ABSTRACT
Declining soil fertility is one of the major causes of food insecurity and high levels of poverty, both of which tend to hamper economic development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). To improve soil fertility, the implementation of soil organic carbon (SOC) enhancement technologies has become crucial to slowing land degradation, through increasing SOC, which is the basis of soil fertility. Using data from 381 households from Azuga-Suba and Yesir watersheds in Ethiopia, this study explores the extent of the adoption of technologies that enhance SOC. Soil organic carbon enhancing technologies include the use of manure, fertilizer, and crop residue management. The Probit model was used to assess what constrains the adoption of these technologies. The results indicate that fertilizer is the most adopted technology having over 90% adoption in both watersheds. Manure at 28% and 56% adoption while crop residue management at 37% and 26% adoption in Azuga-Suba and Yesir respectively. Technology adoption is highly constrained by lack of education, access to extension services, and access to credit services. Institutions and local farmer groups influence these constraints through training, provision of information, offering incentives, and credit services. Large plots hinder the use of manure and fertilizer due to the bulky nature of manure and the high costs of fertilizers. Insecurity in land tenure limits the adoption of manure and residue management. Perception of soil erosion and soil fertility tends to constrain the adoption of SOC technologies, as farmers are afraid that all improvements through soil amendment will be diminished through soil erosion. At the same time, farmers do not perceive the importance of SOC enhancing technologies in plots that were fertile. These results imply that strengthening institutions that enhance farmers' knowledge and provide credit as well as strengthening social protection schemes and farmer groups is crucial in promoting the adoption of these technologies.
ABSTRACT
Solanum nigrum (SLN), commonly known as African nightshade, is used as a vegetable as well as in the management and treatment of various ailments including gastric ulcers. We analyzed, both grossly and microscopically using H&E, Masson's trichrome and PSA staining methods, the protective effects of aqueous leaf extracts of three Kenyan SLN genotypes namely S. scabrum (SSB), S. sarrachoides (SSR) and S. villosum (SVL) on ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats. There was evidence of gastro-protection by all the three genotypes with the SSB showing the highest ulcer inhibition score (76.37 %) followed by SSR (72.51 %) and SVL (63.30 %). SLN-pretreated rats showed less areas of gastric mucosal surface erosion. Additionally in the pretreated animals, the depth of the ulcers were markedly reduced, reaching only the gastric pit region except in those treated with SVL where the ulcers penetrated slightly more deeply to affect the gastric glands. Compared with controls, the mean microscopic ulcer index decreased 5.07, 3.55 and 2.37-fold in rats pretreated with SSB, SSR and SVL extracts respectively. Results of this work show extracts of the three SLN genotypes to have antiulcerogenic potential but at varied strengths, thus confirming earlier reports that phytoconstituents and hence the efficacy of a medicinal plant may be influenced by genetic factors.
Solanum nigrum (SLN), comúnmente conocida como la solanácea africana, se usa como vegetal, para el tratamiento de diversas dolencias incluyendo las úlceras gástricas. Analizamos de forma macro y microscópica, de forma macroscópica y microscópica, utilizando para ello tinciones de H&E, tricrómico de Masson y PSA los efectos protectores de extractos acuosos de hojas de tres genotipos SLN de Kenia: S. scabrum (SSB), S. sarrachoides (SSR) and S. villosum (SVL) en lesiones gástricas inducidas por etanol en ratas. Hubo evidencia de gastroprotección por parte de los tres genotipos con el SSB mostrando el puntaje más alto de inhibición de la úlcera (76,37 %) seguido de SSR (72,51 %) y SVL (63,30 %). Las ratas tratadas previamente con SLN mostraron menos áreas de erosión de la superficie de la mucosa gástrica. Además, en los animales pretratados, la profundidad de las úlceras se redujo notablemente, llegando solo a la región del fondo gástrico, excepto en aquellos tratados con SVL donde las úlceras penetraron un poco más profundamente para afectar las glándulas gástricas. En comparación con los controles, el índice medio de úlcera microscópica disminuyó 5,07, 3,55 y 2,37 veces en ratas pretratadas con extractos de SSB, SSR y SVL, respectivamente. Los resultados de este trabajo muestran que los extractos de los tres genotipos de SLN tienen potencial antiulcerogénico en diferentes concentraciones, lo que confirma informes anteriores que los fitoconstituyentes y la eficacia de una planta medicinal pueden estar influenciados por factores genéticos.
