Genome editing has emerged as a powerful approach to enhancing the nutritional quality of oilseed crops. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats case9 (CRISPR/Cas9) is the predominant editing tool, while transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) and base editors are used less commonly. Key fatty acid desaturase genes such as FAD2 and FAD3 are prime targets because of their critical functions in fatty acid desaturation. This review summarizes recent progress in editing genes associated with oil composition and related traits across oilseed species. Visual data representations including, Sankey diagrams, heat maps, and crop-trait matrices illustrate shared editing priorities and emerging trait targets across crops. Despite its promise, genome editing still faces challenges in transformation efficiency, field-level validation, and regulatory acceptance. This review underscores the increasing impact of target gene editing on nutritional trait improvement and its potential to accelerate the development of healthier, more sustainable oilseed varieties.

Vegetables and fruits are essential parts of a healthy diet; however, the consumption of unclean, uncooked, and improperly prepared vegetables and fruits is a major cause of parasitic and bacterial infections. These vegetables and fruits are contaminated during pre- and post-harvest stages. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis provides evidence-based scientific information about the level of both parasitic and bacterial contamination of vegetables and fruits and its associated factors in Ethiopia. A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and African Journals Online (AJOL) databases for studies published between March 2010 and January 2025. This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-2020 guidelines. Microsoft Excel 2016 sheet template was employed to extract the data. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist was used to evaluate the quality of the included studies. A random effects model was selected for analysis. Heterogeneity was quantified using the I² statistic, and sources of heterogeneity were explored via subgroup analyses and Galbraith plot. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Egger’s test. Risk factors were summarized as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). All analysis was performed via STATA version 14 with metan command. Twenty-nine studies with 6659 vegetables and fruits were included. The overall prevalence of contaminated fresh produce was 48.76% (95% CI: 40.78–56.74). The meta-analysis yielded a pooled prevalence of 52.85% (95% CI: 32.10–73.60) for bacterial contamination and 46.40% (95% CI: 40.04–52.75) for parasitic contamination. Gram-positive bacteria were more common (28.97%) than gram-negative bacteria (23.88%). Similarly, helminths were more prevalent (29.07%) than protozoans (17.30%). Among bacteria, the predominant family/genera were Enterobacteriaceae (14.78%), Bacillus spp. (10.27%), Staphylococcus spp. (8.86%), and Micrococcus spp. (5.20%). The most prevalent parasites identified were Ascaris spp. (8.34%), Entamoeba spp. (6.92%), Strongylida (6.51%), and Giardia spp. (5.67%). Lettuce (61.0%), salad (57.4%), spinach (54.2%), and cabbage (52.9%), were the vegetables most contaminated by parasites, while salad (73.8%), green pepper (35.3%), lettuce (26.0%), and cabbage (20.0%), were the most contaminated by bacteria. The contamination rates of fruits by bacteria and parasites were 0.55% and 5.4%, respectively, while those of vegetables were 52.30% and 41.00%, respectively. The mode of produce display (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.15, 95% CI: 1.17–3.13), type of produce (aOR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.13–3.08), vendors’ fingernail hygiene (aOR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.10–2.93), source of produce (aOR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.45–3.47), education status of vendors (aOR: 11.43, 95% CI: 6.18–29.05), handwashing habits of vendors (aOR: 3.10, 95% CI: 1.53–4.67) and washing before display (aOR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.52–3.30) were the significantly associated factors. This meta-analysis found a high prevalence of bacterial and parasitic contamination in vegetables and fruits. Therefore, food and drug authorities and public health institutions should increase awareness among vendors and consumers about safe practices for the handling and consumption of vegetables and fruits, and region/city administrators should prepare safe farms and marketplaces. Furthermore, the agricultural industry should increase awareness among farmers about the cultivation and transportation of vegetables and fruits. This systematic review and meta-analysis study is registered in International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under the registration number CRD42025640154. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-025-12045-4.

Plant Growth Promoting and Abiotic Stress Tolerant Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Rhizobial Isolates from Some Areas of South Wollo Zone, Ethiopia: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) is an important pulse crop prized for its high protein content and is grown as a food source worldwide, including Ethiopia. However, the yield of chickpea is low due to low soil fertility and the ever-changing abiotic stresses. Therefore, this study aimed at isolation, characterization, and selection of chickpea rhizobia effective in their nitrogen fixation and abiotic stress tolerance potential. As a result, 150 nodule samples were collected from three districts of chickpea-producing areas in South Wollo. The nodules were crushed, and the rhizobia were isolated and characterized by using standard microbiological procedures. Based on the presumptive tests conducted, 103 (68.7) of the rhizobial isolates were tentatively categorized as Rhizobium species. Regarding phosphate solubilization, only 48 (46.7) solubilized phosphate with a solubilization index ranging from 2.1 to 2.7mm. Twenty-four (50) of the isolates were found to be hydrogen cyanide producers. Among the rhizobial isolates tested under greenhouse conditions, 37 (77.1) of them induced nodulation on their host plant (chickpea). Their symbiotic effectiveness evaluation test confirmed that 16(47.1), 6(17.6), 26.47, and 3(8.8) were highly effective, effective, low effective, and ineffective, respectively. Of the authenticated rhizobial isolates, 12 (35.5) of them, including WuCR-15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 30, 31, 32, 36, 38, and 48, accumulated higher shoot dry matter than the positive control. Isolates WuCR- 11, 17, and 36 showed resistance to low and high extreme abiotic stresses of pH, temperature, and salt. Consequently, rhizobial isolates, WuCR- 11, 17, and 36, which were effective and competent in all the tested parameters, were recommended as good rhizobial candidates for applications under greenhouse and field conditions.

Background: Individuals with compromised immune systems, particularly those living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), face an elevated risk of opportunistic fungal infections (OFIs), including candidiasis and cryptococcal meningitis. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of OFIs among HIV-positive individuals across different regions of Ethiopia. Methods: English-language articles were identified through a comprehensive search of online databases, including ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool for prevalence studies was used to assess study quality. Heterogeneity and publication bias were evaluated using inverse variance ( I ² statistic), sensitivity analysis, funnel plots, and Egger’s regression test. Due to significant heterogeneity, a random-effects model was employed to estimate the pooled prevalence of OFIs among HIV-positive individuals. Data analysis was conducted using STATA version 14. This study adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines, and the protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42024620835). Results: From 254 initially identified articles, 19 studies on Candida (8482 participants) and 9 studies on Cryptococcus (4017 participants) met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of candidiasis was 13.46% (95% confidence interval: 8.54–18.39), while cryptococcal meningitis had a prevalence of 3.15% (95% confidence interval: 1.59–4.71). Conclusion: To reduce the burden of OFIs in HIV-positive individuals, implementation of the following measures is critical: early HIV testing and rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy, promotion of improved hygiene practices, and development of enhanced diagnostic tools coupled with prompt treatment of OFIs. These interventions are essential for improving clinical outcomes and reducing morbidity in this vulnerable population.