Agricultural sectors play an important role in the national economy and livelihood of rural households of Ethiopia .The main objective of this study was to identify the determinants of farm households’ livelihood strategies in Demba Gofa District of Gamo Gofa Zone of Southern Nation Nationalities and People Regional State of Ethiopia. A purposive and random sampling technique was employed to select 147 household heads, and the triangulation method of research design was employed to conduct this research. Primary data was collected using key informant interview, focus group discussion, household observations and interview schedule while secondary datawere collected from office reports, documents, books, and publications. Both descriptive and econometric data analysis techniques were applied. The multinomial logit model result for determinants of choices of livelihood strategies revealed that out of the 15 explanatory variables, the choice of agriculture plus off farm livelihood strategy was determined by agro-ecology, farmland size, livestock holding and leadership position, the choice of agriculture plus nonfarm was affected by irrigation use, credit use, distance from near market center and leadership position, and choice of agriculture plus off farm plus nonfarm was influenced by, the education level of the household head, size of farmland, frequency of extension service, irrigation use, credit use, distance from near market center and leadership position of household heads. The finding of this study revealed that most farm households who chose farm and nonfarm livelihood strategies were improved their livelihood status. The results of this study suggest that any interventions in the livelihood of farm households need to consider the asset level they own, the dynamics of livelihood system and socio-economic contexts of the area.

Matrix-based fertilizers (MBFs) are comprised inorganic N and P in compounds that are relatively loosely bound to more tightly bound in fertilizer formulations combined with mixtures of Al2(SO4)3?3H2O and/or Fe2(SO4)3?3H2O plus the high ionic exchange compounds cellulose and lignin. The MBFs were tested for their efficacy to reduce Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. and nutrients in leachate and soil after dairy manure application. One day after the first 15 Mg ha-1 dairy manure application, E. coli numbers were greater in leachate from control columns than in leachate from columns receiving MBFs. After three 15 Mg ha-1 dairy manure applications, E. coli and Enterococcus spp. numbers in leachates were not consistently different between columns receiving MBFs and controls. After a massive amount (three separate 15 Mg ha-1 applications) of dairy manure we did not find a breakthrough point for nutrients. In a separate experiment MBFs leached from 5 to 30 times less metolachlor and from 8 to 2678 times les diazinon than the untreated controls. The improved MBF matrix may potentially reduce fertilizer application rates and costs by enhancing the supply of nutrients from nutrient-bearing (polluted) surface waters.

Germination and seedling establishment are critical stages in the plant life cycle. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of phosphate solubilizing fungi on seed germination and seedling growth of Faba bean. Phosphorus is an essential macronutrient next to nitrogen required by plant for vital biosynthesis. Factorial experiment based a completely randomized block design with three replications were used. This experiment had two factors, the first factor with one level of bean cultivar. In the second factor, three levels of phosphate solubilizer fungi were applied as treatments. Single inoculation of each strain was done. The results revealed that seed treated withTrichosporon beigelii B, C. albidus var aurius, Phichia norvegensis and Control showed 780.43, 749.93, 618.23, 500.73 seedling vigor index respectively and improved germination rates up to 91%. The highest mean growth of plumule length (5.6 cm) and radicle length (3.42) within 15 days growth recorded by Trichosporon beigelii B, and C.albidus var aurius respectively. The results of this study suggest that T. begili and C. albidus var aurius have the potential to increase the growth and development of plumul size, radicle length, and fresh biomass of Faba bean seed. Bio-priming is a promising technique for vital application of using beneficial microbes to promote seed germination and seedling development through phytase enzyme production, phyto hormone production, phosphate solubilization and other plant growth promoting properties as well as bio control activities.

A series of tests were conducted in poultry farms to select some suitable bait formulations to be used, for the management of rodent pests. A number of locally available and palatable food grains including viz. millet (whole), wheat (cracked), maize (cracked) and rice (broken) were tested for their preference to rodents. In no-choice test millet was the most preferred food items, followed by wheat, rice and maize to the poultry rodents. While, in multiple choice feeding test again consumption of millet was higher than rice, whereas difference between consumption of millet and wheat was non-significant. Similarly locally available taste additives namely peanut cracked (5%), yeast (2%), fish meal (5%), egg shell powder (5%), carbon disulphide (CS2) 30ppm and jaggery (gur/sugar 5%) were offered to the poultry rodents by mixing in millet–wheat (used in equal quantity) bait. Paired choice feeding test revealed that consumption of bait added with egg shell was significantly higher (P > 0.05) than rest of the five additive baits. Whereas, the order of preference of various bait formulations in multiple choice feeding test was as follow; egg shell bait >yeast bait >peanut bait > CS2 bait > jaggery bait > plain bait > fish meal bait.Use of above mentioned grain bait with 5% egg shell was tested for its effectiveness to carry the lethal quantities of an acute rodenticide (2% zinc phosphide) and an anticoagulant rodenticide (0.0375% coumatetralyl). The reduction in rodent activity with the usage of 2% zinc phosphide treatment was 70%. Coumatetralyl (0.0375%) gave relatively better success and resulted in 82% reduction of the rodent activity.

Matrix-based fertilizers (MBFs) are comprised inorganic N and P in compounds that are relatively loosely bound to more tightly bound in fertilizer formulations combined with mixtures of Al2(SO4)3?3H2O and/or Fe2(SO4)3?3H2O plus the high ionic exchange compounds cellulose and lignin. The MBFs were tested for their efficacy to reduce Escherichia coli and Enterococcus spp. and nutrients in leachate and soil after dairy manure application. One day after the first 15 Mg ha-1 dairy manure application, E. coli numbers were greater in leachate from control columns than in leachate from columns receiving MBFs. After three 15 Mg ha-1 dairy manure applications, E. coli and Enterococcus spp. numbers in leachates were not consistently different between columns receiving MBFs and controls. After a massive amount (three separate 15 Mg ha-1 applications) of dairy manure we did not find a breakthrough point for nutrients. In a separate experiment MBFs leached from 5 to 30 times less metolachlor and from 8 to 2678 times les diazinon than the untreated controls. The improved MBF matrix may potentially reduce fertilizer application rates and costs by enhancing the supply of nutrients from nutrient-bearing (polluted) surface waters.

The article gives the results of studies of the effect of soil and fertilizer treatment on the productivity of winter wheat in the Ganja-Gazakh zone of Azerbaijan. The positive effect of fertilizers on plants of winter wheat is manifested only in well-cultivated soils with a reaction of the environment close to neutral. At the same time it is proved that between the intensity of the application of mineral fertilizers and the productivity of grain crops around the world, a close direct dependence is established. Consequently, the highest yield of grain here was obtained in the variant of dung 10t / ha + N90P90K60 57.1 c / ha, an increase of 24.3 c / ha or 74.1%, where the yield increase by 40- 50% is due to the application of fertilizers

Hot water extracts of five fungicidal plants (Piper guineense, Zingiber officinale, Azadirachta indica, Carica papaya and Nicotiana tabacum) and a synthetic fungicide (mancozeb) were tested for in vitro inhibitory activities on Fusarium oxysporum mycelial growth, the causal agent of yam tuber dry rot in storage using three different concentrations of plant extracts (30 g/L, 60 g/L and 90 g/L) and synthetic fungicide; mancozeb (4 g/L, 8 g/L and 12 g/L). The experiments were conducted at Advanced Plant Pathology Laboratory, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria. 5 mL of each concentration of the extract and chemical were separately amended in 15 mL of potato dextrose agar (PDA) in Petri dish and F. oxysporum was inoculated and incubated for 120 hours to determine the levels of effectiveness of the fungicides. The result showed that all the plant extracts were able to inhibit the mycelial growth of the pathogen with concentration III having the highest inhibitory effect in all the extracts. The three different concentrations of P. guineense were the best in activity followed by Z. officinale while the least effective extract was N. tabacum. There was a 100% inhibition when mancozeb was used irrespective of the levels of concentrations. Treatment of the test plant extracts significantly (P=0.05) reduced mycelial growth of F. oxysporum in vitro. The concentrations of 60 g/L and 90 g/L of plant extracts and 4 g/L of mancozeb consistently gave the highest percentage growth inhibition of the pathogen and were considered the best in controlling the pathogen. This study therefore, revealed thatP. guineense, Z. officinale, A. indica, C. papaya and N. tabacum were able to arrest the growth of F. oxysporum, the rot-causing fungus of white yam. These extracts will therefore, serve as good plant fungicides in protecting yam tubers against rot causing fungi in storage

Many people confuse plant nutrition with plant fertilization, but they are not the same. Plant nutrition refers to the needs and uses of the basic chemical elements in the plant. Fertilization is the term used when these materials are supplied to the environment around the plant. But chemical change may occur before a plant nutrient supplied in a fertilizer can be taken up and used by the plant. To achieve adequate plant nutrition, an appropriate balance of nutrients in the soil is necessary.

Celosia argentea L., dominant weed reported from crop field in Islampur of Sangli district of Maharashtra, India. It has been evaluated for its allelopathic potentiality against green gram (Vigna radiata L.). The laboratory experiments were conducted to assess carbohydrates during seed germination of green gram after treating with different concentrations (1, 2, 5, 10 and 20%) of stem, leaf and inflorescence aqueous leachates of C. argentea separately. This study revealed that the sugar and starch content in germinating seeds of green gram was inhibited under the treatment of aqueous inflorescence and leaf leachates of C. argentea. However, 1, 2 and 5% root leachates recorded the total sugar (0.712, 0.729 and 0.698g.100g-1) and starch (1.984, 1.763 and 1.651g.100g-1) was slightly higher than the control. The activity of enzyme a-amylase was increased after treatment of the aqueous leachates of all plant parts. This study indicated that some allelochemicals are present in aqueous leachates of C. argentea and it imposed on carbohydrates and stimulates the activity of a-amylase.

The demand of food is increasing day by day. On the other hand used of different type of pesticide also increasing which is affect the biodiversity conservation. The concept of agriculture is dynamic. Today agriculture is move to become sustainable agriculture. Inorganic fertilizer contains essential amounts of plants nutrients and it’s environmentally not sustainable. Different private organizations were continuously promoting inorganic fertilizer among the farmers. Organic manure is a good source of plant nutrients.

Azo is a local fermented condiment prepared by fermenting cooked Endod (Phytolaccadodecandra) leaves and sorghum porridge along with different spices in KaftaHumera, North West Tigray regional state. A wide variety of traditional fermented foods and condiments are consumed in Ethiopia The study aimed to identify Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fromAzo condiment by using OmnilogGenIII identification system. LAB was cultured on DeMan Rogosa Sharpe Agar (MRS agar) media. Pure bacterial cells were suspended in inoculum fluid A at 90-98% turbidity, 100 µ L cell suspension were transferred into 96 wells of GenIII micro Plate(71 carbon source utilization assays + 23 chemical sensitivity assays+ 2 controls) by digital pippetor and incubated at 30+2°C for 48 h, then read by Omnilog Reader, results were recorded and processed for identification by comparing the test organism with the data base of Omni log species library. Omni log acceptable results were above 0.5 similarity index value (SIM).The final result revealed that 3bacterial species were identified. Lactobacillus plantarum (0.795SIM), Lactobacillus delbrueckiiss lactis(0.719 SIM),Streptococcus criceti(0.689SIM).There was little information on LAB species associated with Azo condiments in Ethiopia. Currently, LAB is a focus of intensive international research for their essential role in fermented foods as a starter culture and for their ability to produce various antimicrobial compounds promoting probiotic properties in human health improvement.

Journal of Pesticides and Bio-Fertilizers

The article presents the study of geographic position, geological-geomorphological and soil-climatic characteristics in the example of Ganja-Kazakh and other massifs where the coordinates and subsoil volumes of water supplies are identified as an alternative source of water supply for orchards in the republic and their ability to provide fresh water to the population.

Society receives many benefits, called ecosystem services, from soils. Soils are essential for production of food, fibre, fuel and materials for shelter; additionally they provide a range of benefits that are difficult to quantify and have rarely been priced. Soil Quality is increasingly being proposed as an integrative indicator of environmental quality, food security and economic viability

The article demonstrates the effectiveness of sugar beet yields for comparative irrigation options as the manifestation of this technology, which has been widely applied in the country and around the world in terms of demonstrating the effectiveness of irrational irrigation systems. Expenditures on the production of products according to the optional products of microcrystalline products, using macros and microelements. with the experimental results of experimental research carried out in different regions of the country, with the introduction of microcirculation in the form of irrigation method for drip irrigation, the local area of ??the soil zone located in the root system of plants is well aerated and normal biological activity of microorganisms useful in soil , it is ensured that the required amount of continuous fertilizer is provided to the plants in order to produce optimal food, water and air regimes in the soil, which can improve the biological and physical development of the plant and, consequently, increase productivity and improve product quality is created condition.