In breeding for drought tolerance, availability of precise, cheap and easy to apply selection tool is critical. The aim of the present study was to identify potential screening tools that are useful for selection of drought tolerant genotypes in potato and select drought resistant potato genotypes. The study assessed sixty clones arranged in a 10×6 alpha lattice design with two replicates in a managed stress experiment. Two irrigation treatments were applied: fully watered non-stress and terminal drought, where the irrigation water supply to the crop was withheld after 50 % flowering to induce post-flowering stress. Stress indices were calculated based on tuber yield of genotypes in both stressed and non-stressed conditions. Identification of drought tolerant genotypes based on a single index was less informative as different indices identified different genotypes as drought tolerant. Hence, to determine the most desirable drought tolerant clones rank sum of indices, correlation, and bi-plot display of the principal component analysis was employed. The indices modified stress tolerance index based on non-stressed yield, Men productivity, Geometric mean productivity, Stress tolerance index, Harmonic mean, modified stress tolerance index based on stressed yield and Yield index exhibited strong association with both yield under stressed and non-stressed yield. These indices discriminated drought tolerant genotypes with higher tuber yielding potential both under stress and non-stress conditions. Genotypes CIP-398180.612, CIP-397069.5, and CIP-304371.67 were identified as drought tolerant. These genotypes could be potentially grown both under drought prone and potential environments and these selection attributes could help to develop climate resilient potato varieties.

This paper examines factors determining farmers‘ adoption decision for improved maize varieties in the maize-common bean intercropping practices in two districts of East Hararghe zone, Eastern Ethiopia. It is based on data collected from 129 farm households using structured questionnaire. Descriptive results revealed that adopters of improved maize varieties had better food and nutrition security status. Furthermore, logit model output indicated that the decision to adopt improved maize varieties is influenced by location (district) dummy, education status of the household head, age of the household head, distance from the main road, and the number of plots owned. Major recommendations include improving the rural road infrastructure, educating and training farmers, organizing experience sharing events among farmers, and raising awareness about the food and nutrition security benefits of sustainable agricultural intensification practices like intercropping improved maize with improved common bean varieties.

Various biotic, abiotic and socio-economic factors negatively affect the productivity of the crop. Among these, a new disease known as Faba bean galls (Olpidium viciae) has become a serious threat to faba bean production and productivity in highland areas of central and northern Ethiopia. Thus, field experiment was conducted in Lay Gorebela and Mush to assess the efficacies of fungicides for the management of faba bean gall under natural infection. Six fungicides were evaluated alongside control in randomized complete block design in three replications. Fungicides showed different levels of efficiency at both locations in both seasons. In 2014/15, the highest percent severity index and area under disease progress curve were calculated from control plots at both locations. At Lay Gorebela, higher grain yields were recorded from Metalaxyl 8% + Mancozeb 64% WP and Triadimefon 250 g/L sprayed plots whereas plots sprayed with Metalaxyl 8% + Mancozeb 64% WP gave higher yield at Mush. Similar trends in percent severity index and grain yield were observed with control treatment in 2015/16. Percent severity index and area under disease progress curve were negatively correlated with grain yield and positively correlated with each other at both locations and seasons. Partial budget analysis indicated as Triadimefon 250 g/L and Metalaxyl 8% + Mancozeb 64% WP were cost-effective. The chemical treatment could be used as a short-term control strategy, and a component in integrated management of faba bean galls

Conservation agriculture is a concept which defines different farming systems. Its implementation depends on soil properties, climate and socio-economic considerations. Since two thousands, no-till technology; which is one facet of the conservation agriculture has begun to take place in the high plains of Sétif province-Algeria. Its adoption is facing several problems of socio-economic and technical issues. This work monitored the track of no-till adoption within a sample of 28 farmers during two years 2014 and 2016. During 2014 farmers were supported financially and technically through a subsidy program that aimed at the support of conservation agriculture via no-till technique. In 2016, the subsidy program has ended; hence, farmers have no longer incentives. Multivariate statistical analyses were performed to diagnose the evolution of no-till adoption and behavior’s farmers between the two periods. In 2016, results showed an increase of no-till area, even though, the drop of the number of adoptive farmers by 71%. The main reasons for adopting no-till according to the adoptive farmers were the minimization of farming operation costs and saving time. However, the major impediments facing no-till adoption; were the rise of weeding charges and the concern of weed infestation especially by bromus.sp, which is a vigorous prevalent weed, which locally developed some pesticide’s resistance. Also, the excessive use of pesticides may be considered as an environmental reason for no adopting no-till.

This study was conducted on a total of 776 goats (part of Central highland goat breeds of Ethiopia), 306 from Boset district of Oromia region and 470 were from Minjar Shenkora district of Amhara region. A format developed by using food and agriculture organization discerption list was used for recording of morphological traits, bodyweight and linear body measurements. Both qualitative and quantitative traits were recorded from randomly sampled mature goats and the data were analyzed using SAS software. The goat type in the study area was characterized by a higher proportion of plain coat color patterns (62.5). Ingeneral, the majority (98.4%) of the studied goats were horned and characterized by backward orientation (67%) with a straight shape (49.3%). They presented a concave facial profile (73.8%), slop up toward the rump back profile (66.2%), no wattle (99.6%), no toggle (90.7%), no ruff (85.9%) and no beard (57.3%). The location had a significant effect on body weight and some other linear body measurements. Traits like body length, rump length, horn length, head length, head width and shin circumference were significantly higher in Boset district. In contrast, rump width and cannon bone length were significantly lower. The mean body weight of male goats in Boset and Minjar Shenkora district were 30.5±1.05 kg with a range of 16 to 47 and 27.5±0.56 with a range of 13 to 57, respectively. While for female counterpart mean body weights (kg) were 28.4±0.35 with a range of 17 to 45 for Boset and 27.5±0.33 with a range 15 to 57 for Minjar Shenkora district. Heart girth had the highest correlation with body weight in both sexes and shoulder width in Boset male goats. The wider variation in most quantitative measurement traits would open an opportunity for further improvement, conservation and utilization work.

In this study, the freshness levels of boiled chicken eggs were determined using an electronic nose and machine learning techniques. Eggs were boiled and stored under refrigerator conditions (3±1ºC) from day 0 to day 6. Each storage day, eggs were divided into two groups based on cooling methods: quick-cooled and fast-cooled. Sensor readings were taken using an electronic nose, and image changes from 110 daily image files were processed with a machine learning program. With 85% of the image data used for training and 15% for testing, a classification accuracy of over 98% was achieved. The results showed that egg white solidified in more than 4 minutes and yolk solidified in 11 minutes. Fast-cooled eggs exhibited significantly lower odor levels, indicating superior freshness. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of electronic nose and machine learning systems in accurately determining the freshness of boiled eggs.

Seed maturation in hemp is not homogeneous, and the harvest is done when the seeds are 70-80% mature. This study was carried out to determine the germination and emergence performance of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) seeds at different maturation stages. Mature, semi-mature and immature seeds were used as material in the study. The study was carried out as two separate experiments, germination and emergence. The germination test was carried out in petri dishes and the emergence test in viols. Both experiments were carried out according to the randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Germination rate (%), shoot and root length (mm), shoot and root fresh weight (mg plant-1) and shoot and root dry weight (mg plant-1) parameters were investigated in the germination study. In the emergence study, the emergence rate (%), seedling and root length (mm), seedling and root fresh weight (mg plant-1), and seedling and root dry weight (mg plant-1) values were examined. In the germination study, semi-mature seeds germinated but did not develop. Therefore, no data could be obtained from other parameters except germination rate. In germination study, germination rate varied between 6.67 and 84.67%, shoot length 27.2-38 mm, root length 39.4-50.8 mm, shoot fresh weight 30.66-49.89 mg plant-1, root fresh weight 4.32-7.69 mg plant-1, shoot dry weight 3.25-7.99 mg plant-1, root dry weight 0.68-2.03 mg plant-1. In the emergence study, emergence rate ranged between 5.18-82.69%, shoot length 68-136.4 mm, root length 37.4-69.6 mm, shoot fresh weight 60.33-154.80 mg plant-1, root fresh weight 27.30-46.73 mg plant-1, shoot dry weight 3.97-10.24 mg plant-1, root dry weight 2.61-5.43 mg plant-1. In both experiments, the highest values obtained from all the examined traits were obtained from mature seeds. In both studies, the highest values were obtained from mature seeds for all traits examined. Semi-mature and immature seeds gave similar results in terms of the traits examined.

The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of extraction solvents on the anti-bacterial and anti-fungal efficacy of the stem and roots of Ajuga integrifolia Buch. Ham. ex D. Extracts were prepared in different solvents and tested against fungi and bacteria species including, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Xanthomonos oryzae, Citrobacter freundi, Alternaria alternata, A. solani and Aspergillus niger. Antibacterial efficacy of the Ajuga integrifolia was carried out by disc diffusion susceptibility method and antifungal efficacy by well diffusion susceptibility method. Methanol stem extract revealed efficacy against C. freundi by producing a 63% zone of inhibition at 3000µg/disc while methanol roots extract produced 77% ZI against A. tumifaciens. Methanol root and stem extracts produced an equal zone of inhibition (97%) at 1000 µg/ml concentration against A. alternata and A. solani. The results of the study clearly stated that the polarity of the solvents used in the extraction procedure affects the bioactivities of the extracts.

The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of extraction solvents on the anti-bacterial and anti-fungal efficacy of the stem and roots of Ajuga integrifolia Buch. Ham. ex D. Extracts were prepared in different solvents and tested against fungi and bacteria species including, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Xanthomonos oryzae, Citrobacter freundi, Alternaria alternata, A. solani and Aspergillus niger. Antibacterial efficacy of the Ajuga integrifolia was carried out by disc diffusion susceptibility method and antifungal efficacy by well diffusion susceptibility method. Methanol stem extract revealed efficacy against C. freundi by producing a 63% zone of inhibition at 3000µg/disc while methanol roots extract produced 77% ZI against A. tumifaciens. Methanol root and stem extracts produced an equal zone of inhibition (97%) at 1000 µg/ml concentration against A. alternata and A. solani. The results of the study clearly stated that the polarity of the solvents used in the extraction procedure affects the bioactivities of the extracts.