Germination Responses, Early Growth Performances, Uses and Community Perceptions of Rhamnus Prinoides L’herit (Rhamnaceae) at T.Maychew Wereda, Central Zone, Tigray Regional State, Ethiopia.
| dc.contributor.advisor | Negash, Legesse (Professer) | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gebreaftse, Efrem | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2019-08-21T08:26:03Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-11-09T04:20:41Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2019-08-21T08:26:03Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-11-09T04:20:41Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2017-09-02 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Gesho is scientifically R. prinoides that belongs to genus Rhamnus, family Rhamnacae and order Rhamnales that grows at altitude ranges from 1400-3200 masl. The objective of the study was to assess berry germination responses of Rhamnus prinoides L’Herit (Rhamnaceae). The study also addressed farmers’ perceptions about this economically useful plant. This is achieved by designing and administering appropriate set of questionnaires to randomly selected respondents. The growth media used were mixtures of red soil, animal dung and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1, respectively under shade conditions. The study found that treated groups of seeds started germinating 20 days after planting these in the germination media, but the control group started after 22 days. Treated seeds yielded a final germination of 84%, while the control seeds resulted in 60%. Seedling survival of the treated R. prinoides seeds was 84.5%, while the control group was 66.6%. The mean root collar diameter provided 1.2 mm and 1.1 mm for plants derived from the treated seeds and the control seeds respectively. Mean value of height measured three times is 1.55cm, 3.05 cm 5.05 cm, and 1.5 cm 2.97 cm 4.85 cm for plants derived from the treated and the control seeds, respectively. At the same time, mean number of leaves (2.2, 3.3, 6.1 and 2, 3, 5.2) respectively at treated group with significant value. Dry weights (0.045 g and 0.032 g) for plants derived from the treated and control seeds, respectively, were significantly (p < 0.05) different from one another. Questionnaires presented to selected members of communities indicated that gesho plant is evergreen (with characteristically deep-green leaves), ecologically friendly and economically useful. They affirmed that the species can resist the effect of termites and can be harvested annually, if environmental conditions are favorable. However, the farmers lamented that this useful plant was highly affected by exotic plants such as eucalypt trees, which have become all too common around homesteads and smallholder backyard farms. Members of the communities (100%) said that R. prinoides has multipurpose uses, including its use for traditional beverages (tella, tej, areki), for medicine, as well as for economic benefits. According to 87.5% of the respondents, gesho plants differ in their periods of flowering and fruiting. Significant number of respondents (75%) said that, gesho plants can grow to flowering within 2-3 years, provided that environmental conditions are favorable. These respondents added that flowering often occurs in June and July of anyone year. Quite a number of respondents (25%) said, the plant can flower continuously, thus producing berries that pass through different developmental stages that range from immature green and red to mature, black (purple) stage, at which berries are eaten up by birds. This needs a great deal of care and patience is required for collecting ripe berries, since the latter are favorite foods for birds. Most respondents (65%) said, they collect ripened fruits and they follow correct steps but (35%) collect immature red from harvested leaves lead to an efficient germination. A significant percentage (77.5%) of the respondents explained that seedling establishment around homesteads is a challenge since it requires a constant supply of water. However, quite a number of the same respondents (22.5%) emphasized the possibility of establishing gesho plants around homesteads. The study also found out that it is not possible to make gesho leaf harvests more than twice a year (70% of the respondents), while 30% of them claimed that more than two-times harvest per year is possible if water and other inputs are available. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/18807 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Addis Ababa University | en_US |
| dc.subject | Berries | en_US |
| dc.subject | Biomass | en_US |
| dc.subject | Gesho Root Collar Diameter | en_US |
| dc.title | Germination Responses, Early Growth Performances, Uses and Community Perceptions of Rhamnus Prinoides L’herit (Rhamnaceae) at T.Maychew Wereda, Central Zone, Tigray Regional State, Ethiopia. | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |