE, SDS-PAGE and RP-HPLC. A considerable decrease (about 30 %) of gliadin immunoreactivity as a consequence of ω-gliadin elimination was demonstrated by ELISA, using sera of ten patients allergic to gluten. Preliminary evaluation of the technological properties of the ω-gliadin-free genotype by the SDS sedimentation test suggests that elimination of all ω-gliadins may also significantly improve wheat bread making quality.     

Gliadin Immunoreactivity and Dough Rheological Properties of Winter Wheat Genotypes Modified by Thioredoxin

Gliadins are among the most important protein fractions affecting wheat baking quality, but they are also plant allergens and a cause of celiac disease or food intolerance. Therefore, we investigated how gliadin immunoreactivity and dough rheological properties are influenced by thioredoxin, a regulatory disulfide protein that can reduce disulfide bonds, a typical motive in many allergenic proteins. Ten winter wheat genotypes of different qualities were analyzed. Reduction by thioredoxin strongly (>50%) decreased gliadin immunoreactivity as estimated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay with immunoglobulin E (IgE) sera from allergic patients and standard antigliadin antibodies but did not significantly affect dough rheological properties. Most parameters from the Brabender extensigraph were only slightly lower. Simultaneously, the farinograph curve exhibited a drawdown dislocation, possibly due to increased water absorption by modified flour, and dough consistency visibly improved. Results suggest that thioredoxin may be a universal natural beneficial modifier, able to significantly decrease gliadin immunoreactivity (hence its potential allergenicity) without decreasing the unique technological properties of wheat flour.