Tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the most commonly consumed beverages next to water worldwide. However its production and productivity is constrained by many fungal diseases in Ethiopia. Despite this, there is lack of information on the status of the diseases and lack of knowledge on features of the pathogens associated with the diseases as there have been no any systematic assessments conducted so far. Therefore, the current works were designed with the objectives to assess the distribution of tea diseases and identify the associated pathogens. For this purpose, field surveys were carried out across three tea estate farms (Wushwush, Chewaka and Gumaro) and tea out growers surrounding them in Kafa, Sheka and Ilu Aba Bora zones in Southwest Ethiopia during the 2019 season. Causative pathogens of the diseases were identified using cultural and morphological features. The average Fusarium wilt incidence varied from (0 to 20%), Black rot (7-15%), Bird's eye spot (4-15%), Brown blight (2-5%) and Grey blight (0.5-5%) while mean disease severity of Black rot, Eye spot, Brown blight and Grey blight ranged from 4-11%, 3-9%, 1-5% and 0.5-5%, respectively. Fusarium wilt, black rot disease and eye spot diseases of tea directly related to tea yield loss. Algal leaf spot disease caused by Cephaleuros virescens was observed at Gumaro tea estate farm on the older leaves of aged tea bushes. The present study revealed the economic importance of tea diseases in Southwest Ethiopia. Future research should be directed towards the investigation and determination of management options for the control of important diseases of tea in the country.
Coffea arabica L., the dominant cash crop in the world market, is native to rain forest of Ethiopia where it is believed to exist with high genetic diversity. Estimating genetic parameters are momentous in deciding breeding method to be followed for crop genetic improvement including Arabica coffee. The study was conducted with the intention to gauge genetic gain trend in coffee yield and to select advanced promising lines of Yayo coffee landrace for the next breeding step. The study was laid down at Metu research subcenter in 2013, using 124 coffee accessions that were established in simple lattice design under two sets each comprising 62 accessions including two checks. The over six year’s pooled analysis of variance indicated the handiness variability in yield performance among accessions. Moderate genotypic variance (15.46 to13.56%), heritability (56.16–81%), and expected genetic gain (15.52–20.8%) were observed. The genetic parameters and the superiority of check in yield over accessions elucidated that high yielder variety development by selection is difficult unless heterosis attaining breeding method followed, particularly for these Yayo coffee landrace origin. Common high genetic gain trend (49.19 and 100 kg·ha−1) and response to selection (196.76 and 400 kg·ha−1), selection differential 471.9 and 739.23 kg·ha−1 were revealed in over four harvesting seasons mean value for both sets. Thus, selection is more effective in earlier season than late. High yielding accessions, Y27 and Y93, gave 3013.1 and 125.8 kg·ha−1 yield gain over the high yielder check correspondingly. Despite the top 15 and 10 high yielders were selected from set-I and set-II, respectively, a total of 20 accessions with contrasting desirable traits were selected and established in crossing block for genetic improvement purposes via heterotic hybrid variety development program. These accessions were tolerant to major coffee disease and have desirable agronomic traits.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) is one of the spices produced by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. It becomes one of income sources and acceptable for diversification of coffee. Turmeric and ginger have wider adaptation, perform in similar ecologies. Reports indicated that 3962.03 t produced in Ethiopia in three years, and values of USD 1.26 million, export of 1233 MT rhizomes in different seasons. Turmeric becomes best alternate as ginger devastated by wilt disease and demand increased. Also, more processing centers are emerging in Southwestern Ethiopia as approved promising business. On other hand, there are two released varieties: Dame and Tepi-1, with production package. However, still the production is low and not such satisfactory. Therefore, the objective of this review paper is to organize/present all pre and postharvest practices (variety development, planting materials, land selection, land preparation, planting date, seed rhizome storage, spacing/seed rate, nutrient management, weed management and intercropping of turmeric with another crop) that help improve production/productivity. It also focused on post-harvest practices (washing, boiling, drying and polishing rhizomes) responsible for quality improvement. Products and end uses and factors affecting the quality of turmeric are also discussed to support optimization of yield and quality of turmeric and benefit producers.
Ethiopia has conducive agro-ecology and is capable to produce various spices, including ginger. Spices research in Ethiopia with various limitations did a lot on ginger technology development and achieved significant results. Acquiring significant number of ginger accessions from domestic and foreign source, variety development, pre and postharvest management practices including protection parts are available. Ethiopians have high spices consumption culture and significant volume of ginger used locally and this can be considered as one of the opportunities. In addition to this, there is significant export of ginger and generating 22.6 million USD in 2008. Though there is such potential for production and export earnings, still there are lots of challenges that keep the performance of the commodity very low. The local grouping of the ginger materials, and the selection and release of two ginger cultivars from Jimma Agricultural Research center/Tepi Agricultural Research Sub Center, confirmed that the country has a high diversity of germplasm. This chapter reviews the ginger germplasm enhancement, conservation, variety development, status of ginger breeding, diversity of ginger, ginger tissue culture, ginger biotechnology.
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