June 2020

Seasonal variation and modeling of leaf area growth in Jatropha curcas L. plants: Implication for understanding the species adaptation in the Sahel of Niger

Jatropha curcas is a tree species introduced in Niger as a trial experiment to offset land degradation and for biofuel production. The objective of this study is to contribute to the understanding of this species’ potential for adaptation under the edaphic and climatic conditions of Niger through analysis and modeling of the leaf area dynamics. The nondestructive method is used to evaluate the leaf area growth...

Author(s): Moussa Massaoudou, Tougiani Abasse, Habou Rabiou and Larwanou Mahamane  

June 2020

The major factors influencing coffee quality in Ethiopia: The case of wild Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) from its natural habitat of southwest and southeast afromontane rainforests

Coffee quality is a complex trait involving sensory and bean characteristics as well as biochemical contents. The objective of this study was to assess the major factors influencing the quality of wild Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.) in the natural coffee forests of southwest and southeast Ethiopia. Results revealed that both natural (soil, aspect, elevation, climate, geographic location) and human factors (cherry...

Author(s): Abebe Yadessa,, Juergen Burkhardt, Endashaw Bekele, Kitessa Hundera and Heiner Goldbach  

June 2020

Combining ability of maize inbred lines (Zea mays L.) for yields in mid altitude sub-humid Agroecology of Ethiopia

Maize is an important staple food for most Ethiopians, but the national average productivity of maize is below that of the world. Development and cultivation of high yielding maize hybrids can improve maize productivity and production. Having information on combining ability and heterosis of maize inbred lines is important for the development of high yielding maize hybrids. The objectives of this study were to identify...

Author(s): Getachew Gemechu, and Ngozi E. Abu  

June 2020

Antibacterial activity of endophytic fungi isolated from mangroves of Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka

Mangroves are plant communities growing in the intertidal zone of tropical to subtropical coastal rivers. Some endophytic fungi which live in the tissues of mangrove plants produce some biologically active substances. By screening these biologically active substances some researchers have found that these substances have antimicrobial activity. This research is aimed to determine the antibacterial activity of endophytic...

Author(s): N. Ravimannan and E. Sepali