The Research Directorate of Arba Minch University has lauded Academic Vice President, Dr Agena Anjulo and others for getting their research findings published in different international journals. Dr Agena’s two research findings are published in African Journal of Range & Forage Science in South Africa and Indian Journal of Ecology by Punjab Agriculture University.

The first paper titled - ‘Integration of papaya in the farmland: Production and contribution to household income in Ethiopia,’ has been jointly authored by Dr Agena and Dr Fikirte Asrat Gelaw from Amhara Region Agricultural Research Institute, Ethiopia.

On the aforesaid research, both have conducted the trial in Mola district of East Gojam zone, Amhara region during the cropping season of 2010-2011, where the contribution of papaya managed under agro-forestry for four years on diversification of products, improvement of household income and soil property changes were duly evaluated.

The study is consisted of seven treatments in four replications laid down in randomized complete block design. The intercropping of vegetables with papaya resulted land acquisition ratio (LER) of more than one indicating the superiority of growing them in intercropping than in mono-cropping.

The treatments yielded positive net revenues with the benefit cost ratio of more than one. Moreover, returns of the Agri-horticulture system were found to be increased by 12.21 to 32.96 percent over their respective mono-crops.

Their second research finding titled - ‘Nutritional evaluation of Ficus thonningii Blume leaves as ruminant livestock feed in the Ahferom district of Tigray,’, both researchers while evaluating the fodder quality of Ficus thonningii Blume in Ahferom district, carried out the determination of foliar macronutrients and approximate chemical compositions.

The result showed that Ficus thonningii leaves are a good source of nutrients (protein, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and fibre) and they are within the recommended range of ruminant livestock growth and development.

The Research Directorate also appreciated few AMU researchers for getting their papers published in different research journals; they are: Nebiyu Yemane and Messele Taye, got their findings titled - ‘Honeybee production in the three agro-ecological districts of Gamo Gofa zone of southern Ethiopia,’ published in ‘Agriculture and Biology Journal of North America.

Mulugeta Melkie, Abel Girma and Tsegaye Tsalla’s research papers on ‘Quality audit on venous blood sample processing in laboratories of government hospitals in Gamo Gofa zone’ and Asnake Menbere, Bayisa Feye and Zelalem Getahun’s - ‘Local conflicts and Ethnic relations among Konso and Derashe of Southern Ethiopia: Case study’ have been published in Science Journal of Clinical Med’cine.

By Philips Joseph