Phenology, growth, and seed tuber yield in potato ( L) varieties as influenced by plant density at adet, northwestern Ethiopia.

The effect of planting density on producing quality seed tubers using shoot tip cuttings and conventional methods from tubers has not been studied in Ethiopia. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of spacing on seed tuber yield and related traits of potato cultivars at Adet Agricultural Research Center in northwestern Ethiopia during the 2023 cropping season. The treatments consisted of two potato varieties (Belete and Gera) propagated by shoot tip cuttings at four inter-row spacings (30, 40, 50, and 60 cm) and intra-row spacing (15, 20, 25, and 30 cm).

Pathways from research to sustainable development: Insights from ten research projects in sustainability and resilience.

Drawing on collective experience from ten collaborative research projects focused on the Global South, we identify three major challenges that impede the translation of research on sustainability and resilience into better-informed choices by individuals and policy-makers that in turn can support transformation to a sustainable future. The three challenges comprise: (i) converting knowledge produced during research projects into successful knowledge application; (ii) scaling up knowledge in time when research projects are short-term and potential impacts are long-term; and (iii) scaling up knowledge across space, from local research sites to larger-scale or even global impact. Some potential pathways for funding agencies to overcome these challenges include providing targeted prolonged funding for dissemination and outreach, and facilitating collaboration and coordination across different sites, research teams, and partner organizations.

The maternal origin of indigenous domestic chicken from the Middle East, the north and the horn of Africa.

Background: Indigenous domestic chicken represents a major source of protein for agricultural communities around the world. In the Middle East and Africa, they are adapted to hot dry and semi-dry areas, in contrast to their wild ancestor, the Red junglefowl, which lives in humid and sub-humid tropical areas. Indigenous populations are declining following increased demand for poultry meat and eggs, favouring the more productive exotic commercial breeds.

Comparative analysis of the chicken IFITM locus by targeted genome sequencing reveals evolution of the locus and positive selection in IFITM1 and IFITM3.

Background: The interferon-induced transmembrane (IFITM) protein family comprises a class of restriction factors widely characterised in humans for their potent antiviral activity. Their biological activity is well documented in several animal species, but their genetic variation and biological mechanism is less well understood, particularly in avian species.

Results: Here we report the complete sequence of the domestic chicken Gallus gallus IFITM locus from a wide variety of chicken breeds to examine the detailed pattern of genetic variation of the locus on chromosome 5, including the flanking genes ATHL1 and B4GALNT4.

A large nested association mapping population for breeding and quantitative trait locus mapping in Ethiopian durum wheat.

The Ethiopian plateau hosts thousands of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) farmer varieties (FV) with high adaptability and breeding potential. To harness their unique allelic diversity, we produced a large nested association mapping (NAM) population intercrossing fifty Ethiopian FVs with an international elite durum wheat variety (Asassa).