Drought is a complicated natural hazard that has far-reaching social and environmental impacts. In Ethiopia's diverse agro ecological zones, drought remains a severe challenge and problem. Livestock rising is one of the agricultural sub-sectors that provide income and livelihood to around one-third of African inhabitants and accounts for 30–50 percent of agricultural GDP. Pastoralists on the Ethiopia-Kenya-Somalia border endured extreme suffering, including the loss of nearly 80% of their cattle and huge migration out of drought-stricken areas. Drought can cause severe economic hardship and stress for farmers and local economies, like; lost productivity, population reduction, and the trauma of witnessing livestock, crops, soil, and native vegetation damage. Between 1990 and 2000, and 2001-2002/03, drought-related animal death rates in the Somali region increased by 60% and 80% of the entire cattle population, respectively. Drought has the greatest immediate effects on farmers, including depletion of water resources, crop failure, and an increase in food prices, ill health, livestock output losses and death, and a decline in livestock prices in the Borana zone. Drought adaptation and mitigation measures depending on geography and livestock system may improve the study's trajectory in the future if further review is done.

Sorghum is the main staple food crop in developing countries, including Ethiopia. However, sorghum grain quantity and quality are affected by contaminating fungi both under field and post-harvest stage. The aim of the current study was to assessed fungal species and multi-mycotoxins associated with sorghum grain in post-harvest samples collected from eastern Ethiopia. Fungal genera of Aspergillus, Alternaria, Bipolaris, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium, and Rhizoctonia were recovered in the infected grain. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) was used for quantification of multiple mycotoxins/fungal metabolites. Overall, 94 metabolites were detected and grouped into eight categories. All metabolites were detected either in one or more samples. Among major mycotoxins and derivatives, deoxynivalenol (137 μg/kg), zearalenone (121 μg/kg), ochratoxin A (115 μg/kg), and fumonisin B₁ (112 μg/kg) were detected with maximum concentrations, while aflatoxin B₁ had relatively lower concentrations (23.6 μg/kg). Different emerging mycotoxins were also detected, with tenuazonic acid (1515 μg/kg) occurring at the maximum concentration among Alternaria metabolites. Fusaric acid (2786 μg/kg) from Fusarium metabolites and kojic acid (4584 μg/kg) were detected with the maximum concentration among Fusarium and Aspergillus metabolites, respectively. Unspecific metabolites were recognized with neoechinulin A (1996 μg/kg) at the maximum concentration, followed by cyclo (L-Pro-L-Tyr) (574 μg/kg) and cyclo (L-Pro-L-Val) (410 μg/kg). Moreover, metabolites form other fungal genera and bacterial metabolites were also detected at varying levels. Apparently, the study revealed that sorghum grains collected across those districts were significantly contaminated with co-occurrences of several mycotoxins. Farmers should be the main target groups to be trained on the improved management of sorghum production.

Parthenium is an exotic invasive weed that originated in South America, and has formed severe infestations in Ethiopia. This weed is known to be host to various micro-organisms such as the rust pathogen Puccinia abrupta var. partheniicola that may be used as a component of integrated parthenium weed management. Field surveys were conducted in 2008 and 2009 cropping seasons in eastern Ethiopia to determine distribution, incidence, and severity of the rust (P. abrupta var. partheniicola) on this weed. In addition, the effect of this pathogen on morphological parameters of parthenium was studied both in the field and in the greenhouse at the Plant Protection Research Center, Ambo. A total of 218 fields were surveyed in four districts (Chiro, Gemechis, Kuni and Tullo) of Western Hararghe Zone, eastern Ethiopia. All the fields surveyed were infected with the pathogen, indicating that the disease was widely distributed in the zone. The incidence of rust in the surveyed area ranged from 25 to 74% while severity ranged from 18 to 55%. The highest (74%) and the lowest (25%) disease incidence were recorded in Tullo and Chiro, respectively, while the highest (55%) and the lowest (18%) disease severities were encountered at Gemechis and Chiro, respectively. Altitude had significant effect on both disease parameters (p ≤ 0.05). The effect of this pathogen on morphological parameters of parthenium under field conditions was found to be significant (p ≤ 0.05) at all locations. The effect of the rust on parthenium dry matter and seed production was significant (p ≤ 0.05) at all locations. Also, the effect of the rust on morphological parameters of parthenium in the greenhouse was significant (p ≤ 0.05). In addition, there was significant variation in the number of rust pustules per leaf, leaf senescence, and number of leaves attacked per plant, disease incidence and severity both at 14 and 21 days after inoculation. In the greenhouse, comparison of isolates from Ambo, Kuni, and Tullo showed significant effect while isolates from Chiro and Gemechis performed poorly for all the studied morphological parameters of parthenium. This study indicated that P. abrupta var.partheniicola has the potential to reduce morphological parameters as well as dry matter and seed production capacity of parthenium weed. It also elucidated the presence of variation in aggressiveness of the isolates. However, more extensive studies need to be undertaken at molecular level to utilize this pathogen in combination with other host-specific insects and pathogens after importation and release, as a component of integrated parthenium weed management in Ethiopia. Key words: Parthenium hysterophorus, Puccinia abrupta var. partheniicola, aggressiveness, biological control, disease incidence, disease severity, epidemiological factors.

Environmental changes pose major impacts on the performance of crop genotypes with important implications for crop improvement strategies. Hence, breeders pay attention to the effects of genotype by environment interaction (GEI) to mine genetic resources and select adapted genotypes. Twenty sorghum genotypes selected from a large collection of Ethiopian sorghum landraces and two improved varieties were evaluated using a randomized complete block design with three replications at eight locations representing different environmental conditions in Ethiopia. The study aimed at assessing GEI and identifying stable and high‐yielding genotypes of sorghum for grain yield and major agronomic traits. Analysis of variance and additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) revealed highly significant (p ≤ 0.001) variance due to genotypes, environments, and GEI among all traits except for days to maturity. Plant height, days to maturity, panicle width, panicle weight, and grain yield were highly affected by environment and GEI, while days to flowering, panicle length, and 1000‐grain weight were mainly affected by genotypic variations. The data also suggest the importance of considering GEI in screening for high‐yielding and stable sorghum genotypes across environments. Among testing sites, Chawaka, Gute, and Uke were ideal environments for grain yield and Asosa was the most discriminative environment. Three genotypes (ETSL100808, Merera, and ETSL100474) were superior and stable across test environments for grain yield and related traits. Overall, based on mean grain yield and disease reaction, AMMI, GGE (genotype and genotype by environment interaction) biplot, and regression models, ETSL100808 was the most stable, high‐yielding, and disease‐tolerant sorghum genotype, suggesting its potential both in breeding program, as donor of traits, and for direct release as a variety.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important strategic crops to overcome food security problems in the world including Ethiopia. This can be achieved through genetic improvement of the crop and its production practices. In this connection, information on the mutual association of traits is important for effective selection in wheat‐breeding programs. In 2021/2022 production year, a field experiment was undertaken to estimate the extent of genetic variability, path analysis, and association of yield and yield‐related characteristics for the selection of desirable wheat genotypes. A total of 64 bread wheat genotypes, including yellow rust‐resistant Boru (resistant), Hachalu (moderately resistant), and Madda‐Walabu (susceptible) as control, were used for the field experiment at Sinana and Agarfa Agricultural Research Centers. The experiment was laid out in a simple alpha lattice design. The mean analysis of variances showed highly significant differences (p < 0.001) for all traits among the tested genotypes. The value of the phenotypic coefficient of variance was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variance for all studied traits, indicating the presences of higher genetic variability among the tested genotypes. Grain yield had a significant positive correlation with days to maturity, grain‐filling period, plant height, kernels spike⁻¹, thousand seed weight, and biological yield at both genotypic and phenotypic levels including spike length at phenotypic levels at both locations and with plant height, thousand seed weight, and biological yield at both locations at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Similarly, days to maturity and grain‐filling period also showed a significant positive phenotypic correlation with grain yield. The analyzed path coefficients at both genotypic and phenotypic levels also indicated how grain yield is influenced directly and indirectly by other yield and yield‐related traits. The result also showed the existence of good heritability values along with high genetic advance, higher phenotypic coefficient of variation and genotypic coefficient of variation for grain yield, biological yield, and grain‐filling period. This implies the true relationship among these traits and grain yield; therefore, due attention should be paid to such traits during selection for further improvement. Hence, the present study indicated the importance of the direct and indirect effects of the studied traits on yield and yield components which makes selection desirable for improving the grain yield of wheat and its genetic resistance against yellow rust in the study area.

Application of farmyard manure (FYM) alone or in combination with inorganic fertilizers helps in proper nutrition and maintenance of soil fertility in maize fields when applied at proper doses replenishing the most deficient macro and micro nutrients which in turn help in getting the highest grain yield and harvest index in hybrid maize varieties. The harvest index determines how many photosynthates are transformed into economic yield. It is the ratio of economic yields to biological yield. A study was conducted at the Haramaya University Chiro Campus to determine the effect of enriched FYM and inorganic fertilizers on grain yield of maize and harvest index. FYM was used either alone or in combination with inorganic fertilizers as follows: control (zero fertilizers and FYM), 10 tons/ha FYM, 8 tons/ha FYM and 25 kg/ha of (Nitrogen (N) + 20 kg/ha Potassium (P), 6 tons/ha FYM, 50 kg/ha N + 40 kg/ha P, 4 tons/ha FYM, 75 kg/ha N + 60 kg/ha P, 2t ons/ha FYM , 100 kg/ha N+80 kg/ha P 100 kg/ha N + 100 kg/ha P. The treatments were arranged in randomized complete block design with four replications from 2008 to 2010. Result from the combined analysis of variance on hybrid maize (BH-140) yield and harvest index over years showed the presence of no significant difference among treatments with 10 tons/ha FYM and 100 kg/ha N +100 kg P/ha (p < 0.05). The pooled analysis of variance over years also revealed the existence of no significant differences among Treatments 2, 6, and 7 viz (10 t/ha FYM + 0 N and P, 2 t/ha FYM and 100 kg/ha N + 80 kg/ha P and100 kg/ha N + 100 kg/ha P), respectively at (p < 0.05) on grain yield of hybrid maize (BH-140) and the harvest index. But 4 tons/ha FYM and 75 kg/ha N + 60kg/ha P increased maize yield from 5.1 tons/ha in 2009 to 8.15 tons/ha in 2010. Similarly, the harvest index has increased from 0.33 to 0.58 (33 to 58%) at this rate. From this finding it was noted that, enriching FYM with inorganic fertilizers can boost hybrid maize grain yield significantly through improving the physico-chemical properties of the soil and contribute to the highest value of harvest index. Therefore, on the basis of these results, it can be concluded that, enriched FYM could be used for hybrid maize production at western Hararghe in order to get maximum grain yield and the highest value of the harvest index. Thus, it is recommended that, application of 4 tons/ha FYM incorporated with 75 kg of N and 60 kg of P at Chiro can significantly increase hybrid maize (BH-140) yield and sustain its productivity over years. Besides, it also contributes in reducing the cost of inorganic fertilizers which has been a bottle neck to smallholder farmers of eastern Ethiopia. However, profitability of this technology needs to be tested at different locations and in different seasons. Key words: Farmyard manure, soil fertility, hybrid maize (bh-140), harvest index, inorganic fertilizers, biological yield, photosynthates.