Lowland Agro-ecology Research Articles

Assessment of the prevailing handling and quality of eggs from scavenging indigenous chickens reared in different agro-ecological zones of Ethiopia

A survey based experiment was conducted from November 2010 to April 2011 in 196 households to assess egg handling and qualities of scavenging chickens reared in highland, midland and lowland agro-ecological zones of Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. For egg quality determination, among 196 households, 30 of them who keep only local chickens were identified from each agro-ecology from which 588 eggs (196 eggs from each agro-ecology) were collected. The flock size in highland, midland and lowland agro-ecologies was 8.5, 7.4 and 8.4 chickens, respectively. The results indicated that about 95% and 70% of the respondents fumigate day old chicks with smoke and clip tail feathers, respectively. The average age at first egg lay was 6.94, 6.43 and 6.57 months for highland, midland and lowland agro-ecologies, respectively. The survivability of chickens in highland, midland and lowland agro-ecological zones was 55.0%, 61.4% and 55.1%, respectively. On the average 79.1% hatchability, 58.3% chick survivability was found in the study area. The observed values of egg weight, egg length, egg width, yolk height, albumen height and Haugh unit were significantly (p< 0.05) different between the investigated agro-ecologies. Accordingly, all these traits were (p< 0.05) higher in midland than those of highland and lowland agro-ecological zones. Agro-ecology did not affect shape index, shell thickness, yolk width and yolk index values. The respective average egg weight, shell thickness and shape index values were 39.6 g, 0.296 mm and 73.2%. The average values of yolk height, yolk width and Haugh unit were 16.1 mm, 36.8 mm and 73.2, respectively. In conclusion, the midland agro-ecological system appears to favor the survivability and expression of external and internal egg quality traits of scavenging rural chickens.

Geographical distribution and phenotypic diversity of wild/weedy sorghum [Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench] in Ethiopia: implications for germplasm conservation and crop–wild gene flow

Extensive studies of genetic diversity and population structure important for conservation of wild sorghum are yet lacking in Ethiopia, the centre of origin for cultivated sorghum. To assess both genetic diversity and the probability of gene flow between wild and cultivated types, collections of wildSorghum bicolorwere made from regions in Ethiopia where wild and cultivated sorghum coexist. Morphological data were recordedin situfor both quantitative and qualitative characters from 30 populations in five diverse geographical regions and eight agroecologies. High phenotypic diversity was observed among the wild and weedy sorghum populations. The overall standardized Shannon–Weaver diversity index (H′), computed from the frequencies of all qualitative traits, ranged from 0.47 to 0.98 with an average value of 0.76. Moreover, warm semi-arid lowland (SA2) agroecologies, which contain Tigray populations, supported the highest diversity for these traits. Subspeciesverticilliflorumanddrummondii(the two major subspecies of wildS. bicolor) were observed in diverse habitats throughout northern and central Ethiopia. In some areas, weedy types showed domestication traits including the absence of awns and reduced seed shattering. The existence of morphologically intermediate forms indicates that gene flow between cultivated and wild forms has likely occurred. Deployment of transgenic crop sorghum, therefore, would pose a distinct risk for transgene movement into wild Ethiopian populations.

Assessment of village chicken production system and evaluation of the productive and reproductive performance of local chicken ecotype in Bure district, North west Ethiopia

A survey was conducted in Bure district, North West Ethiopia, from 2007 to 2008 to assess the existing village chicken production system. A participatory rural appraisal and a formal survey were used to collect all the relevant data, using a multi-stage sampling technique. Seven farmer administrative kebeles (two from high land, three from mid altitude and two from low land agro-ecologies) and a total of 280 village chicken owner households were considered for the study. The result revealed that the dominant (83%) chicken production system was an extensive/traditional type of production, using a majority (97%) of local chicken ecotypes, managed mainly on scavenging with seasonal supplementation of home grown grains and household food leftovers. The purposes of chicken production were sale for income (51.4%), egg hatching for replacement (45%), consumption (44.3%), use of birds for cultural and/or religious ceremonies (36.4%) and egg production (40.7%). The average flock size per household was 13 (ranged 1 - 57), with a hen to cock ratio of 3.7:1. Only 22.1% of chicken owners prepared a separate overnight house for birds and the rest (77.9%) kept birds in various night sheltering places. The result revealed that 97.5% of interviewed chicken owners experienced chicken disease problems, mainly Newcastle disease (98.2%). The result indicated that 95% of village chicken owners used only traditional means to treat sick birds. The average age of cockerels at first mating and pullets at first egg were 24.6 weeks and 27.5 weeks, respectively. The average number of eggs laid/clutch was 16 (ranged 8 - 28) and the number of total clutch periods/hen/year was 4 (ranged 2 - 6). The annual egg production performance of local hens, under farmer’s management condition, was 60 eggs/hen (ranged 24 -112). The average number of eggs incubated/hen was 13 and 11 chicks, on average, were hatched from them. The average hatchability performance of local hens was 81.7%. However, survivability of young chicks was only 60.5% (ranged 0 -100%). High hatchability performance of local hens (81.7%) and high mortality of young chicks (39.5%) were the two contradictory features for the existing village chicken production system of the district. Seasonal diseases outbreaks (84.3%) and predation (11.4%) were the major causes of chicken loss in the district. Women were the major responsible members of the household involved in various chicken husbandry activities like cleaning bird’s house (38.6%), feeding birds (81.7%), selling birds (83%) and selling eggs (54.6%). Only 37.5% of interviewed chicken owners got appropriate extension services related to modern chicken management practices. The result of the study revealed that there is a great interest to boost up the existing village chicken production and productivity. This should be considered as an opportunity and potential to design and implement interventions, aimed at improving production and productivity of village chicken in the district. Key words: Ethiopia, local chicken ecotypes, village chicken production system.

Assessment of the aquaculture subsystem in integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems in Northeast Thailand

A survey of integrated agriculture–aquaculture systems (IAAS) was carried out in four different agroecologies, an irrigated and three rainfed agroecologies (drought-prone, rainfed lowland and rolling land), in Northeast region of Thailand, of tropical wet:dry climate. Fish culture system of IAAS varied with agroecology but not with the length of farmers' experience in IAAS farming. The size of pond holdings in the rainfed lowland agroecology was estimated to be significantly smaller (P≤0.05) than in the three other agroecologies. The highest average extrapolated gross fish yield of 2.3 tonnes ha−1 was recorded in the irrigated agroecology and this was significantly higher (P≤0.01) than in the three rainfed agroecologies: drought-prone (1.1 tonnes ha−1), rainfed lowland (0.5 tonnes ha−1) and rolling land (0.4 tonnes ha−1). Higher fish yield in the irrigated agroecology was associated with longer stocking period and higher amount of pond inputs. Average income of IAAS households from fish also varied across agroecology in a fashion that was noted for yields. However, the farm pond played a pivotal role in the diversification of the farming system in rainfed agroecologies, as it was essentially the only source of water supply for fruit and vegetables production. While fish culture in all agroecologies was a low-input system, intensification through fertilization of ponds with chemical fertilizers can be envisaged to increase fish production in IAAS in Northeast Thailand.