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Lake Tana is the largest freshwater body in Ethiopia, and it is a multi-use water body. However, currently the lake size reduced by different pressures, of these the occurrence of aquatic invasive weeds specifically, water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes). The study was focused to evaluate the physiology of water hyacinth and its effect on water transpiration and quality in Lake Tana. In addition to water hyacinth, two wetland grasses (Cyperus papyrus and Typha latifolia) were selected based on predominance along the lake shore line. Plant physiology parameters (e.g., leaf width, height, and number of leaves) and transpiration data were collected in every week and day, respectively. In situ field measurements were also taken to observe vegetation treatments response for water quality. The result showed that transpiration of water hyacinth was two times higher than papyrus and T. latifolia. The number of leaves and leaf widths are significantly (p < 0.1) increased in water hyacinth weed compared to the corresponding wetland vegetations. Dissolved oxygen and temperature were statistically significant (p < 0.05) due to water hyacinth compared to the corresponding treatments, and the values were also beyond the desirable standard. Therefore, Lake Tana water alterations due to water hyacinths will be continued where effective controlling mechanisms have not been taken there.
Habtamu Muche; Tadesse Mucheye; Dessalew Tadesse. Water quality and transpiration responses of Eichornia crassipes at Lake Tana, Ethiopia. Sustainable Water Resources Management 2020, 6, 1 -7.
AMA StyleHabtamu Muche, Tadesse Mucheye, Dessalew Tadesse. Water quality and transpiration responses of Eichornia crassipes at Lake Tana, Ethiopia. Sustainable Water Resources Management. 2020; 6 (3):1-7.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHabtamu Muche; Tadesse Mucheye; Dessalew Tadesse. 2020. "Water quality and transpiration responses of Eichornia crassipes at Lake Tana, Ethiopia." Sustainable Water Resources Management 6, no. 3: 1-7.
General knowledge based on the good agricultural soils in temperate climates is that no-till and conservation-till practices increase infiltration of the rainwater and decrease runoff and erosion. Experiments in the semi-humid Ethiopian highlands do not often show the same benefits and in many cases no-till actually increases runoff above conventional and deep tillage. In contrast, for conservation-tillage with mulch at the surface, more of the water infiltrates and enhances plant growth
Reduced tillage systems increase infiltration through soil fauna that form soil macropores through which rainwater flows to the subsoil bypassing the soil matrix with limited conductivity. Most degraded soils (at least in the Ethiopian highlands) have a hardpan at shallow depths restricting downward movement of water. Runoff on conventionally tilled soils is caused by saturation excess when the perched water table in the plowed soil layer reaches the surface. Thus, the amount of runoff is determined by the water free pore space in the surface layer. Since this pore space is less under no-till, no-till has greater amounts of runoff than conventional till.
Under mulch tillage, organic matter is introduced at the surface and soil fauna becomes well-developed which will improve the soil structure and porosity of the soil. This structure will be maintained because the mulch decreases the sediment concentration in the water and the pores will remain open. Under conventional tillage sediment concentrations are high and any pores formed will be filled up with sediment. Our expectation is that since organic matter under mixed farming is used to feed the cattle, widespread implementation of no-till and conservation tillage will be limited to areas with high value crops in which farmers can afford using organic matter as a mulch.
Tammo Steenhuis; Misbah Hussein; Habtamu Muche; Sisay Belay; Azalu Gessess; Christian Guzman; Petra Schmitter; Manuel Reyes; Seifu Tilahun. Will no-till be the new panacea for degraded tropical landscapes? 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleTammo Steenhuis, Misbah Hussein, Habtamu Muche, Sisay Belay, Azalu Gessess, Christian Guzman, Petra Schmitter, Manuel Reyes, Seifu Tilahun. Will no-till be the new panacea for degraded tropical landscapes? . 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTammo Steenhuis; Misbah Hussein; Habtamu Muche; Sisay Belay; Azalu Gessess; Christian Guzman; Petra Schmitter; Manuel Reyes; Seifu Tilahun. 2020. "Will no-till be the new panacea for degraded tropical landscapes?" , no. : 1.
Intensification of rainfed agriculture in the Ethiopian highlands has resulted in soil degradation and hardpan formation, which has reduced rooting depth, decreased deep percolation, and increased direct runoff and sediment transport. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential impact of subsoiling on surface runoff, sediment loss, soil water content, infiltration rate, and maize yield. Three tillage treatments were replicated at five locations: (i) no tillage (zero tillage), (ii) conventional tillage (ox-driven Maresha plow, up to a depth of 15 cm), and (iii) manual deep ripping of the soil’s restrictive layers down to a depth of 60 cm (deep till). Results show that the posttreatment bulk density and penetration resistance of deep tillage was significantly less than in the traditional tillage and zero-tillage systems. In addition, the posttreatment infiltration rate for deep tillage was significantly greater, which resulted in significantly smaller runoff and sedimentation rates compared to conventional tillage and zero tillage. Maize yields were improved by 6% under deep tillage compared to conventional tillage and by 29% compared to no tillage. Overall, our findings show that deep tillage can be effective in overcoming some of the detrimental effects of hardpans in degraded soils.
Misbah Abidela Hussein; Habtamu Muche; Petra Schmitter; Prossie Nakawuka; Seifu A. Tilahun; Simon Langan; Jennie Barron; Tammo S. Steenhuis. Deep Tillage Improves Degraded Soils in the (Sub) Humid Ethiopian Highlands. Land 2019, 8, 159 .
AMA StyleMisbah Abidela Hussein, Habtamu Muche, Petra Schmitter, Prossie Nakawuka, Seifu A. Tilahun, Simon Langan, Jennie Barron, Tammo S. Steenhuis. Deep Tillage Improves Degraded Soils in the (Sub) Humid Ethiopian Highlands. Land. 2019; 8 (11):159.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMisbah Abidela Hussein; Habtamu Muche; Petra Schmitter; Prossie Nakawuka; Seifu A. Tilahun; Simon Langan; Jennie Barron; Tammo S. Steenhuis. 2019. "Deep Tillage Improves Degraded Soils in the (Sub) Humid Ethiopian Highlands." Land 8, no. 11: 159.