Quality of Soil in Gossaigaon Sub-Division and Its Impact on Environmental Degradation

People on Earth are under tremendous threat due to undesired changes in the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water and soil. Due to increased human population, industrialization, use of unwanted amounts of fertilizers and man-made activities, water and soil is highly polluted with different harmful contaminants. Natural water and soil contaminates due to weathering of rocks and leaching of soils, mining processing etc. It is necessary that the quality of drinking water and soil should be checked at regular time interval, because due to use of contaminated drinking water, human population suffers from variety of water borne diseases. The study area, Gossaigaon sub-division of Kokrajhar district, Assam lies on the north bank of the Brahmaputra river and is slowly sloping towards south from the foothills of Bhutan upto an average height of 42 MSL. The tributaries of the Brahmaputra- Sankosh, Ripu, Dambra, Bura chara, Gadadhar, Gurufella, Madati, Hel, Gongea are flowing southward which have their sources in the Himalayas. In this paper an attempt has been made to assess the quality of soil of 10 different stations by considering the parameters like Colour, Temperature, pH value, Conductance, Alkalinity, Dissolved Oxygen, Hardness, TS, TDS, Chlorine, Fluorine, Sulphur, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Iron, Calcium and Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Zinc, Nickel, Lead and Copper which have direct correlation with human health.

Enhancing Germination of Seeds of Cassia abbreviata and Senegalia nigrescens Using Pre-Sowing Seed Treatments in Botswana

Cassia abbreviata and Senegalia nigrescens are indigenous trees found in North and Central regions of Botswana. However, inadequate knowledge of their silviculture and decline in population due to deforestation, expanding settlements, infrastructure and agriculture are major threats to most indigenous tree species in Botswana. Like many indigenous tree species, Cassia abbreviata and Senegalia nigrescens are slow-growing and are threatened by overexploitation for numerous uses. Because of the increased demand for medicinal uses, medicinal species such Cassia abbreviata are rapidly disappearing in many habitats and threatened to extinction. This study assessed the response of pre-sowing treatment methods on quiescency and germination of seeds of Cassia abbreviata and Senegalia nigrescens tree species found in semiarid Savanna Ecozone of Botswana. Pre-sowing treatment included immersion in 98% undiluted sulfuric acid (H2SO4) for 15, 30, 45 and 60 minutes, submergence in boiling water for one, two, three minutes and submerged in warm water for 24 hours, mechanical scarification of the seed coat and control. ANOVA showed that there is a highly significant difference (P < 0.0001) among the treatments of C. abbreviata in seed germination and no significant difference among the treatments of S. nigrescens. The highest germination percentage of C. abbreviata seeds was 81%, which was found from seeds immersed in H2SO4 for 30 minutes, while for S. nigrescens seeds, the highest germination percentage was 99%, which was found from seeds treated with mechanical scarification and those immersed in H2SO4 for 15 and 45 minutes. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of pretreatment methods on germination of C. abbreviata and S. nigrescens seeds. Based on these results, we recommend sulphuric acid and mechanical scarification as suitable seed pre-sowing treatments for enhancing the germination of C. abbreviata and S. nigrescens, respectively.

The Potential of Fungi as Bio-Control Agents in Managing Colletotrichum Kahawae In Kenya

Colletotrichum kahawae is a causative fungal agent of Coffee Berry Disease (CBD) that negatively affects coffee production. Its control relies on use of resistant varieties and chemical control. Fungicides used in control of CBD are costly and pose a risk to environment and health. The study was aimed at assessing the possible antagonistic potential of fungal isolates against Colletotrichum kahawae in in vitro conditions. Five isolates were used; one isolate was collected from berries while the rest were collected from soil. Testing for antagonism against Colletorichum kahawae was done by co-culturing the isolates on Potato Dextrose Agar. The degree of antagonism was determined by measuring and comparing the radial growth of pathogen with the bio-agent against the control. Out of the five isolates tested against C. kahawae, three isolates Fusarium proliferetum, Penicillium and Fusarium ceraneasum significantly inhibited test pathogen growth at 60%, 55% and 45.45%, respectively. The other isolates, Fumigatus aspergillus and Chaetomium perithecia showed inhibition of growth at 40% and 18.18% respectively. It was concluded that there is potential of using fungi as bio control of the coffee berry disease.

Effect of Seaweed Extracts on Ornamental Plants: Article Review

Seaweed extracts have been used in organic agriculture to encourage the development and strengthen the quality performance of floricultural crops. The effectiveness of the seaweed extract is built entirely on hormone levels of plants or otherwise micro nutrients in the crude extract (primarily cytokines). A review of the use of seaweed on ornamental plants is carried out in the most modern research. Concerning their growth and flowering possibilities, the effectiveness of algae in ornamental plants has been validated. The purpose of this systematic review was to illustrate progress throughout the treatment of seaweeds for growth regulators to summarize the organic compounds of seaweeds as well as to investigate the challenges that encourage the application of macroalgae to manipulate various biotic and abiotic stress of crops. Seaweeds are still completely unaffected internationally; we emphasize several of the subsequent preferences for research and innovation. This whole review aims to facilitate the reader’s attention to utilize various seaweeds to increase the features and yield of ornamental crops.

Enset Production, Its Challenges and Controlling Methods in South Omo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman) is economically a useful crop that provides forage for animals, construction materials, fuel and traditionally it is used as a medicine. The production and productivity of enset is mainly affected by many diseases and pests which causes serious devastating cultivar diversity and finally a yield lose of the crop. Moreover, its production sustainability is also threatened by many factors like wild animal pests, enset root pests, high population pressure and the shift of the producers to cash-oriented crop production. The assessment on enset production, its challenges and controlling methods was carried out in Debub Ari district of South Omo Zone, in southern Ethiopia from November 2021 to January 2021 in four randomly selected representative Kebeles. Simple random sampling method were employed to select a representative sample of the study (n = 138). Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through structured questionnaire, focus group discussions, individual interview and personal observations. The collected data were analyzed by using appropriate simple descriptive statistics. The land under enset production is declining from time to time, as well as its production also declines due to social, bio-physical and environmental factors such as land fragmentation, enset bacterial welt, insects and pests and environmental variability factors. To overcome these factors farmers practicing many controlling methods such as by burying the infected plants, restricting the movement of infected plant materials, sterilizing production tools and raising awareness about how to protect disease like enset bacterial welt and use of aluminum phosphate for pests like mole rate.

Enrichment of Restraint to Endmost Salinity and Outmost pH Circumstance in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Nodulating Rhizobial Isolates from Eastern Hararghe Lowlands around Babile, Eastern Ethiopia, through Mutagenesis.

This study was committed to examining the symbiotic efficacy difference between wild and mutant rhizobial isolates from lowlands of eastern Ethiopia around Babile, and at the same time to appreciate the enrichment effect of mutagenesis on restraint of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) nodulating rhizobia to Endmost Salinity and Outmost pH Circumstance. A total of 50 wild rhizobia isolate, and 8 mutant isolates; after mutagenesis were selected based on their ability to endure endmost salt and outmost pH circumstances at laboratory condition. All of the mutants were found to be symbiotically effective. Among the observed rhizobium isolates, wild isolates HUCR (3D, 3A), HUCR 2D, and mutant isolate HUCRM 2D showed the highest symbiotic efficacy. Only the mutant isolates HUCRM2D (tolerated 12% NaCl, and pH4 and pH12), HUCRM5C (tolerated 12% NaCl and pH 4), HUCRM3B (tolerated 12% NaCl) and HUCRM9C (tolerated 11% NaCl) were growing effectively at the point out utmost conditions. Therefore, based on their restraint to utmost conditions and symbiotic efficacy, the above mentioned wild and mutant rhizobia isolates were suggested as nominees for the future development of common bean biofertilizer that grown under endmost saline and outmost pH conditions.

Major Root and Tuber Crops Production in South Omo Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Increasing production and productivity of agriculture in general and root and tuber crops in particular require a strong linkage between the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. The growing in agriculture sector does not occur without non-agricultural sectors. The major root and tuber crops production and productivity in South Omo Zone, Southern Ethiopia is very low in relation to the land coverage under the crops, due to poor and under recommended rate of improved agricultural technology utilization and low skill of management and related practices by the producers. To solve these root and tuber related problems and increase the production and productivity of the crops, strong and result based farmers training centers and interlinked research extension system are important and strongly interconnected . This study was conducted in five districts of South Omo Zone namely Debub Ari from agricultural based, Malle and Bena-Tsemay from agro-pastoral, Hammer, and Dasenech from pastoral. The districts are selected purposively based on root and tuber crop production potential. The result shows that the area coverage, production and productivity of the major root and tuber crops decreases from time to time and their diseases and pests increases thoroughly. Farmers in the study area should use disease resistance varieties and the production inputs at a recommended rate and time. The major root and tuber crops that are grown in the study area are sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), potato (Solanum tuberosum), cassava (Manihot esculenta), taro (Colocasia esculenta), and enset (Ensete ventricosum).

Isolation and Assessment of the Symbiotic Efficiency of Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) Nodulating Rhizobial Isolates from Eastern Hararghe Highlands of Ethiopia

This particular work was devoted to isolate and assess the symbiotic efficiency of faba bean (Vicia faba L.)-nodulating rhizobia isolate at few faba bean growing areas of the eastern Hararghe highlands of Ethiopia. Overall 50 rhizobia isolates were obtained from soil samples of three Woredas (districts) of the eastern Hararghe highlands using the host trap method. Out of these 50 isolates, 40 were presumptively identified as rhizobia. Among these 40 rhizobia isolates, only 31 were successful to nodulate faba bean, and authenticated as true faba bean nodulating rhizobia. Concerning the symbiotic efficiency, about 52%, 35%, and 13% of the rhizobial isolates were found to be highly effective, effective, and lowly-effective, respectively. The correlation data on the sand experiment displayed that nodule dry weight was associated positively and significantly (r = 0.494, p<0.05) with shoot dry weight while shoot dry weight was associated positively and significantly (r=0.41, p<0.05) with plant total nitrogen. Positive correlations were also observed concerning shoot dry weight and dry weight of nodules (r = 0.7, p<0.05) on unsterilized soil. Among the observed rhizobium isolates, EHHFR (4A, 6A) showed the highest symbiotic efficiency above 110%, tolerated NaCl concentration ranging from 2% to 6% and 2% to 8%, respectively, and a pH range of 4.5 to 8 and 5 to 8, respectively. Thus, based on their symbiotic efficiency at the greenhouse level and relative tolerance to extreme conditions these faba bean nodulating rhizobia isolates were recommended to be used as nominees for the future development of faba bean rhizobial inoculants after being tested on field conditions.