Variation for resistance to Puccinia hordei in Ethiopian barley landraces

Summary Up to 100 single plant derived lines of 18 Ethiopian barley landraces were evaluated for infection type in the seedling and adult plant stage, and for latent period in the adult plant stage only. A low infection type indicates the presence of race-specific resistance genes of the hypersensitive type, while the latent period is the major component of the polygenic, partial resistance.In the seedling stage 1721 of these single plant derived landrace lines were assessed for infection type against two barley leaf rust races. In the adult plant stage 1227 from these 1721 lines were evaluated for infection type against one race. In the seedling stage 2 (against race 1-2-1) and 29 against race A) out of the 1721 lines showed an infection type lower than 6–7 on the 0 to 9 scale. In the adult plant stage none of the 1227 lines had an infection type lower than 6–7 against race 1-2-1.The variation between and within the landraces for latent period in the adult plant stage was large. Some landraces such as landrace 212845 showed a highly significant and longer mean latent period than most other landraces. Virtually all plants in all landraces carry at least some partial resistance.The near-absence of race-specific, major, resistance genes and the high frequency of moderate levels of partial resistance indicates that the durability of leaf rust resistance in Ethiopian barley landraces is due to the latter type of resistance, and that the multiline principle does not operate.     

Infectious bursal disease: seroprevalence and associated risk factors in major poultry rearing areas of Ethiopia

The study was conducted in eight districts of Ethiopia with the objectives of determining the seroprevalence and associated risk factors of infectious bursal disease (IBD). From the total of 2,597 chicken serum samples examined using ELISA, 83.1 % were found positive. The highest seroprevalence was found at Mekele (90.3 %) while the lowest was recorded at Gondar district (69.8 %). These differences among the study areas were statistically significant (p?<?0.05). Highest seroprevalence was found in crossbreed of chicken (91.4 %) while the lowest was recorded in indigenous breed of chicken (81.4 %). This difference was statistically significant (p?<?0.05) among the three breeds of chickens, but sex was not statistically significant (p?>?0.05). The seroprevalence of the disease was found high in young (≤8 weeks) age group (86.6 %) while the lowest prevalence was recorded in adults (>8 weeks) (72 %). This is also statistically significant (p?<?0.05) between young and adult age groups. The prevalence of IBD in different production system indicated that higher seroprevalence was recorded in intensive production system (85.9 %) while the lowest was recorded in extensive production system (81.6 %). This difference is also statistically significant (p?<?0.05).     

Occurrence of aphid vector and genetic tolerance to infection by potyvirus in hot pepper

The productivity and marketable quality of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum var. annuum L.) are low in tropical regions mainly due to virus infections and lack of effective virus management strategies. The absence of effective virus management strategies could be attributed to lack of information on virus vectors and host resistance. Parental (P₁ and P₂) and progeny (F₁, B₁, B₂ and F₂) generations of five hot pepper crosses were grown in Ethiopia at three sites (Bako, Hawasa and Melkasa) to monitor number and species of potential aphid vectors, disease incidence levels with regards to natural infections by Potato virus Y (PVY) and Ethiopian pepper mottle virus (EPMV) complex, and to determine genetic tolerance of the crop to the viruses. Disease incidence was assessed before the flowering stage of the crop plants using visible disease symptoms due to infections by PVY and EPMV. The serological tests revealed presence of symptomless genotypes of the crop to the virus infections. Aphid species potentially transmitting the viruses, such as Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), Aphis fabae (Scopoli), and Myzus persicae (Sulzer), were identified from specimens caught by yellow water traps. The highest number of aphids from yellow water traps was recorded at a dense foliage growth stage of the crop at Melkasa. Highly significant variation was observed among generations of the five crosses in response to infections by PVY and EPMV complex. The most susceptible parents had the levels of disease incidences ranging from 80 to 90%, whereas their progenies had only below 30% incidence levels. The most tolerant parent remained symptomless to the natural infections of PVY- and EPMV-complex. Incidence levels in progenies of a cross from the most susceptible and tolerant parents remained below 20%. Based on serological test, the proportion of PVY-positive plants ranged from 0 to 75% and of EPMV-positive plants from 0 to 25%, with 0 to 17% co-infection by the two viruses. Availability of virus sources in the vicinity, efficiency of aphids in vectoring, weather conditions during the growth period, genetic tolerance and the growth stage of the crop affected natural infection by PVY- and EPMV-complex. Exploitation of the genetic potential of introduced elite genotypes and their progenies along with breeding elite local cultivars for resistance and excluding aphid vectors at young (seedling) stage of the crop plants could be helpful for minimizing losses in yield and quality of hot pepper due to infections by PVY- and EPMV-complex.     

Longevity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Juniperus procera</Emphasis> seed lots under different storage conditions: implications for ex situ conservation in seed banks

Juniperus procera Endl. is economically important timber species, but its populations are extremely small and fragmented in its natural habitat, thus, calling for immediate ex situ conservation. Here we examined the effects of seed sources and storage temperature on the longevity of Juniperus procera seed lots through collection and preservation of seeds in seed banks. Seeds were collected from nine sites across the species natural distribution in Ethiopia and stored in four warehouses: modern cold room (5℃), mud house (15℃), concrete block house (17℃ or corrugated iron house (20℃) for 42 months. Every three months, a random sample of stored seeds were drawn and tested for germination. A highly significant variation (p < 0.01) in germination of stored seeds was observed among different storage environments, seed lots, and duration of storage. Over the storage period, seeds stored in the cold room had the highest mean percentage germination, followed by the mud house, corrugated house and blocket house. The cold room (41%) and the mud house (38%) maintained the same level of germination as the intitial germination of the seedlotds (42%). The variation in longevity of stored seeds was significnatly correlated with the initial germination of seed lots (r > 0.80; p < 0.01). Cold storage also resulted in enhancement of germination through its stratification effect that terminated the non-deepphysiological dormancy of juniper seeds. In conclusion, seed lots with good initial germination can be effectively stored in cold room (5℃) up to four years. In the absence of modern cold stores, mud houses can be used as a good alternative to store seeds at local level.     

Nutrient uptake and use efficiency of onion seed yield as influenced by nitrogen and phosphorus fertilization

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at Kulumsa, South East Ethiopia, using four levels of nitrogen (N) (0, 50,100 and 150?kg N ha^?1) and four levels of phosphorus (P) (0, 35, 70 and 105?kg P₂O₅ ha^?1) fertilizers arranged in 4?×?4 factorial arrangements in randomized complete block design with three replications. The available P was increased after harvest due to the application of N and P fertilizer at the rates of 100 or 150?kg N ha^?1 and 70 or 105?kg P₂O₅ ha^?1. More specifically, nutrients concentration and nutrient uptake were significantly (p?<?.01) varied among treatment combinations and nutrient use efficiency was declined by increasing N and P after optimum rates. The higher physiological efficiency of N (53.47?kg kg^?1) and P (580.41?kg kg^?1) and the highest apparent recovery of N (19.62%) and P (2.47%) was recorded from application of 50?kg N ha^?1 and P at 70?kg P₂O₅ ha^?1 and the highest agronomic efficiency of N (10.78?kg kg^?1) and P (15.25?kg kg^?1) was recorded from N at the rate of 50?kg N ha^?1 and P at 35?kg P₂O₅ ha^?1, respectively. The combination of N at 100?kg N ha^?1 and P at 70?kg P₂O₅ ha^?1 was promising combination that generated highest net benefit 488,878.5 ETB (Ethiopian birr) ha^?1 with the highest marginal rate of return (36638%) and gave the highest seed yield (1858.82?kg ha^?1) with yield increment of about 57.72% over the control.     

Cattle brucellosis in traditional livestock husbandry practice in Southern and Eastern Ethiopia,and its zoonotic implication

Background

Cattle brucellosis has significant economic and zoonotic implication for the rural communities in Ethiopia in consequence of their traditional life styles, feeding habits and disease patterns. Hence, knowledge of brucellosis occurrence in traditional livestock husbandry practice has considerable importance in reducing the economic and public health impacts of the disease.

Methods

A total of 1623 cattle sera were serially tested using the rose Bengal test as screening and complement fixation test as confirmatory tests. The Stata survey command was used to establish prevalences for the overall and individual variables, while potential risk factors for seropositivity were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Results

The results showed that 3.5% (95% CI = 2.4, 4.5%) of the animals and 26.1% (95% CI = 18.6, 33.7) of the herds tested had antibodies against Brucella species. Village level seroprevalence ranged from 0% to 100%. A higher seroprevalence was observed in pastoral system than mixed farming although this variable was not significant in the final model. The final logistic regression model identified herd size; with large (odd ratio (OR) = 8.0, 95% CI = 1.9, 33.6) and medium herds (OR = 8.1, 95% CI = 1.9, 34.2) showing higher risk of Brucella infection when compared to small herds. Similarly, the odds of Brucella infection was higher in cattle aged above 4 years when compared to age groups of 1-2 (OR = 5.4, 2.1, 12.9) and 3-4 years (OR = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.0, 9.6). Herd level analysis of the risk factors revealed that large and medium herds as well as herds kept with multiple livestock species were at higher risk of acquiring Brucella infection. Brucellosis in traditional livestock husbandry practices certainly poses a zoonotic risk to the public, in consequence of raw milk consumption, close contact with animals and provision of assistance during parturition. Due to lack of diagnostic facilities and information on its occurrence, human brucellosis is most likely misdiagnosed for other febrile diseases prevailing in the areas and treated empirically.

Conclusions

The results of this study demonstrated that bovine brucellosis is widely prevalent in the study areas particularly in pastoral production system. Hence, the study suggests the need for implementing control measures and raising public awareness on prevention methods of brucellosis.     

Plasticity of animal genome architecture unmasked by rapid evolution of a pelagic tunicate

Genomes of animals as different as sponges and humans show conservation of global architecture. Here we show that multiple genomic features including transposon diversity, developmental gene repertoire, physical gene order, and intron-exon organization are shattered in the tunicate Oikopleura, belonging to the sister group of vertebrates and retaining chordate morphology. Ancestral architecture of animal genomes can be deeply modified and may therefore be largely nonadaptive. This rapidly evolving animal lineage thus offers unique perspectives on the level of genome plasticity. It also illuminates issues as fundamental as the mechanisms of intron gain.     

Genotype × environment interaction and yield stability in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes in the central highland of Ethiopia

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Barley is one of the most important cereal crops cultivated over a wider environment in the diverse agro-ecologies in Ethiopia. Study on genotype by...     

Mating biology,nuclear DNA content and genetic diversity in spider plant (Cleome gynandra) germplasm from various African countries

Cleome gynandra (L.) Briq. is an African leafy vegetable with a potential to improve food security and micronutrient deficiencies. Cytological traits, breeding biology and genetic diversity of 30 selected entries of C. gynandra from six African countries were investigated. The entries consisted of advanced lines, gene bank accessions and farmers’ cultivars. Our study revealed chromosome numbers of 2n = 34 in root tip metaphase cells from one entry. The 30 entries were found to be diploid with genome sizes ranging from 2.31 to 2.45 pg/2C. Hand pollination experiments were carried out to assess self‐incompatibility within the entries and revealed that they are self‐ and cross‐compatible. For genetic diversity studies within and among the entries, the pooled data of 499 polymorphic bands from 11 amplified fragment length polymorphism primer combinations and nine simple sequence repeat markers were used. The genetic distance among the entries ranged from 0.13 to 0.77. In a principal coordinate analysis, the farmers’ cultivars formed a cluster separate from the advanced lines and the gene bank entries, and the latter were not well resolved.