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Currently, eco-friendly products have been given great attention as the world is being polluted severely by non-biodegradable products and by-products. Different textile products have their own share in affecting the environment. This research is focused on exploring alternative bast fiber products to support the supply chain and to assess the possibility of using this fiber as a substitute to already available bast fibers. Kusha fiber was extracted and optimized from Ethiopian kusha plant stem – Girardinia bullosa (Steudel) wedd. – using caustic soda solution by varying the concentration, temperature, and time using design expert 6.0.10, quadratic model software. Tensile property, chemical composition, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), fiber morphology, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the fiber were determined. Fiber characterization showed its tensile strength, and the cellulose content was equivalent to or even better than other bast fibers. Morphology of the fiber was similar to that of typical cotton with visible lumen and a slightly flat surface. Therefore, this new extracted fiber has a great potential to be used for different applications such as fiber-reinforced composites, textile furnishing, apparel, and nanocellulose extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural occurrence of fungi, mycotoxins and fungal metabolites was investigated in 100 samples of maize grains collected from south and southwestern Ethiopia in 2015. The maize samples were contaminated byFusarium, AspergillusandPenicilliumspecies. Using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry 127 secondary metabolites were analysed. Zearalenone was the most prevalent mycotoxin, occurring in about 96% of the samples. Zearalenone sulfate was the second most prevalent, present in 81% of the samples. Fumonisin B1 was detected in 70% of the samples with a mean level of 606 μg kg−1in positive samples, while FB2, FB3 and FB4 were detected in 62%, 51% and 60% of the maize samples with mean levels of 202, 136 and 85 μg kg−1, respectively. Up to 8% of the samples were contaminated with aflatoxins, with a maximum level of aflatoxin B1 of 513 μg kg−1. Results were higher than earlier reports for maize from Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical highland environments present substantial challenges for climate projections due to sparse observations, significant local heterogeneity and inconsistent performance of global climate models (GCMs). Moreover, these areas are often densely populated, with agriculture‐based livelihoods sensitive to transient climate extremes not always included in available climate projections. In this context, we present an analysis of observed and projected trends in temperature and precipitation extremes across agroecosystems (AESs) in the northwest Ethiopian Highlands, to provide more relevant information for adaptation. Limited observational networks are supplemented with a satellite‐station hybrid product, and trends are calculated locally and summarized at the adaptation‐relevant unit of the AES. Projections are then presented from GCM realizations with divergent climate projections, and results are interpreted in the context of agricultural climate sensitivities. Trends in temperature extremes (1981–2016) are typically consistent across sites and AES, but with different implications for agricultural activities in the other AES. Trends in temperature extremes from GCM projected data also generally have the same sign as the observed trends. For precipitation extremes, there is greater site‐to‐site variability. Summarized by AES, however, there is a clear tendency towards reduced precipitation, associated with decreases in wet extremes and a tendency towards temporally clustered wet and dry days. Over the retrospective analysis period, neither of the two analysed GCMs captures these trends. Future projections from both GCMs include significant wetting and an increase in precipitation extremes across AES. However, given the lack of agreement between GCMs and observations with respect to trends in recent decades, the reliability of these projections is questionable. The present study is consistent with the "East Africa Paradox" that observations show drying in summer season rainfall while GCMs project wetting. This has an expression in summertime Ethiopian rain that has not received significant attention in previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sub-Saharan Africa, soil fertility depletion and limited access to mineral phosphorus (P) fertilizers are considered among the main constraints of crop productivity. The goal of our work is to make P fertilizer from locally available materials, thus reducing the costs due to importation and transportation for smallholder-farmers with limited financial capacities. Cattle bones collected from slaughterhouses were ground to two fineness-level, acidified using coffee wastewater (pH ~4.3), and then compared to commercially available diammonium phosphate (DAP) in a pot experiment using Zea mays (maize) and Phaseolus vulgaris (common bean). Finely ground bones increased maize and common bean dry matter yield (DMY) and P uptake compared to coarsely ground bones, but a significant interaction between grinding and acidification also suggests that acidification with coffee wastewater increased availability of bone-based P, at least two-times more DMY and P uptake under acidified finely ground bones than for non-acidified treatments. In addition, acidified finely-ground bones produced maize and common bean DMY, P uptake and P recovery efficiency that were comparable to those of DAP. These results demonstrate the utility of acidified finely ground bones to enhance crop yields, potentially serving as an alternative P-rich resource to imported and expensive fertilizers that depend on nonrenewable resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indoor residual spraying is one of the key vector control interventions for malaria control in Ethiopia. As malaria transmission is seasonal in most parts of Ethiopia, a single round of spraying can usually provide effective protection against malaria, provided the insecticide remains effective over the entire malaria transmission season. This experiment was designed to evaluate the residual efficacy of bendiocarb, pirimiphos-methyl and two doses of propoxur on four different wall surfaces (rough mud, smooth mud, dung and paint). Filter papers affixed to wall surfaces prior to spraying were analyzed to determine the actual concentration applied. Cone bioassays using a susceptible Anopheles arabiensis strain were done monthly to determine the time for which insecticides were effective in killing mosquitoes. Results: The mean insecticide dosage of bendiocarb applied to walls was 486 mg/m2 (target 400/mg). This treatment lasted 1 month or less on rough mud, smooth mud and dung, but 4 months on painted surfaces. Pirimiphosmethyl was applied at 1854 mg/m2 (target 1000 mg/m2) and lasted between 4 and 6 months on all wall surfaces. Propoxur with a target dose of 1000 mg/m2 was applied at 320 mg/m2 and lasted 2months or less on all surfaces, except painted surfaces (4 months). Propoxur with a target dose of 2000 mg/m2, was applied at 638 mg/m2 and lasted 3 months on rough mud, but considerably longer (5-7 months) on the other substrates. Conclusions: It would appear that the higher dose of propoxur and pirimiphos-methyl correspond best to the Ethiopian transmission season, although interactions between insecticide and the substrate should be taken into account as well. However, the insecticide quantification revealed that the dosages actually applied differed considerably from the target dosages, even though care was taken in the mixing of insecticide formulations and spraying of the walls. It is unclear whether this variability is due to initial concentrations of insecticides, poor application, or other factors. Further work is needed to ensure that target doses are correctly applied, both operationally and in insecticide evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]