Derbew Belew

Development of Microsatellite Markers and Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides from Ethiopia.

Twenty three polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed for citrus plant pathogenic fungus, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, and were used to analyze genetic diversity and population structure of 163 isolates from four different geographical regions of Ethiopia. These loci produced a total of 118 alleles with an average of 5.13 alleles per microsatellite marker. The polymorphic information content values ranged from 0.104 to 0.597 with an average of 0.371. The average observed heterozygosity across all loci varied from 0.046 to 0.058. The gene diversity among the loci ranged from 0.106 to 0.664. Unweighted Neighbor-joining and population structure analysis grouped these 163 isolates into three major groups. The clusters were not according to the geographic origin of the isolates. Analysis of molecular variance showed 85% of the total variation within populations and only 5% among populations. There was low genetic differentiation in the total populations (FST = 0.049) as evidenced by high level of gene flow estimate (Nm = 4.8 per generation) among populations. The results show that Ethiopian C. gloeosporioides populations are generally characterized by a low level of genetic diversity. The newly developed microsatellite markers were useful in analyzing the genetic diversity and population structure of the C. gloeosporioides populations. Information obtained from this study could be useful as a base to design strategies for better management of leaf and fruit spot disease of citrus in Ethiopia.

Profitability of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) as affected by NP nutrition and variety in Southern Ethiopia

Profitability of different rates of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and five potato varieties (Bellete, Gudene, Jalene, Marachere and local check) was investigated in southern Ethiopia to find out rates of the nutrients and varieties that would give acceptable returns and likely to be adopted by smallholder farmers in the locality. Factorial combination of N (0, 55.5 and 111 kg/ha) and P (0, 19.5 and 39 kg/ha) were applied to the main plots while the five varieties were to the sub plots of split-plot design and replicated three times. Both factors had significant effect on tuber yield, but there were no significant interaction effect. Significant treatments of this experiment were, therefore, subjected to economic analysis using partial budget procedure. Economic analysis showed that 0:19.5, 55.5:19.5 and 55.5:39 kg NP/ha and varieties Bellete, Jalene and Marachere were economically superior and stable even within a price variability range of 20% in the locality. In conclusion, application of NP nutrients with the rate of 0:19.5, 55.5:19.5 or 55.5:39 kg/ha for the varieties Bellete, Jalene and Marachere were identified profitable treatments for lucrative production of potato in the study area. Key words: Dominance analysis, economic analysis, partial budget, smallholder farmers, tuber yield.

In vitro Aseptic Culture Establishment of Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) Varieties Using Shoot Tip Explants

Two sugarcane varieties namely, ‘B41-227’ and ‘N14’ were tested for in vitro culture establishment response under five levels of BAP (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 mgL-1) and kinetin (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 mgL-1) in a completely randomized design with 2*5*5 factorial treatment combinations. The objective was to determine the optimum concentration and combination of BAP and kinetin for in vitro culture establishment of shoot tip explants. Among the different concentrations and combinations of BAP and kinetin tested, Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 3 mgL-1 BAP without kinetin for B41-227; and 3 mgL-1 BAP along with 1.5 mgL-l kinetin for N14 exhibited a better response than the other concentrations in percent initiated shoot tip explants, percent of dead or not responding cultures, number of shoots per explant and average shoot length of the sugarcane varieties. These media established 93.33% of shoot tip explants with 4.5 ± 0.11 shoots per explant and 3.15 ± 0.28 cm shoot length in B41-227; and initiated 76.67% shoot tip explants with 3.3 ± 00 shoots per explant and 4.58 ± 0.28 cm shoot length in N14 after 30 days of culture.

Effect of Nitrogen Rates and Irrigation Regimes on Water Use Efficiencyof Selected Potato Varieties in Jimma Zone, West Ethiopia

Ethiopia has possibly the greatest potential for potato production. But its contribution to food security is less due to poor agronomic techniques and other factors which require improving the ways of resources use. This experiment was conducted in Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine greenhouse to study the effect of nitrogen rates and irrigation regimes on water and nitrogen use efficiency of selected potato varieties (Jalenie, Guassa and Degemegn), using three nitrogen rates (130, 110, 90 kg/ha), and three irrigation regimes (full irrigation (100%), 80% and 60% of full irrigation) on clay textured fine top soil filled to poly ethylene pot of 15 liter and 30 cm upper diameter. The experiment was 3 × 3 × 3 factorial with three replications laid down in a Randomized Complete Block Design. Interaction of variety and irrigation significantly affected water use efficiency (WUE). Jalenie variety recorded the highest WUE at 80% irrigation, but was on par with Guassa varieties at 100% irrigation. The lowest WUE was obtained from Degemegn variety at 100% irrigation even though there was no significant difference among the three irrigations. From the results, it can be concluded that irrigation regimes and variety were significantly affected water use efficiency of the potato varieties while the nitrogen rates and interaction between or among factors holding nitrogen combination were not influenced the water use efficiency of the potato varieties significantly. As this is output of greenhouse condition, open field experiment is suggested to be carried out to come up with conclusive results.

“The farmer and her husband”: Engendering the curriculum in a Faculty of Agriculture in an Ethiopian university

abstract This focus piece comes out of a recognition that higher institutions can and must play a key role in transforming the gendered landscape of food security. Close to 70% of labour related to post-harvest in Ethiopia is carried out by women. However, this does not mean that decision-making in a family (about what to grow or how to market it) is determined by women, and it also does not mean that women have equal access (compared to men) to resources and to status more broadly. Alongside this analysis is a recognition that women are often left out of the development of new technologies that could change the nature of their labour. While clearly there is a need to mainstream gender in the curriculum of post-harvest in higher education institutions, the unique challenges facing universities (especially in Agriculture) remains an area that is under-studied, even though within the development literature more generally the idea of mainstreaming and integrating gender has had prominence at least for several decades in Ethiopia. The article focuses on two key aspects of engendering the curriculum: (1) what is taught, and (2) who is teaching and who is being taught. Drawing first on the idea of mapping the roles and responsibilities of men and women in various crop areas, the idea of a systematic approach to understanding the gender issues is highlighted. The focus goes on to look at the ways in which women are often absent from the curriculum, both in relation to female faculty members and female students. It ends with discussion of the way forward that includes some of the lessons learnt and some of the challenges required to ‘unleash’ the power of the farmer and her husband.