Rhizospheric bacterial isolates of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) endowed with multiple plant growth promoting traits.

AIM: The main aim of this work was to examine the plant growth promoting, biocontrol activities and stress competency of grass pea rhizobacterial strains from Ethiopia. METHODS AND RESULTS: Serial dilutions were carried out to isolate rhizobacterial strains from the rhizosphere soil samples. The isolates were characterized for their plant growth promoting, biocontrolling and stress tolerance potential. The isolates that showed better performance in the tested parameters were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among the isolates tested on Pikovskaya agar medium, 22 isolates that showed solubilization index of >2·41 cm were selected for further screening tests. Isolate AAUGPR-53 identified as Enterococcus species, Enterococcus casseliflavus strain showed the highest phosphate solubilization index and indole-3-acetic acid production efficiency of 4·81 ± 0·02 (µg ml-1 ) and 56·55 ± 0·45 (µg ml-1 ), respectively. Sixteen (72·7%) of the isolates showed in vitro antifungal inhibition against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis with isolates AAUGPR-92 and AAUGPR-91 identified as Enterococcus species, E. casseliflavus strain and Enterococcus gallinarum strain exhibiting the highest inhibition of 83 and 78%, respectively. Likewise, 68·2%, 91·30%, 45·5%, 77·3% and 100% of the isolates produced chitinase, protease, cellulase, HCN and NH3 , respectively. Most of the isolates showed good tolerance to the tested stress factors. The 16S rRNA partial sequencing of the rhizobacterial isolates proved their taxonomic position in the existing bacterial isolates. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that three strains, AAUGPR-53, 91 and 92, that showed maximum sequence identity (99%) to Enterococcus species, E. casseliflavus and E. gallinarum were recommended as microbial inoculants for trials under greenhouse and field conditions. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study illustrates an effective alternative to conventional fertilizers that may contribute to crop disease reduction. Our results provide a foundation for future research that will lead to identifying potentially useful biocontrol strains found in the rhizosphere of grass pea.

Biological nitrogen and organic matter removal from tannery wastewater in pilot plant operations in Ethiopia.

The objective of this study was to set-up a pilot plant and to evaluate its effectiveness for biological nitrogen and organic matter removal from tannery wastewater in Ethiopia. A pilot wastewater treatment plant consisting of a predenitrification-nitrification process was constructed and operated for 6 months. This was fed with a raw tannery wastewater obtained from the Modjo Tannery located 70 km south of the capital, Addis Ababa. Up to 98% total nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand, and 95% ammonium nitrogen removal efficiencies were achieved in the system. The average effluent ammonium nitrogen ranged from 8.4 mg l(-1) to 86.0 mg l(-1), whereas the average effluent for nitrate nitrogen ranged from 2.9 mg l(-1) to 4.4 mg l(-1). The average values of denitrification and nitrification rates determined by nitrate and ammonium uptake rates (NUR and AUR) were 8.0 mg NO3-N [g volatile suspended solids (VSS)](-1) h(-1) and 5.4 mg NH4-N (g VSS)(-1) h(-1), respectively, demonstrating that the treatment processes of the pilot plant were effective. Further studies of the effect of chromium III on AUR showed 50% inhibition at a concentration of 85 mg l(-1), indicating that this metal was not causing process inhibition during performance operations. Thus, the predenitrification-nitrification process was found to be efficient for simultaneous removal of nitrogen and organic substrates from tannery wastewaters.

Malnutrition and mortality in Kohistan District, Afghanistan, April 2001.

CONTEXT: The humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has been deteriorating for more than 3 years because of civil war and severe drought. Because of recent events, the international community is predicting a severe worsening of the country's current situation. OBJECTIVE: To assess the magnitude and causes of mortality and prevalence of malnutrition in Kohistan district, Faryab province, Afghanistan. DESIGN: Two-stage, 30-cluster household survey conducted April 4 through 10, 2001, which included anthropometric measurements, assessment of food coping mechanisms, and retrospective mortality data collection for November 26, 2000, through April 4, 2001. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 378 households comprising 3165 people living in Kohistan district, Faryab province, Afghanistan. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Crude mortality rate, mortality rate among children younger than 5 years, causes of death, prevalence of wasting and stunting among children aged 6 to 59 months (weight-for-height and height-for-age z scores <-2, respectively), and food coping mechanisms. RESULTS: The crude mortality rate among the 3165 persons surveyed during the period of interest was 2.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-3.5) per 10 000 per day and the mortality rate among 763 children younger than 5 years was 5.9 (95% CI, 2.0-8.8) per 10 000 per day. Diarrhea (25.0%), respiratory tract infections (19.4%), measles (15.7%), and scurvy (6.5%) caused most of the 108 deaths. The prevalences of wasting and stunting among 708 children aged 6 to 59 months were 7.0% (95% CI, 5.9%-9.0%) and 63.7% (95% CI, 58.6%-68.8%), respectively. Evidence of late-stage food coping mechanisms and prefamine indicators existed among the population. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that, by April 2001, a humanitarian crisis already existed in Kohistan. Essential humanitarian services, including food aid and public health programs, are urgently required in such regions of Afghanistan and will be crucial if a worsening humanitarian crisis is to be avoided. For these services and programs to be implemented, the international community needs to create adequate humanitarian space (ie, a secure and accessible location where humanitarian organizations can provide services to emergency-affected populations) to ensure that humanitarian organizations have access to populations within Afghanistan as well as to refugees who flee to surrounding countries.

Malnutrition, measles, mortality, and the humanitarian response during a famine in Ehiopia.

CONTEXT: The World Food Programme estimated that 10 million people were at risk of starvation in Ethiopia in 2000 but later reported that a famine had been averted. However, no population-based data on mortality or nutrition existed for Gode district, at the epicenter of the famine in the Somali region of Ethiopia. OBJECTIVES: To estimate mortality rates, determine the major causes of death, and estimate the prevalence of malnutrition among children and adults for the population of Gode district. DESIGN AND SETTING: Two-stage cluster survey conducted from July 27 through August 1, 2000, which included anthropometric measures and 8-month retrospective mortality data collection. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 595 households comprising 4032 people living in Gode district of Ethiopia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Crude mortality rates and mortality rates for children younger than 5 years, causes of death, weight for height of less than -2 z scores among children aged 6 months to 5 years, and body mass index of less than 18.5 kg/m(2) among adults and older persons. RESULTS: Of the 595 households, 346 (58.2%) were displaced from their usual places of residence. From December 1999 through July 2000, a total of 293 deaths occurred in the sample population; 159 (54.3%) deaths were among children younger than 5 years and 72 (24.6%) were among children aged 5 to 14 years. The crude mortality rate was 3.2/10 000 per day (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4-3.8/10 000 per day), which is 3 times the cutoff used to define an emergency. The mortality rate for children younger than 5 years was 6.8/10 000 per day (95% CI, 5.4-8.2/10 000 per day). Approximately 77% of deaths occurred before major relief interventions began in April/May 2000. Wasting contributed to 72.3% of all deaths among children younger than 5 years. Measles alone or in combination with wasting accounted for 35 (22.0%) of 159 deaths among children younger than 5 years and for 12 (16.7%) of 72 deaths among children aged 5 to 14 years. The prevalence rate for wasting (weight for height of <-2 z score) among children aged 6 months to 5 years was 29.1% (95% CI, 24.7%-33.4%). Using a method to adjust body mass index for body shape, the prevalence of undernutrition (body mass index <18.5 kg/m(2)) among adults aged 18 to 59 years was 22.7% (95% CI, 17.9%-27.5%). CONCLUSIONS: To prevent unnecessary deaths, the humanitarian response to famine needs to be rapid, well coordinated, and based on sound epidemiological evidence. Public health interventions, such as mass measles vaccination campaigns with coverage extended to children aged 12 to 15 years should be implemented as the first priority. The prevalence of wasting and undernutrition among children and adults, respectively, should be assessed in all prolonged, severe famines.