Abstract: The rumen is a special digestive vessel of ruminants, where digestion of cellulose and other plant polysaccharides occurs through microbial activities. On average, cellulose accounts for 50% of the dry weight of plant biomass. Cellulose and agricultural wastes were used as sole carbon sources for the production of cellulase by bacteria. This study focused on isolating and screening cellulase-producing rumen bacteria. The isolated rumen bacteria were identified using morphological a...
Tomato leaf, shoot height and stem diameter reduced under salinity stress caused by photosynthesis reduction, tissues expansion reduction and cell divided inhibition. Salinity also reduces leaf chlorophyll content, stomatal resistance and photosynthetic activities
Abstract: The present study was aimed at analyzing the chemical composition of the crude extract of cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.) cladode and examine its suitability for fungal culture media. For this purpose cactus pear cladode samples were collected from Haramaya University campus Model School area. The chemical composition analysis was done according to standard procedures. The growth of five fungal species (R. stoloinfer ATCC 1052, P. digitatum ATCC 2560, A. niger ATCC 1232, T. a...
Abstract: Garden cress is a fast growing annual herb that is native to Ethiopia. Its seeds are rich source of proteins, dietary fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, other essential nutrients and phytochemicals. The aim of the present study was to investigate the physicochemical properties and biological activities of the oils from garden cress seeds and leaves using solvent extraction methods. The oil extraction was done in Soxhelt apparatus using petroleum ether as a solvent. The physicochemic...
Abstract: Traditional medicinal plants have several uses in different parts of the world. In Ethiopia, it remains the main source of treatment for the majority of the population and its livestock. The aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial and antifungal activities of crude extracts of Solanum incanum, Vernonia amygdalina, Datura stramonium L., and Croton macrostachyus against four bacterial pathogenic species (i.e. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Salmonella Typhi...
Abstract: In search of green technology, enzyme production has received much attention in industrial biotechnology processes with the objective of the substitution of chemical processes, with potentially adverse effects on humans and environment. Protease enzyme has been utilized widely in industries to engender a wide range of products such as, detergent, leather, waste management, brewing, meat softening, milk-clotting, food, pharmaceutical, cancer treatment, diagnostics, digestion, viral ...
Abstract: Fruit production is one of the fastest growing sectors in Botswana. As one of the agricultural sectors, fruit production is very crucial as it contributes immensely towards income generation and employment opportunities, especially for vulnerable rural livelihoods. Despite all the benefits, one of the biggest hurdles in the fruit production industry is disease and insect pests. Chief among these insect pests is the Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Bactrocera dor...
Abstract: Botswana is a country which depends mainly on cereal agriculture, done mostly by rural farmers as their major income stream. However, lepidopteran stemborers are a major constraint in the rural farmers’ cultivation of cereal crops. Species diversity and distribution of these insects of economic concern is currently unknown in Botswana. Through a survey, I catalogued the diversity of stemborers, host plant interactions and their associated parasitoids across Botswana. A total of 1...
Abstract: Malaria is considered the main cause of morbidity and mortality in most countries of the sub- Saharan Africa. Though elimination of the disease is a priority in some African countries such as Botswana, there are bottlenecks that make it difficult to achieve such target. Factors associated with the environment and mosquito-vector capacity for disease transmission have contributions towards challenges affecting disease elimination. These are dynamics which have not been explored in t...
Abstract: There is presently insufficient information on the atmospheric microbial level in Botswana, the occurrence and diversity of airborne microbes in Botswana is not well understood. In addition, there is also growing concern in the global spread of antimicrobial resistant bacterial pathogens that continue to emerge and pose a huge challenge to human health. This study, being the first of its kind in the country was aimed at understanding the occurrence, distribution and relative divers...
Abstract: Water scarcity is one of the main challenges in sustainable development particularly in developing countries. The use of wastewater effluent for irrigation of crops is common in most water-stressed countries as this alleviates pressure on fresh water supply. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are regarded as hotspots for antibiotic resistance determinants; antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (e.g. plasmids). These ant...
Abstract: Khadi is a traditional fermented alcoholic beverage popular in Botswana. There is little documented information about the brewing processes, the microorganisms responsible for fermentation as well as the safety despite its popularity in local markets. Such information is vital for production of a standardized beverage with a consistent quality to aid its entrance into the modern commercial markets. This thesis explored the brewing processes, microbiological quality and safety, as i...
Abstract: Dung beetles are coprophagous insects belonging to the families Scarabaeidae and Geotrupidae. They are a very important insects’ group, acting as significant ecosystem engineers through dung burial, decomposition, nutrient cycling, bioturbation and seed dispersal in natural and human managed systems. Despite these benefits, most essential ecosystem services are not economically quantified and as such, their roles as natural capital in natural and human managed systems have la...
Abstract: This paper describes the ‘push–pull’ or ‘stimulo-deterrent diversionary’ strategy in relation to current and potential examples from our own experiences. The push–pull effect is established by exploiting semiochemicals to repel insect pests from the crop (‘push’) and to attract them into trap crops (‘pull’). The systems exemplified here have been developed for subsistence farming in Africa and delivery of the semiochemicals is entirely by companion cropping, i.e...
Abstract: The relative importance of the braconid Cotesia sesamiae, a gregarious larval parasitoid of lepidopteran stemborers, varies greatly with region in Africa; while the most common parasitoid of noctuid stemborers in eastern Africa, it is rare in western Africa. Thus, several strains of C. sesamiae from Kenya are envisaged for introduction into western Africa. The present study investigates the reproductive compatibility between four populations of C. sesamiae from West Africa and Keny...