http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/173 Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:42:52 GMT 2026-04-20T12:42:52Z http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/8358 ASSESSMENTOFAGRONOMICPRACTICESANDQUALITYATTRIBUTESCOFFEE(CoffeaarabicaL.)INMELKABELODISTRICTOFEASTHARARGHE,OROMIA,ETHIOPIA. Mustefa Mohammed Damana; Prof.Wassu Mohammed; Dr.Abrar Suale DespiteEthiopia'srichgeneticdiversityandfavorableclimateforcoffeecultivation,theyieldandqualityofEthiopiancoffeearebelowexpectations,primarilyduetotherelianceontraditionalproductionandagronomicpracticesmethods.Hararghecoffeeimprovementbothforyieldandqualityisvitalforthesustainabilityofitsproductionandfetchespremium pricesinworldmarket,butlimitedinformationongeneticvariabilityandassociationofagronomicpracticesandbeanqualitytraitsofHararghecoffeecollections.Thisstudyaimed toidentifysuitableagronomicpracticestoenhancecoffeequalityattributesintheMelkaBeloDistrictandtoexaminetheimpactofthesepracticesoninherentcoffeequality.Theresearchinvolved Thirtyseven coffee collectionsevaluatedforqualityattributesfrom xii private’sfarmers’fieldsatMelkaBelodistrictin2023/24,andbeanqualitytraitsofcollectionsdeterminedincompleterandomizeddesignwiththreereplicationsatcoffeequalitylaboratoryofJimmaAgriculturalResearchCenter.Theanalysisofvariancerevealedthepresenceofsignificantdifferencesamongcoffeecollectionsforall37deferentagronomicpracticeandbeanqualitytraits.Significantvariationsinbothphysicalandcupcoffeequalitytraitswereobservedduetodifferentagronomicpractices(P≤0.05),withnotableinteractioneffectsbetweentreatments.Specificcoffeesamples(coded21from WayuBoko(85.00%),17and19fromTokumaJalala,(85.00%)and8from FiriKebso(84.00%)demonstratedsuperiorquality,particularlyinphysicalandcupqualityattributes.Thefindingsindicatedthatwell-managedagronomicpracticesresultedincoffeewithgoodbodyandattractiveflavor,whilemoderatemanagementyieldedintermediaryresults.Thequalityofcoffee decreased in a descending orderfrom bettertopooreragronomicmanagement,suggestingtheneedfortailoredpracticesunderspecificconditions.Thestudyconcludesthatsustainableproductionofhigh-qualitycoffeerequirescarefulmanagementofagronomic practices,suitablecoffeetypes,andsiteconditions.Italso recommends furtherresearchtoevaluateanddevelopappropriateagronomicpracticesfordifferentagro-ecologiesandcultivars,aswellastoexplorenichemarketopportunitiesforMalkaBeloandHararghecoffee 86p. Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/8358 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/8297 OPTIMIZATION OF STERILIZATION CHEMICALS AND GROWTH REGULATORS ON IN-VITRO SHOOTING AND ROOTING OF Aloe pubescens REYNOLDS Zara Gebi Dadi; (PhD) Alok Kumar; Prof. Wassu Mohammed Aloe pubescens Reynolds is one of the endemic endangered Aloe species in eastern highlands and lowlands of Ethiopia, and its propagation for conservation, medicinal, other industrial purposes is not well known. Thus, this research was carried out to optimize the concentrations and durations of chemicals for sterilization of explants, concentrations of NAA and BAP for, in-vitro propagation,and survival rates of regenerated plants on different media under glass house conditions. The sterilization of shoot tip and leaf segment as explants, three concentrations of bavistin (0.1, 0.2, 0.3%) for three time durations (20, 15, and 10 minutes) and three concentrations of mercuric chloride (HgCl2) for three-time durations (15, 10, and 5 minutes) in factorial combination. The inv-itro shoot regeneration consisted of 32 treatments in factorial combination viz. two explants in full-strength MS media enriched with four concentrations of NAA (0,0.25,0.5,1 mg L−1) and BAP (0,1,2,4 mg L−1). The rooting experiment was conducted with half-strength MS medium supplemented with three concentrations of IBA (0.5, 1 and 2 mgL−1) and NAA (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mgL−1) along with control. All the three experiments were conducted in Complete Randomized design with factorial arrangement and replicated trice at plant biotechnology laboratory of Haramaya University. The plantlets were first acclimatized in sterilized soil under the growth chamber followed by acclimatization glass house in a pots filled with sand +soil (1:1); sand + compost (1:1); and sand + soil + compost (1:1:1). The results of sterilization showed that percentages of dead, infected, survival and healthy disinfected explants were significantly influened by bavistin, HgCl2 interaction of these two factors and interaction of explants and bavistin. The interaction of the three factors (explants, bavistin and HgCl2) had significant effect on percentages of infected and healthy disinfected explants. All the parameters of shoot initiation and multiplication from direct in vitro propagation were significantly influenced by NAA and BAP and combination of the two hormones. No of dead and all survival explants were registered by sterilization with HgC12 at concentrations of 0.05% and 0.2% for 15 and 5 minutes, respectively, The highest dead (80%) and lowest survival (20%) explants were registered by sterilization with bavistin at concentration of 0.3% for 10 minutes in combination with HgC12 at concentration of 0.2% for 5 minutes. All the treatments except control and BAP alone at concentration of 4 mgL-1 result 100% and 91.67% shoot initiation. The combination of BAP at 1, 2 and 4 and NAA at 0.5 mgL-1 and BAP alone at 2 mgL-1 concentration produced significantly higher shoot per explants (3 to 4). The shortest days to rooting (18 days) was observed due to the half-strength MS medium enriched with control while the maximum days (24 days) was observed by application of IBA at 0.5 mgL-1 concentration. Total survival of microprpagted plantlets was observed during acclimatization at growth chamber and at glass house except 50% survival observed at pots filled with 1:1 ratio of compost and sand. Although shoot and root regenerations were successful it was concluded that it is vital to conduct further experiments to establish protocols for in vitro propagation of Aloe pubescens Reynoids by including more than two explants and PGR for invitro propagation 79p. Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/8297 2024-09-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/7936 EFFECTS OF STEM CUTTING NODE NUMBER AND ROOTING MEDIA ON GROWTH, SEED TUBER YIELD AND YIELD-RELATED TRAITS OF POTATO (Solanum tuberosum L.) AT HARAMAYA, EASTERN ETHIOPIA Abdinasir Said; (PhD) Bezu, Tewodros Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important crop in Ethiopia for nutritional security and poverty alleviation. Shortage of disease-free and quality planting material led to a lower production of potatoes. In this regard, soil and tuber borne diseases free planting materials can be produced by stem cutting and it will be used an alternative seed multiplication method. However, this practice is not common and recommendations are lacking for stem-cutting node number and rooting media using stem-cutting techniques for potato seed production in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of stem cutting node number and rooting media on rooting performance, seedling growth, seed tuber yield, and yield-related traits at Haramaya, eastern Ethiopia, during the main cropping season of 2023. Three levels of cutting node number (one node, two nodes, and three nodes), and five types of rooting media [coco peat, sand (2 mm grain size), forest soil, coco peat + sand (1:1), and sand + forest soil (1:1)] in factorial combinations and laid in a completely randomized design (CRD), evaluated under a lath house. In a separate condition experiment, the rooted stem cuttings were transplanted in the field and studied for growth, tuber yield, and yield-related traits in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The rooting media significantly influenced all the parameters except root fresh weight and leaf width. The best root quality was obtained from cuttings rooted in a cocopeat+sand 1:1, and the highest survival rate (83%) was observed in cocopeat media. The best seedling growth was obtained from the cutting with three nodes, which recorded maximum number of leaves (509.5 per plant), number of branches (11.6 per plant), and plant height (86.2 cm). The cuttings rooted in forest soil produced the highest values in most of the growth and yield parameters. Using forest soil as rooting media produced the maximum leaf number per plant (549.2), number of branches per plant (12.3), plant height (91.3 cm), average tuber mass per plant (0.41kg), total tuber yield (33.4t ha-1), total seed tuber yield (32.5t ha-1), large tuber size number (50.9%) and yield (26.4 t ha-1). Thus, considering the overall performances, it is recommended to use the forest soil medium as rooting media of Bubu potato variety propagated from stem cutting to produce planting materials free from soil and tuber borne diseases in the study area. However, as this study was conducted in a single location and in a single season, it would be better to conduct an in-depth investigation under various macroclimatic and rooting media 88p. Sat, 01 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/7936 2024-06-01T00:00:00Z http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/7908 EFFECTS OF BIOCHAR RESIDUAL AND NPS FERTILIZER ON MORPHOAGRONOMIC AND TUBER QUALITY TRAITS OF POTATO (Solanum tuberosum L.) AT HARAMAYA, EASTERN ETHIOPIA Idris Mohammed Tucho; Prof. Wassu Mohammed; Prof. Kebede Woldetsadik Potato is co-staple, food security and cash crop in East Hararghe, however, the productivity of the crop is constrained by low soil fertility as a result of soil degradation due to continuous cropping using inorganic fertilizers without incorporating organic matter. Biochar, an emerging agricultur al soil amendment, has long-lasting degradation resistance compared to conventional organics, but its long-term effects on soil fertility and sustainable crop productivity need evaluation. Thus, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of biochar residual and NPS fertilizer on potato growth, yield, quality traits, soil physicochemical properties, and economic rate of return. Bubu potato variety was evaluated under plots treated with 0, 10, 20, and 30 t ha-1 residues of biochar that was incorporated in 2022 cropping season with the application of five rates of NPS fertilizer (0, 75, 150, 225, and 300 kg ha-1) in split-plot design and replicated three times per treatment same to the preexisting experiment. Urea fertilizer at rate of 100 kg ha-1 was applied to the plots. The soil samples analysis after one year indicated that sandy loam was changed to clay loam at plots where 10 and 20 t ha-1 biochar incorporated and changed to sand clay soil textural class in plot that received 30 t ha-1 biochar. The incorporated biochar also increased the pH, organic matter and organic carbon of the soil in the range between 0.93 and 1.61, 1.88 and 2.08% and 0.18 and 0.33%, respectively, while the soil total nitrogen, available Phosphorus and Sulphur increased from 0.094 to 0.104%, 0.61 to 13.46 (mg kg-1) and 1 to 9.78 (mg kg-1), respectively. Biochar residue and NPS fertilizer had significant effect on days to 50% flowering, plant height, average tuber number and average tuber weight. The interaction of biochar residue and NPS fertilizer significantly influenced the number of main stems per hill, leaf area index, marketable, unmarketable, total tuber yield, dry matter, specific gravity and starch content of tubers.The residue of biochar from the higher rates (20 and 30 t ha1) with the application of NPS fertilizerathigher rates (225 and 300 kg ha1) and the interaction of these rates much improved the performance of the potato for most of the traits. Bubu variety produced significantly the highest marketable tuber yield of 38.97 t ha1 from the combined application of 20 t ha-1 biochar residue and 300 kg NPS ha-1 fertilizer, however had nonsignificant difference with 38.43 t ha- marketable tuber yield produced by the interaction of 30 t ha-1 biochar residue and 300 kg ha1 NPS fertilizer. Moreover, the highest adjusted marketable tuber yield of 35 .07 t ha1, net benefit of 924923.3 Birr and benefit to cost ratio (7.27) with an acceptable marginal rate of return (1337.46%) were estimated for the interaction effect of 20 t ha-1 biochar residue and 300 kg ha-1 NPS fertilizer. Thus, it is concluded that the incorporation of 20 t ha-1 biochar in the soil during the preceded cropping season improved the soil physicochemical properties and with the application of 300 kg ha-1 NPS fertilizer increased the production of potato, ensure a higher net benefit and rate of economic return to the producers in the study area 79p. Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://ir.haramaya.edu.et//hru/handle/123456789/7908 2024-04-01T00:00:00Z