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Ethiopian Journal of Biodiversity - EthJBD
Vol 2 - No 1
Inoculation of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria (PGPR) in plant increase rhizosphere fertility and resulted in more efficient uptake of soil nutrients without harming the environment and human health. The present study aimed to examine the effect of either individual or consortium of PGPR inoculation on growth, yield, and grain nutrient uptake of teff varieties. Three potential PGPR strains (Pseudomonas fluorescens biotype G, Enterobacter cloacae ss disolvens, and Serratia marcescens ss marcescen) were used for this study. Field evaluation was carried out in RCBD with three replications and 10 treatments. Highly significant (P< 0.001) differences were observed among treatments for Plant height (PH), Panicle length (PL), number of the total spikelet (NTS), shoot dry weight (SDBM), Grain yield (GY), and Straw yield (SY). However, the interaction effect of the two factors (treatment x variety) did not significantly influence agronomic traits and grain nutrient uptake of the teff. The highest PH (133.5 cm), PL (53.2), NTS (30.9), SDBM (18.1 tha-1), SY (10.7 tha-1), and GY (2.7 tha-1) were observed on Dukem variety (Dz-01-974) inoculated with PGPR consortium. The magnitude of increase in grain yield per hectare was 450% over the control. Inoculation of consortium native PGPR showed better performance in promoting plant growth, yield, and grain nutrient uptake of teff varieties compared to the control and could be used as bacterial inoculant to enhance teff production and productivity.
Keywords: Biodiversity, Inoculant, PGPR, Treatment, Teff variety.
Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) remains as one of the top notorious invasive species threatening biodiversity, socio-economy, and health in tropics and subtropics of the globe. Public awareness, views and practices are weighty to prevent and manage its invasion. In this survey the knowledge, attitude, and practice of communities adjacent to Rift Valley Lakes were assessed through cross-sectional study design. Data were collected using semi structured questionnaires. The mean knowledge and attitude scores were significantly different by gender, education, and occupation (α = 5%, P ≤ 0.05). High level (> 50%) of knowledge and attitude were scored by 68.75% and 85% of respondents, respectively. More than half of the respondents scored a low practice level. Those who scored high practice (> 50%) represented 38.70% of the total respondents. Majority of respondents understood the adverse impacts, infestation factors, and some biological natures of water hyacinth. All respondents felt discomfort with the presence of the weed, and they had willingness to participate in
cleanup attempts. Overall, this survey showed that most of the adjacent communities had promising baseline knowledge of the weed and positive attitude to prevent its future invasion, but less practice to control its spread. The knowledge and attitude of the local communities has the potential to be translated into good water hyacinth management practices. Thus, the major actors particularly, the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, Regional Environment, Forest and Climate Change Authority, Federal and Regional water resource and agriculture related bureaus should act to translate communities’ knowledge and attitude into practices.
Keywords: Attitude, Invasive plants, Knowledge, Practice, Rift valley lakes, Water hyacinth.
The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is one of the world’s endangered species of large mammals. One of the main reasons for wild animals decline in Ethiopia is habitat destruction due to various human needs, insufficient budget allocation for managing protected areas, and other factors. In addition, incorporating economic valuation for conserving wild animal species from a total economic valuation perspective has been little studied. The present study was conducted to determine willingness to pay (WTP) using contingent valuation for the conservation of African elephant using a sample of rural residents (n = 183) living adjacent to Chebera-Churchura National Park (CCNP). Logit model was used to analyze variables that determine respondent’s willingness to pay. The result showed that most of the households (83%) were willing to support the conservation of elephants in CCNP. Variables such as crop damage by elephant, awareness of respondents about the importance of elephant for present and future generations, the income of respondents, and location of residents from the park were the major determinant of respondents’ willingness to pay. Residents were willing to pay up to 2.78 million birr which is equivalent to about 95 thousand USD (average exchange rate in the 2019 year; 1$ = 29.2 birr) annually for the conservation of African elephant in CCNP within four years. The result showed that commitment of local communities in support of the government in the conservation of African elephant is very promising and economic valuation in wild animal conservation has to be considered.
Keywords: African elephant, Chebera-Churchura National Park, Economic valuation, Willingness to pay.
The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is one of the world’s endangered species of large mammals. One of the main reasons for wild animals decline in Ethiopia is habitat destruction due to various human needs, insufficient budget allocation for managing protected areas, and other factors. In addition, incorporating economic valuation for conserving wild animal species from a total economic valuation perspective has been little studied. The present study was conducted to determine willingness to pay (WTP) using contingent valuation for the conservation of African elephant using a sample of rural residents (n = 183) living adjacent to Chebera-Churchura National Park (CCNP). Logit model was used to analyze variables that determine respondent’s willingness to pay. The result showed that most of the households (83%) were willing to support the conservation of elephants in CCNP. Variables such as crop damage by elephant, awareness of respondents about the importance of elephant for present and future generations, the income of respondents, and location of residents from the park were the major determinant of respondents’ willingness to pay. Residents were willing to pay up to 2.78 million birr which is equivalent to about 95 thousand USD (average exchange rate in the 2019 year; 1$ = 29.2 birr) annually for the conservation of African elephant in CCNP within four years. The result showed that commitment of local communities in support of the government in the conservation of African elephant is very promising and economic valuation in wild animal conservation has to be considered.
Keywords: African elephant, Chebera-Churchura National Park, Economic valuation, Willingness to pay.
Coffee is a fundamental export commodity of many African countries. Despite its importance for the national economy of countries, its production and productivity are predicted to be negatively affected by climate change. This review aimed to synthesize the observed and anticipated impacts of climate change on the distribution and productivity of Arabica coffee. To this end, a systematic review of literature was employed. The evidence showed that suitable areas for Arabica coffee cultivation will diminish by 60% by 2050 and vanish at the end of the 21 in Africa if the business as usual scenario continues and interventions are not taken in time. The productivity of coffee has been declining and is predicted to decline substantially (25-60%) by 2050 in Africa. Consequently, the livelihood of smallholder producers and the economy of coffee growing countries are at risk and under a vicious circle of poverty. Furthermore, the African share of the world’s Arabica coffee production has been declining with a current share of 12% calling for increasing productivity and ensuring benefit-sharing through securing sustainability and value additions. As climate changes, the currently suitable area for coffee production declines, and shifts to highlands. Consequently, conflicts over land use priorities and deforestation for coffee cultivation will cause the loss of biodiversity. Mainstreaming biodiversity in the coffee production system, interventions for climate change adaptation and mitigation as well as promoting in-situ conservation of the coffee gene pool are important to ensure sustainable utilization of genetic resources.
Keywords: Biodiversity, Climate change, Coffea arabica, Conservation.
Eriosema cordifolium (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) is a wild edible plant that belongs to the Fabaceae family. Its tuber is harvested from the wild for local use as food and consumed raw as a snack especially by children. However, no study was yet undertaken on its seed germination and nutritive values which are among the requirements useful for its conservation and utilization. The aim of this preliminary study is thus to investigate the germination pretreatment and nutritive value of E. cordifolium. The germination requirement was studied using four different methods: using sand substrata and keeping in the oven at 33oC, soaking in cold water for 24 hrs, soaking in hot water (70oC) for 15 minutes and applying mechanical scarification. For nutrition analysis, dried tubers were ground into powder and crude fat, mineral ash and moisture content were analyzed in replicates following standard methods. The germination tests showed that mechanical scarification is the most promising method which resulted in 65% of seed germination. The result of the nutritional analysis showed an average crude fat content of 0.55%, ash content of 6.05% and 16.59% moisture content. The findings reported here could lay the basis for further research on the species.
Keywords: Eriosema cordifolium, Germination, Pretreatment, Nutrition.