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Abstract Background Zoonoses are infectious diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans. Studying the knowledge, perceptions and practices of communities related to zoonoses and the associated risk factors is crucial for effective control and prevention. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, perceptions, and practices of respondents on zoonoses and the associated risk factors in and around Chiro town, Ethiopia. Zoonotic diseases, such as rabies, anthrax, bovine tuberculosis, and brucellosis, pose a direct threat to health and livelihoods in the communities where they occur. These diseases emerge due to a combination of human-animal interactions, migration, and contact with wildlife and their respective parasites and vectors. Hence, recognizing residents’ perceptions, knowledge, and practices is crucial for effectively minimizing risks. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to July 2021 in and around Chiro town using a pretested close-ended questionnaire. A total of 350 respondents were selected using simple random sampling methods. The questionnaire included information on the sociodemographic status of the respondents and questions concerning the knowledge, perceptions, and practices of the participants regarding the selected zoonotic diseases. The associations of knowledge, perceptions, and practices related to zoonoses with zoonotic risk factors were analysed using chi-square tests. Results The study revealed that 82.9% of the respondents had knowledge of bovine tuberculosis, followed by knowledge of rabies (80%), knowledge of anthrax (45.1%), and knowledge of brucellosis (24.3%). Males had greater knowledge of bovine tuberculosis (84.8%), followed by rabies (79.8%) and anthrax (48.6%), while females had greater knowledge of brucellosis (23.6%). The most cited source of information was radio (68%). Most respondents mentioned the outbreaks of rabies (62.5%), bovine tuberculosis (53.2%), anthrax (35.6%), and brucellosis (15.7%). Respondents with higher educational levels and urban residents had more knowledge of zoonoses. More than 75% of respondents had a good perception of the transmission of zoonotic disease from animals, and the practice of consuming raw milk or raw/undercooked meat and sharing the same house with animals was high. Conclusion The majority of respondents reported that they had knowledge of bovine tuberculosis and rabies, but lower knowledge and perceptions were reported for anthrax and brucellosis. These findings illustrate the need for collaboration among animal, human and environmental health offices in one health approach to prevent and control zoonotic disease.

Ascochyta blight is a disease that causes significant yield losses in chickpea crops in Turkey under favorable environmental conditions. The fungal pathogen Ascochyta rabiei is the causative agent of this disease. The antifungal activity of previous fungicides against A. rabiei was not effective due to the heterothallic nature of the fungus. The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity of A. rabiei to fungicides (25.2 g kgˉ1 boscalid + 12.8 g kgˉ1 pyraclostrobin; 50 % tebuconazole + 25 % trifloxystrobin; 62.5 g Lˉ1 propiconazole + 37.5 g Lˉ1 azoxystrobin; 80 % thiram; 80 % kükürt (sulphur); 80 % mancozeb; 80 % maneb) under in vitro and field conditions. Pure cultures of A. rabiei were isolated from infected chickpea plants collected in Boğazlayan, Sarıkaya, Sorgun, Merkez and Yerköy. A total of 14 A. rabiei isolates and 4 references were evaluated. The field test was conducted at Yozgat Bozok University, Yerköy Agricultural Application and Research Center Station. The trials began on March 14, 2021. The experimental area was divided into plots and the susceptible chickpea variety Sarı98 was used for the study. Two artificial inoculations were carried out approximately on the 40th and 80th days after sowing. Twenty-four hours after inoculation, the chickpea plants were sprayed with the fungicides Nativo® WG 75, Bellis®, Dikotan® M45 and Thiovit Jet® using a handheld sprayer. In vitro testing revealed that A. rabiei was resistant to kükürt (sulphur), thiram, maneb, and mancozeb. A field study showed that the percentage of A. rabiei isolates treated with the mancozeb fungicide was between 14 and 21 % of the control. Therefore, effective disease management strategies should include not only the use of fungicides, but also alternative approaches such as the use of resistant varieties. Moreover, the study focused on phenotypic resistance and suggests that future research should investigate the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying A. rabiei resistance to enable better resistance management.

Abstract Background The populations in Ethiopia have developed their indigenous knowledge to use, manage and conserve wild edible plants (WEPs). In the eastern part of Ethiopia, wild edible plants are used as a means of survival during times of food shortage and as dietary supplements. Documenting the traditional and cultural use of wild food plants is a vital step in obtaining baseline data for investigating nutritional values and possible side effects, preserving indigenous knowledge, and ultimately interesting in wild edible plant conservation. However, their significance, management and utilization have not been documented in Mieso District. Therefore, this study aimed to provide documentation of wild edible plant use associated with ethnobotanical knowledge in Mieso District, eastern Ethiopia. Methods An ethnobotanical study of wild edible plant species was conducted from March 2021 to May 2022. A total of 120 (72 males and 48 females) informants were selected using the snowball method. Data collection methods, including semistructured interviews, direct observation and field walks were used. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including independent sample t test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). We calculated use values (UVs) to analyse the relative cultural importance of each plant species. Results A total of 41 wild edible plant species belonging to 33 genera in 21 families were documented to be used as food sources both during times of food shortage and as dietary supplements. Family Malvaceae was best-represented with 6 species, followed by Fabaceae and Rhamnaceae (4 species each). The dominant growth form (habit) was shrubs (30 species), followed by trees (11 species). The most widely used plant parts were fruits (covering 39 species, 95%). The largest number (23 species) was collected from forest habitats only, followed by both village and forest habitats (8 species). The majority of wild edible plants (28 species or 68%) were consumed only during famine or in the time of food shortage followed by supplementing staple foods (9 species or 22%). Wild edible plants in Mieso are used for multiple other uses, including for fodder, fuel, medicine, construction, cosmetics and bee keeping. Twenty-three species were mentioned for fodder use, followed by fuel purpose (21 species) and medicinal value (13 species). The species that had the highest use values were Flacourtia indica (Burm.f.) Merr. (1.4), Carissa spinarum L. (1.1), Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. (0.6), Grewia villosa Willd. (0.5), Cordia monoica Roxb. (0.3) and Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. (L.) (0.2). Most WEPs were collected from March to May (Badheysa) (33 species). The highest mentioned wild edible plant sold in the market was F. indica (Burm.f.) Merr. mentioned by 20 informants, followed by Z. spina-christi (L.) Desf. (14). Conclusion The people in Mieso use wild plants as supplementary food to cultivated crops, during famine, and many could be utilized for day-to-day human consumption. Some plants in the district provide cash income for local people. However, deforestation (54%), drought (22%) and agricultural expansion (12%) were the highest threats to wild plants in Mieso District. Hence, on-site and off-site conservation would help protect wild plant resources in Mieso, eastern Ethiopia.

Abstract Background The people in Ethiopia have developed their own specific knowledge to use, manage and conserve plant resources, giving traditional medicine its diverse nature. Documenting and investigating the traditional and cultural use of remedial plants is vital to extract bioactive chemicals and preserve plant species. This research was conducted with the aim of documenting ethnobotanical and associated knowledge on medicinal plants in Asagirt District, northeastern Ethiopia. Methodology The study was conducted from September 27, 2018, to April 9, 2019. A total of 367 informants (244 males and 123 females) were involved in the interviews. General informants (n = 349) were randomly selected, whereas key informants (n = 18) were selected purposively. Data were collected by using semistructured interviews, group discussions and guided field walks. We performed direct matrix ranking and preference ranking, and calculated the fidelity level and informant consensus factor (ICF). Descriptive statistics, including analysis of variance (ANOVA) and independent sample t-test were used to analyse the data. Results Overall, 103 medicinal plant species belonging to 96 genera under 45 plant families were recorded to be used by Asagirt people to alleviate different health problems. The species used to heal human diseases only were (64%, 66 species) followed by both livestock and human ailments (31%, 32 species) and livestock diseases only (5%, 5 species). Asteraceae and Fabaceae were best-represented (10.7%, 11 species each). The most frequently used plant parts were leaves (28%, 29 species), followed by seeds (16%, 17 species). The most important method of herbal remedy preparation was crushing (20.4%, 21 species). The common route of administration was oral (46.6%, 48 species), followed by dermal (22.3%, 23 species). Febrile illness, fever, headache, amoebiasis, typhoid and diarrhoea ailment categories had the highest ICF value (0.99). Ocimum lamiifolium Hochst. ex Benth. scored the maximum fidelity level value (98%). Conclusion Asagirt District is comparatively rich in medicinal plants and their associated knowledge. However, firewood collection, construction, the expansion of agricultural activities and timber production are the major challenges to medicinal plants. Hence, joint management with the people in Asagirt District in overall medicinal plant conservation would save medicinal plant resources.

Fungal diseases are among the biotic factors limiting the production of faba bean in Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to isolate and identify seedborne mycoflora associated with faba bean seed samples, determine their effects on seed germination and disease transmission, and evaluate the antimicrobial activities of seven plant extracts and four Trichoderma spp. against the pathogen isolated from the seed. Fifty seed samples were collected from different farmers’ saved seeds of five major faba bean-producing varieties of the Ambo district and were tested by agar plate methods as recommended by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). A total of 7 fungal species belonging to 6 genera, viz. Fusarium oxysporum (Schlechlendahl), Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc, Aspergillus spp. Penicillium spp. Botrytis spp. Rhizoctonia solani (Kühn) and Alternaria spp. were isolated and identified. Among these, Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp, and Penicillium spp. were the most predominant fungi in all seed samples. Seed-to-seedling transmission test results confirmed that F. oxysporum, F. solani and R. solani were major causal pathogens that caused root rot and damping-off disease in faba beans and were transmitted from seeds to seedlings. A higher germination rate was observed in Golja-GF2 (97%), and a lower germination rate was observed in Kure Gatira-KF8 (81%). A study on in vitro evaluation of plant extract and Trichoderma spp. against F. oxysporum, F. solani and R. solani revealed that plant extracts at 5%, 10% and 20% concentrations significantly inhibited the mycelial growth of all tested fungi. Inhibitory effects on the three tested fungi (R. solani, F. solani and F. oxysporum) were recorded on T. longibrachiatum (87.91%), T. atroviride (86.87%), Trichoderma virens (86.16%) and T. harzianum (85.45%). The inhibitory effect of the aqueous plant extracts on mycelial growth increased with an increase in concentration, and the hot water extracts showed higher effects compared to the cold water extract in all tested fungi. This study showed that the highest inhibitory effect of Allium sativum L. extracted at a 20% concentration against mycelial growth inhibition of the three test fungi (F. oxysporum, R. solani and F. solani) was 84.60%, 83.61% and 83.47%, respectively. However, Nicandra physalodes (L.) Gaertn.) extracts at the same concentration showed the lowest inhibitory effects on the three tested fungi (74.94%, 73.94% and 73.24%).