Indigenous knowledge and socio-economic significance of Enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheeseman) cultivation and food processing in Sidama, Southern Ethiopia

Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz, is an oilseed crop of the Brassicaceae family. It has been cultivated for centuries as an oilseed crop for human food. This study investigated the effect of Agroecological variations and sowing dates on Camelina sativa yield and nutritional components in Tigray, Ethiopia. It was conducted over two growing seasons (2019 and 2020) in three Woredas (districts) having different Agroecological zones (lowland, midland and highland). A randomized complete block design was implemented in two Tabiyas (experimental sites) for each district. Prior to sowing, soil physicochemical properties were analyzed. Agroecological zones and sowing dates significantly affected (p ≤ 0.05) Camelina sativa seed yield and yield components. The highest seed yield per hectare was recorded at the high-altitude sites (2064.19 kg hectare⁻¹) while the lowest was in the lowlands (656.67 kg hectare⁻¹). Seed yield was also greater in the June sown plants (1409.35 kg hectare⁻¹). Early sowing (June) consistently resulted in superior performance, with higher number of siliques per plant (332.91), number of seeds per silique (10.46), seed weight per plant (2.18 g), 1000 seeds weight (1.23 g), seed yield per plot (1.40 kg) and seed yield per hectare(1554.31 kg). Tabiya Seret exhibited the highest oil content (40.68%) and oil yield (842.36 kg) while Tabiya Mearey had the lowest oil content (34.08%) and oil yield (341.06 kg). The 2020 cultivated showed high oil yields of 594.14 kg/hectare compared to 493.60 kg/hectare from 2019. Oil yields were primarily influenced by seed yield variations with higher oil yield observed at higher altitudes. Therefore, sowing C. sativa in early June at higher altitudes enhance yield, yield components and oil contents.

Globally, deforestation remains a major driver of land degradation, despite recent reductions in forest loss. In Ethiopia, exclosures are implemented as nature-based solutions to restore degraded landscapes and promote vegetation recovery. This study evaluates woody floristic composition, species diversity, and soil properties in 15- and 32-year-old exclosures, comparing them to nearby rangelands where livestock graze year-round. Using a systematic sampling method, 36 plots (400 m²) were established across elevation gradients to survey woody vegetation and collect soil samples. Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) analysis examined woody community composition, and t-tests compared soil and vegetation properties between exclosures and rangelands. Forty-two woody species from 25 families were identified, with Dodonaea angustifolia, Becium grandiflorum, and Euclea racemosa being the most common. Both exclosures showed significantly higher species richness and Shannon diversity than rangelands (p < 0.01). The 32-year-old exclosure had greater tree abundance and species evenness compared to the 15-year-old exclosure. However, no significant differences in soil properties, including electrical conductivity, organic carbon, nitrogen, and pH, were found between exclosures and rangelands. The 15-year-old exclosure did show significantly higher cation exchange capacity (CEC) compared to the rangeland (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between species diversity and exclosure age, while soil properties remained largely unchanged, except for CEC. The study highlights exclosures as an effective nature-based solution for enhancing species richness and biodiversity, supporting their use in land restoration. However, the lack of significant soil improvement suggests that vegetation recovery does not always lead to immediate soil enhancement, underscoring the need for long-term monitoring to understand the ecological impacts of exclosures.

BackgroundEthnoveterinary plant medicine plays indispensable role in many developing counties in treatment of livestock health problems. Dess’a priority forest is a bridge for small scale farming communities in Tigray and the Afar pastoralists, where both communities are rich in herds of domestic animals including camels. The study was aimed at investigating the utilization of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants and their conservation status in Dess’a priority forest, northeastern escarpment of Ethiopia.MethodsA total of 22 key and 252 general informants were selected using purposive and random sampling technique respectively. Interview was conducted using pre-prepared semi-structured questionnaire following focus group discussion with elderly people. Guided field walk and direct observation were also used to collect the required data. Data were analyzed using Microsoft office word excel (2007), scoring and ranking. ResultsThis study discovered that fifty-six ethnoveterinary medicinal plants distributed among 31 families and 49 genera, used by traditional healers for treatment of 37 livestock health problems, were identified in the study area. Wound (24%), Cough (15%) and abdominal bloat (12%) were the most prevalent aliments. Fabaceae (16%), Solanaceae (11%) and Amaranthaceae (7%) were wealthiest families. Majority of which (43%) were shrubs and principal sources of the medicinal plants were wild habitat (44.6%). major plant parts used were leaves (43%). In most cases, freshly harvested plant remedies (49%), were prepared by pounding (21%) followed by Crushing (12%). Oral (34%) was the principal route of remedy administration. Nicotiana glauca Graham & Solanum marginatum L. were most preferred ethnoveterinary medicinal plants. Uprooting (37%) were the leading harvesting method and majority of the plants were rarely encountered (53%). Deforestation (32%), Drought (27%) and climate change (18%) were major threats.ConclusionThere is huge amount of indigenous knowledge of ethnoveterinary medicinal plants, but healers were secretive and did not share their knowledge freely, resulting in danger of information loss, and inappropriate utilization.

The productivity of sorghum, an important staple food crop in Ethiopia, has been constrained by environmental stresses and declining soil fertility, and addressing these constraints improves the productivity of sorghum. A field experiment was conducted in Raya Valley to evaluate the responses of eight sorghum varieties to NPSZn and NP fertilizers and to select the varieties that combine desirable traits. The field experiment was laid out in RCBD in three replications. The varieties showed significant (p<0.001) variations for phenological, agronomic, and physiological traits. Meko and Melkam were the early maturing varieties with different yielding potential. Melkam was the second highest (4808 kg ha-1) yielding variety after Dagnew. Melkam has combined desirable traits, earliness, and high yield, for production in semi-arid drought-prone areas like the Raya valley. The local sorghum varieties outperformed Meko in most traits, which shows their potential use in breeding and production systems. NPSZn and NP fertilizers did not affect the studied traits differently but differed significantly from the zero treatment. The variety × fertilizer interaction effect was significant on most traits except PW, TGW, and GY. NPSZn treatment has increased biomass yield by 18.4% and 8.6% over NP in Gombilu and Dagnew, respectively. High LA and LAI were recorded from the high-yielding varieties, Dagnew and Melkam, and vice versa for low-yielding varieties. It can be concluded that working for varietal selection could be more rewarding than switching the application of NP to NPSZn fertilizer type in the Raya Valley to enhance sorghum production and productivity. The 100 kg ha-1 NPSZn blend recommendation, however, makes a 50% fertilizer price discount. Hence, Melkam from improved and Dagnew from the local varieties had better performance and can be preferably cultivated by farming communities.