Genotype-by-environment interaction and stability analysis of grain yield of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes using AMMI and GGE biplot analyses.

Bread wheat is a vital staple crop worldwide; including in Ethiopia, but its production is prone to various environmental constraints and yield reduction associated with adaptation. To identify adaptable genotypes, a total of 12 bread wheat genotypes (G1 to G12) were evaluated for their genotype-environment interaction (GEI) and stability across three different environments for two years using Additive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) and genotype main effect plus genotype-by-environment interaction (GGE) biplots analysis. GEI is a common phenomenon in crop improvement and is of significant importance in genotype assessment and recommendation. According to combined analysis of variance, grain yield was considerably impacted by environments, genotypes, and GEI. AMMI and GGE biplots analysis also provided insights into the performance and stability of the genotypes across diverse environmental conditions. Among the 12 genotypes, G6 was selected by AMMI biplot analysis as adaptive and high-yielding genotype; G5 and G7 demonstrated high stability and minimal interaction with the environment, as evidenced by their IPCA1 values. G7 was identified as the most stable and high-yielding genotype. The GGE biplot's polygon view revealed that the highest grain yield was obtained from G6 in environment three (E3). E3 was selected as the ideal environment by the GGE biplot. The top three stable genotypes identified by AMMI stability value (ASV) were G5, G7, and G10, while the most stable genotype determined by Genotype Selection Index (GSI) was G7. Even though G6 was a high yielder, it was found to be unstable according to ASV and ranked third in stability according to GSI. Based on the study's findings, the GGE biplot genotype view for grain yield identified Tay genotype (G6) to be the most ideal genotype due to its high grain yield and stability in diverse environments. G7 showed similar characteristics and was also stable. These findings provide valuable insights to breeders and researchers for selecting high-yielding and stable, as well as high-yielding specifically adapted genotypes.

Impact of brewery sludge application on heavy metal build-up, translocation, growth and yield of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop in Northern Ethiopia.

In a field study, the impact of different levels of brewery sludge (BS) enrichment on Triticum aestivum L. (wheat plants) was examined in terms of growth, yield, heavy metal absorption, and potential health risks linked to plant consumption. Using a randomized complete block design with seven treatments and three blocks, the study showed that applying up to 12 t ha-1 brewery sludge significantly improved all agronomic parameters (except harvest index) compared to control and mineral-fertilized soil. Heavy metal translocation was generally low, except for Cu and Pb. The sequence of heavy metal translocation was Cu > Pb > Cd > Ni > Zn > Mn > Cr from soil to spikes and Cu > Zn > Mn > Pb > Ni > Cd > Cr from soil to grain. Heavy metal loads were mostly higher in roots than in the above-ground crop parts. The target hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and target cancer risk (TCR) within wheat grain remained within safe limits for all BS treatments. Consequently, consuming this wheat grain is considered safe regarding heavy metals. Thus, utilizing brewery sludge at 12 t ha-1 as a fertilizer for wheat production and as an alternative method for sludge disposal is plausible.

Effect of packaging materials and storage duration on the functional quality of red hot peppers (Capsicum annum L.) pods.

The preservation of the functional quality of red pepper requires appropriate packaging materials, storage duration, and condition. This study evaluated the effect of the packaging materials and the storage duration on the functional quality of the red hot pepper pod for ten months at ambient storage temperature (25±2 °C) in four packaging materials: Jute sacks, Fertilizer Liner Sheet (FLS), Fertilizer Woven Polypropylene + Liner Sheet (FWPP + LS), and PICS bags (Purdue Improved Crop Storage) using two-factor factorial designs. The samples were analyzed at two-month intervals for water activity (aw, extractable color, total phenolic compounds, pungency index and oleoresin content. Except for aw, other functional qualities of red hot pepper degrade with advanced storage in all packaging materials. At the end of storage, the maximum values of aw (0.76) and the minimum values of aw (0.38) were recorded in jute sacks and PICS bags. Extractable color (ASTA units) decreased from 225.42 to 133.11, 228.71-139.09, 274.29-171, and 288.91-218.98 in jute bags, FLS, FWPP + LS, and PICS bags, respectively. Phenolic compounds (GAE mg/g dry samples) degraded from 2.32 to 1.02, 2.33-1.37, 2.4-1.35, and 2.59-1.85 in jute bags, FLS, FWPP + LS and PICS bags, respectively. The pungency index (Abs/g dry samples) of the samples changed from 4.55 to 2.56, 5.49-4.00, 5.00-3.49, and 4.74-2.72 in jute bags, FLS, FWPP + LS, and PICS bags, respectively. The oleoresin content (%) decreased from 12.88 to 7.18, 12.92-7.78, 13.19-8.45 and 13.58-9.88 in jute sacks, FLS, FWPP + LS and PICS bags, respectively. The study revealed that the PICS bags retained the highest functional qualities compared to other packaging materials.

Effect of growing conditions and postharvest processing on arabica coffee bean physical quality features and defects.

The individual and interaction effects of elevation, production system (PS), shade and postharvest processing (PHP) on the ratio of dry beans to red cherries and the green bean physical quality features and defects of arabica coffee in southwestern Ethiopia were evaluated. The results showed that, with increasing elevation, the proportions of the total defected beans and large beans decreased while that of medium beans increased. Moreover, the proportion of secondary defects, 1000 seed weight and bean volume were higher for lowland and midland coffees than for highland coffee, but bean density was higher for highland than for lowland and midland coffees. The proportion of the total defected beans was also higher for modern plantation coffee in lowland than for modern plantation and semi-plantation coffees in midland and highland, but the 1000 seed weight was lower for semi-plantation coffee in highland than for modern plantation coffee in lowland and midland. The ratio of primary and secondary defects respectively was higher for dry- and wet-processed coffee in lowland than for dry- and wet-processed coffees in midland and highland. But, the ratio of small beans was lower for wet-processed coffee in lowland than for dry-processed coffee across elevations. The ratio of dry beans to red cherries and the 100 beans volume were higher for wet-processed modern plantation and semi-plantation coffees in midland than for dry-processed coffees of both production systems across elevations. However, the ratio of large beans was higher (1) for wet-processed modern plantation coffee in lowland than for dry- and wet-processed coffees of both production systems across elevations, and (2) for coffee that was grown without shade and wet-processed in lowland than for other coffees. Bean density was higher for dry-processed modern plantation and semi-plantation coffee in midland and highland, respectively than for other coffees across elevations. Overall, these results underlined the primary effects of elevation and PS, and the complex interaction effects between PHP and PS or shade on the ratio of dry beans to red cherries and the physical features and defects of green arabica coffee beans.

Prevalence and factors affecting the utilization of antenatal care in rural areas of Southwestern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Antenatal care (ANC) is a health care intervention intended to ensure the safety of pregnancy. According to the World Health Organization, at least four ANC visits are recommended for a healthy pregnancy. However, whether this recommended number of visits was followed or not in the rural areas of Southwestern Ethiopia is not known. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the prevalence of, and the associated factors of ANC utilization by pregnant women in the rural areas of Southwestern Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study design was used in three rural zones. The data were collected from n = 978 women through a structured questionnaire with face-to-face interview. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a multiple binary logistic regression model. RESULTS: The results showed that 56% of women made the recommended minimum number of ANC visits and the remaining 44% of them underutilized the ANC service. The multiple binary logistic regression model identified zone, marital status of the woman, educational level of the husband, occupation of the husband, knowledge of danger signs of pregnancy, birth interval, source of information, timely visits, and transportation problem to be statistically significant factors affecting the prevalence of ANC visit utilization of women. Bench Maji zone had smaller odds ratio of ANC visit prevalence as compared to Kaffa zone. Women who lived in the rural area of Sheko zone are 2.67 times less likely to utilize ANC visit than those who lived in the rural area of Kaffa zone keeping other variables constant. CONCLUSION: The study results highlight the need to increase the number of ANC visits, and the importance of using an appropriate model to determine the important socio-demographic factors that ANC service providers shall focus on to improve the health of the unborn baby and the mother during pregnancy.

A Roadmap for Building Data Science Capacity for Health Discovery and Innovation in Africa.

Technological advances now make it possible to generate diverse, complex and varying sizes of data in a wide range of applications from business to engineering to medicine. In the health sciences, in particular, data are being produced at an unprecedented rate across the full spectrum of scientific inquiry spanning basic biology, clinical medicine, public health and health care systems. Leveraging these data can accelerate scientific advances, health discovery and innovations. However, data are just the raw material required to generate new knowledge, not knowledge on its own, as a pile of bricks would not be mistaken for a building. In order to solve complex scientific problems, appropriate methods, tools and technologies must be integrated with domain knowledge expertise to generate and analyze big data. This integrated interdisciplinary approach is what has become to be widely known as data science. Although the discipline of data science has been rapidly evolving over the past couple of decades in resource-rich countries, the situation is bleak in resource-limited settings such as most countries in Africa primarily due to lack of well-trained data scientists. In this paper, we highlight a roadmap for building capacity in health data science in Africa to help spur health discovery and innovation, and propose a sustainable potential solution consisting of three key activities: a graduate-level training, faculty development, and stakeholder engagement. We also outline potential challenges and mitigating strategies.

Free radical scavenging capacity, antibacterial activity and essential oil composition of turmeric (Curcuma domestica) varieties grown in Ethiopia.

Turmeric is a known spice indispensable for food preparation and is reported to possess different chemical properties and biological activities. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of variety and type of extracts on 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) reducing capacity, antibacterial activity, and chemical composition of essential oil from turmeric varieties cultivated in Ethiopia. The results from the statistical analysis revealed that the highest total curcuminoids content (6.81% m/m), essential oil (6.37% v/m), methanol extract (13.42% v/m) were obtained from Dame variety. On the other hand, the lowest curcuminoids (5.12% m/m), methanol extract (10.58% v/m) and essential oil (3.92% v/m) contents were obtained from HT3/2002 variety. Dame variety also had the highest total polyphenol content (97.55 mg GAE/g) and radical scavenging capacity (46.58 16 µg/mL) with the lowest IC50 value (23.05 µg/mL). Among the tested microorganisms with turmeric extracts, growth inhibition was observed against S. aureus. The results also indicated that three compounds, namely α-Turmerone (32.41 and 35.16%), ar-Turmerone (25.20 and 25.47%), and Curlone (17.98 and 18.19%) dominated 75% of the essential oil component in Dame and Bonga 51/71 varieties, respectively. In summary, the results of this study revealed that extracts from Dame variety have strong biological potential with desired antioxidant and antibacterial activities.

Effects of brewery sludge on soil chemical properties, trace metal availability in soil and uptake by wheat crop, and bioaccumulation factor.

Brewery sludge is the solid residue obtained from agro-industrial processing. It is possible to utilize the waste products in an environment friendly and economical way to replace mineral fertilizer due to its sufficient macronutrients and organic carbon content. However, its use is limited due to heavy metal concentration that may contaminate crops and then the food chain. The objective of this study was to assess the suitability of brewery sludge for using to grow bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by determining the effect of brewery sludge (7 levels: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 t ha-1, and 1 recommended rate of NPS only) on soil chemical properties, bioaccumulation factor, and heavy metal absorption in the soil and in the bread wheat grain using a Randomized Blocks Design field experiment conducted at two sites during the 2018 cropping season. Amendment of brewery sludge at a rate of 15 t ha-1 led to substantial variations in soil chemical properties except for Mg2+ content at both study sites. Concentrations of the studied heavy metals (except Zn in the soil) increased with increasing brewery sludge application rate in the soil and in the wheat grain. However, heavy metal uptake by wheat grain and heavy metal concentration in the soil were below the allowed limits. The bioaccumulation factor in the wheat grain was <1.0 for the studied heavy metals. The findings of the study suggest that brewery sludge at a rate of 15 t ha-1 could be recommended due to its high nourishing effect for soil and for promoting nutritional quality of wheat crop and is safe for human consumption. However, since sludge application may lead to increase in the amount of trace metals in the soil-plant system, a long-term study is recommended.

COVID-19 impact on jobs at private schools and colleges in Northern Ethiopia.

The disruptive effects of COVID-19 have impacted all sectors of our society including education. This study identified the factors influencing the private schools' and colleges' decision to reduce their teaching staff during the COVID-19 lockdown using survey data analyzed using Heckman two-step regression model. The results showed that age, accommodation level, hourly payment rate, tax grade level, money borrowed from government or banks, loan repayment suspension, tax payment deferral, the number of administrative employees, the student-to-administrative employee ratio, and the educational institution's category were the significant factors affecting teaching employee reduction during the lockdown. The results of this study can help the various education sector stakeholders to take coordinated measures to withstand COVID-19 type of shocks.

Effects of Variety and Curing and Drying Methods on Quality Attributes of Turmeric (Curcuma domestica) Powder

Abstract Variety and the method used for curing and drying affect the quality and marketability of processed turmeric (Curcuma domestica) powder. This study was conducted to determine the effects of Variety (Bonga51/71, HT3/2002, and Dame), Curing method (conventional curing (CCM) and improved curing (ICM)), and Drying method (open-air drying (OSD), solar tunnel dryer (STD), and greenhouse solar dryer (GSD)) on the quality attributes (moisture content, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, curcumin, oleoresin, essential oil, and color rating) of turmeric powder using a 3x2x3 factorial design. The results revealed that moisture content was reduced substantially to 7.67% and 6.5% for HT3/2002 variety cured with CCM and ICM but dried with STD, respectively; and to 6.67% and 6.42% for Dame variety cured/dried/ with ICM/GSD and CCM/STD, respectively. Dame variety cured with ICM and dried with GSD resulted in the lowest total ash (6.67%); but it gave the lowest acid-insoluble ash when cured with CCM and dried with OSD (0.993%) and GSD (0.997%). The highest curcumin retention (6.99%) and oleoresin yield (13.88%) were obtained from Bonga51/71 variety cured with CCM and dried with STD, and Dame variety cured with ICM and dried with OSD, respectively. On the other hand, the highest (6.52%) essential oil yield was obtained from Bonga51/71 variety cured with CCM and dried with OSD. In summary, OSD provides the lowest total and acid-insoluble ashes (pharmacognostic parameters of turmeric for different medicinal uses) and the highest oleoresin (contains color, pungency, and flavor constituents of turmeric) in CCM and ICM curing methods, respectively.

Development and quality evaluation of wheat based cookies enriched with fenugreek and oat flours.

Cookies are one of the best-known quick snack products. However, the main ingredients used in many countries are wheat and a few cereal seeds. This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional (chemical composition, physical properties, mineral, and phytochemical) and sensory attributes of cookies produced from wheat alone, and three blends of wheat, fenugreek and oat generated after running a d-optimal design mixture experiment (85:5:10%, 70:10:20%, and 55:15:30%), and when baked at three different temperatures (150, 175, and 200 °C). The results indicated that the cookies made from wheat flour supplemented with fenugreek and oat flours had significantly higher protein, fat, crude fiber and energy contents, but lower carbohydrate content. The anti-nutrient contents (phytic acid and condensed tannin) of fenugreek and oat supplemented cookies increased moderately. The mineral content (Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn) of cookies enriched with fenugreek and oat was also improved. The effect of baking temperature on the different response variables varied, and all in all, 175 °C was an acceptable compromise. The study showed that cookies made from 70% wheat, 10% fenugreek, and 20% oat and baked at 175 °C have the best nutritional content and acceptable sensory attributes.

Optimization of Catechin and Proanthocyanidin Recovery from Grape Seeds Using Microwave-Assisted Extraction.

Grape seed extract (GSE) is a rich source of condensed flavonoid tannins, also called proanthocyanidins (PACs). The high molecular weight of polymeric PAC limits their biological activity due to poor bioavailability. The present study was undertaken to explore the potential applicability of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) to convert GSE-PAC into monomeric catechins. A central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the processing conditions for the MAE. The maximum total yield of monomeric catechins (catechin, epicatechin, and epicatechin gallate) and PAC were 8.2 mg/g dry weight (DW) and 56.4 mg catechin equivalence (CE)/g DW, respectively. The optimized MAE condition was 94% ethanol, 170 °C temperature, and a duration of 55 min. Compared to the results for PACs extracted via conventional extraction (Con) (94% ethanol; shaking at 25 °C for 55 min), MAE yielded 3.9-fold more monomeric catechins and 5.5-fold more PACs. The MAE showed higher antioxidant capacity and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity than that of the conventional extract, suggesting the potential use of the MAE products of grape seeds as a functional food ingredient and nutraceutical.

Effect of brewery spent diatomite sludge on trace metal availability in soil and uptake by wheat crop, and trace metal risk on human health through the consumption of wheat grain.

Soil plays a crucial role in food safety as it determines the composition of food at the beginning of the food chain. However, the quality of soil resources in terms of their potential impact on human health caused by harmful elements is poorly understood in Ethiopia due to lack of reliable and appropriate experimental data. In this study, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate trace metal accumulation in soils amended with brewery spent diatomite sludge (BSDS) in comparison to control, recommended inorganic fertilizers (RIF) and integrated BSDS & RIF (BSDS:RIF). Trace metals uptake by wheat crop and the degree of soil contamination, and human health risk were investigated. BSDS application significantly increased the concentration of trace metals (Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni) in soil compared to that in the control, the RIF, and BSDS:RIF applications. It also significantly increased the concentration of Cu, Zn, Pb and Ni in the wheat grain compared to that in the control and the RIF, but the increase was not significantly different from that in BSDS:RIF amendment. All trace metal concentrations in soil and wheat grain (except Pb in wheat grain) were below the maximum permissible limits in some European countries of agricultural soils, and the maximum permissible limit of FAO/WHO. The degree of soil contamination from each of the treatments was below the maximum acceptable degree of contamination. The Health Risk Index (HRI) was <1 for all metals in all treatments. Thus, we conclude that consumption of wheat grain grown on soils amended with BSDS and BSDS:RIF has no human risks and has low likelihood of human exposure to trace metals.

Effect of variety and drying temperature on physicochemical quality, functional property, and sensory acceptability of dried onion powder.

In Ethiopia, onion is one of the most important vegetables/spices produced as a source of cash income and for flavoring foods. However, postharvest loss during storage remains a major challenge. In this study, the effects of variety (Bombay red, Qellafo and Sweet carolin) and drying temperature (Fresh, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90°C) on physicochemical quality, functional property, and sensory acceptability of dried onion powder were determined. The results indicated that total color change of Bombay red was not affected by temperature, but Qellafo and Sweet carolin varieties showed an increase in color change as drying temperature increases. Bulk density, shrinkage ratio, and water hydration capacity increased with increasing temperature for all three varieties. The degradation of vitamin C, pyruvic acid, and desired sensory attributes increased with increasing oven drying temperature. All in all, Qellafo dried at 70°C for 5 hr was found to be desirable for production of dehydrated onion powder. The findings of this study will allow the identification of the best of the three commonly grown onion varieties in Ethiopia, and the preferred temperature for production of dried onion with minimal negative effect on physicochemical, functional, nutritional, and sensory properties.

Response of Biomass Development, Essential Oil, and Composition of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng. to Irrigation Frequency and Harvest Time.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effects of four irrigation intervals (4, 8, 12, and 16 days) and six harvests (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 months after transplanting) on biomass, essential oil content, and composition of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng. Fresh weight and essential oil yield decreased with increasing irrigation interval; whereas, essential oil content was stimulated by water stress and increased as the irrigation interval increased. Fresh weight of Plectranthus amboinicus irrigated every 4 days peaked when harvested at 6 months, but essential oil content peaked when irrigated every 16 days and harvested at 2 months after transplantation. On the other hand, essential oil yield peaked when irrigated every 8 days and harvested at 6 months. Thymol, p-cymene, γ-terpinene, and ß-caryophyllene were the major compounds, and they peaked at different irrigation intervals and harvest times. This study showed biomass, essential oil content, and yield as well as the major and minor constituents of Plectranthus amboinicus are influenced by irrigation interval and the timing of harvest.

Thermal imaging of soybean response to drought stress: the effect of Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed extract.

Previous experiments have demonstrated positive effect of Acadian(®) extract of Ascophyllum nodosum on plant stress-resistance, however the mode of action is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to understand the physiological effect of Acadian(®) seaweed extract on the plant response to drought stress. Leaf temperature and leaf angle were measured as early-stage indicators of plant stress with thermal imaging "in situ" over a 5-day stress-recovery trial. The early stress-response of control became visible on the third day as a rapid wilting of leaves, accompanied with the asymptotic increase of leaf temperature on 4-5 °C to the thermal equilibrium with ambient air temperature. At the same time Acadian(®) treated plants still maintained turgor, accompanied with the linear increase in leaf temperature, which indicated better control of stomatal closure. Re-watering on the fifth day showed better survival of treated plants compared to control. This study demonstrated the ability of Acadian(®) seaweed extract to improve resistance of soybean plants to water stress.

Evidence of endoplasmic reticulum stress and liver inflammation in the American mink Neovison vison with benign hepatic steatosis.

We investigated the presence of inflammatory signs in the progression of fatty liver disease induced by fasting. Sixty standard black American mink (Neovison vison) were fasted for 0, 1, 3, 5, or 7 days and one group for 7 days followed by re-feeding for 28 days. Liver sections were evaluated histologically and liver mRNA levels indicating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, adipogenic transformation, and inflammation were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR. After 3 days of fasting, the mink had developed moderate liver steatosis. Increased hyaluronan reactivity in lymphocytic foci but no Mallory-Denk bodies were seen in livers of the mink fasted for 5-7 days. Up-regulation of glucose-regulated protein, 78 kDa was observed on day 7 indicating ER stress, especially in the females. Liver lipoprotein lipase and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 mRNA levels increased in response to 5-7 days of food deprivation, while tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) was the highest in the mink fasted for 5 days. The expression of the genes of interest, except for TNF-α, correlated with each other and with the liver fat content. The mRNA levels were found to change more rapidly below n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio threshold of 0.15. Following re-feeding, hepatocyte morphology and mRNA abundance returned to pre-fasting levels. Within the studied timeframe, evidence for ER stress, adipogenic transformation, and liver inflammation suggested incipient transition from steatosis to steatohepatitis with potential for development of more severe liver disease. This may present a possibility to influence disease progression before histologically observable steatohepatitis.

Ideal body condition improves reproductive performance and influences genetic health in female mink.

Selection for large body size in mink (Neovison vison) can result in obesity, which is associated with poor reproduction and metabolic disorders. Caloric restriction is effective in diminishing oxidative stress and delaying aging-related diseases. This study investigated the effects of moderate diet restriction on body condition, health, and reproductive success of mink breeder females. One-hundred control females were fed according to conventional feeding practice, while the feed allowance of their 100 sister-pair females was restricted in order to maintain an ideal body condition during the fall and eliminate the need for drastic slimming prior to breeding. Repeated measures analyses revealed that body weight gain during the fall and weight loss prior to breeding was significantly less for the restricted females. The restricted females had significantly larger live litters (5.88 kits) than the control dams (4.62 kits; P<0.05). They were also able to maintain their body weight and condition during early lactation and were able to regain weight and condition post-lactation, unlike their control sisters. Based on their comet scores (restricted: 88; control: 116), the restricted primiparous females experienced less DNA damage (P<0.05), while no significant differences were apparent for the multiparous females (restricted: 170; control: 153). No changes in telomere length were observed among the dams. Moderate diet restriction of mink breeder females during the fall eliminated extreme fluctuations in body weight and condition throughout the seasonal production cycle and improved their litter size, and in primiparous females, lessened DNA damage.