Introductory information about Department of Plant Science
Department of Plant Science came into being in 2007-8 and started functioning with 52 students under College of Agricultural Sciences at Kulfo Campus. Plant Science, an engine that holds the key to the agricultural growth along with other relevant factors needs to be updated with the changing times. Therefore, agricultural education and training is pivotal and starkly dynamic that addresses socio-economic and technological development issues and in this context, education and training in plant science is to be analyzed and course curriculum modified. It’s here we are continuously striving to do the needful to serve the community.
Vision
Department of Plant Science aspires to be one of the leading departments of agricultural institutions and a center of excellence in the area of low-land crops in southern Ethiopia by 2020.
Mission
Department of Plant Science has a mission of offering relevant and high-quality education, training; conducting demand-driven, problem-solving research and consultancy; rendering accessible community services and promoting democratic thinking.
Academic Programs
Post-Graduate (MSc):
· Agronomy
· Soil Science
· Irrigation Agronomy
· Sugar Cane Production Technology
· Plant Science
Under-graduate
· Plant Science (BSc)
Partnership
· The department along with Southern Nations, Nationalities and People Regional State trains service students in summer
· Collaborating with Sugar Corporation of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in research and training of post-graduate students
Research Areas
Crop production, agronomic practices, agricultural resource management, crop improvement and crop protection are potential areas for research that will meet the emerging needs of the country; and information given below clarifies what scope each components really offers.
Crop Production: It addresses generation, adoption and dissemination of improved agricultural technologies i.e. improved varieties, agronomic practices, crop protection practices, post-harvest technologies and socio-economic aspects to enhance productivity in different agro-ecologies.
Agronomic Practices: It includes the development and dissemination of appropriate agronomic practices/packages such as site and crop specific fertilizer (organic/inorganic) requirements, method and time of application, inter-cropping, irrigation management practices, seed treatment and germination test, familiarizing Integrated Nutrient Management and tillage practices.
Agricultural Resource Management: The primary focus here is to undertake research studies on how efficiently the agricultural resources are managed in relation to productivity, profitability, and sustainability in the farming systems of the agrarian sector with the ultimate objective of alleviating hunger, malnutrition and poverty of the population.
Crop Improvement: It includes development of high-yielding, diseases and drought-resistant, early maturing varieties; adapting improved varieties to different agro-ecologies; collection and characterization of local germ-plasm, maintenance, multiplication of improved and breeding lines.
Crop Protection: It involves study on economically important crop pest and the screening and evaluation of different prevention and protections technologies and methods against pests such as legislative (quarantine & laws), physical (mechanical, chemical and biological) using natural enemies, integrated pest management.
On-going Research Projects
|
Title |
Researcher Name |
|
|
1 |
Effects of Inoculation Methods and Phosphorus level on Symbiotic Effectiveness of Soybean Varieties at Arba Minch |
Dr. Dereje Tsegaye |
|
2 |
Effect of Time and Amount of Irrigation water Application on Yield and Components of Cotton |
Dr.Zenebe Mekonnen |
|
3 |
Evaluation of sugarcane varieties (saccharin spp. Hynch rid) for Yield and Quality Characters at AMU |
Pro.A.Q Khan & Amare Girma |
|
4 |
Physiochemical Characterization of Acidic soils of Dita District, Gamo Gofa Zone, Southern Ethiopia |
Dr. P.D. Sharma |
|
5 |
Determination of critical period of weed control in food Barely varieties under Belg season at chencha |
Amare Girma |
|
6 |
Evaluation of Local and Released Arabica Coffee Varieties for Yield and Quality Under Different Shade Trees at Gamo Gofa Zone, SNNPR |
Degife Assefa (Gonfa Tolera) |
|
7 |
Role of Indigenous Agricultural knowledge in Fertilizer Adoption and its Implication for Biodiversity Conservation |
Tuma Ayele & Defaru Debebee |
On-going Community Service Projects
|
S.No |
Title of the Project |
Service Provider Name |
|
1 |
Promoting Conservation Agriculture for soil salinity and water scarcity conditions: The Case of Arba Minch Zuria and Dherashe Woredas |
Tuma Ayele & Tsedalu Alemu |
Staff Profile
Contact Us:
Dr. Berhanu Lemma
Head of Department
P.O. Box 21
Arba Minch University
College of Agricultural Sciences
Tel: +251-901963574
Fax: +251-46881-0279
E-mail: