Arsi Journal of Science and Innovation

Effect of Effluent on Soil Physico-chemical Properties and Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.) Growth Performance: The Case of Ambo Mineral Water Factory, Oromia, Ethiopia

Bayisa Duressa — 2022-05-16

The release of untreated wastewater into the environment can lead to the contamination of crops, and pollution of soils, rivers, streams and other surface water bodies. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of Ambo Mineral Water factory effluent on soil properties, and the performance of tomato crop. Water and soil samples were collected for laboratory analysis. A pot experiment was conducted using tomato as a test crop. The effluent was analyzed for (pH, total alkalinity, bicarbonate Cl-, soluble sodium, total acidity, Total Dissolved Solids, Total Suspended Solids, Cl-, Mg, Ca, total hardness, NH4-N, PO43- and Sodium Adsorption Ratio). Analysis revealed that the majority of parameters were found within permissible limits for irrigation water quality except for bicarbonate, Magnesium, ammonium nitrogen, and phosphate. Some of the parameters (total alkalinity, soluble Na, Cl-, total dissolved solids, and sodium adsorption ratio) were high in the effluent water. However, Sodium Adsorption Ratio and heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Mn, Zn and Fe) were within permissible limits for irrigation. The effluent was in a range of moderate toxicity hazards of alkalinity, salinity, sodicity, and chloride with high bicarbonate alkalinity hazard hazards. Bulk density, total porosity, exchangeable K, Mg, Ca; total N, and heavy metals in soil solution along the effluent channel did not show significant differences. Soil physicochemical properties (pH, electrical conductivity, exchangeable Na, Exchangeable Sodium Percentage, Soluble Cl-, CO32-and HCO3-; and Cr highly significantly increased in the soils along the effluent channel. Cation Exchange Capacity and organic matter decreased in the same channel by 37.46% and 49%, respectively. Tomato local variety treated with five levels of effluent concentrations for irrigation resulted in significantly good growth performance (dry biomass, leaf number, growth rate and heights) at 75 and 100 % effluent water concentrations.

Risky Sexual Behavior and Associated Factor among Arsi University Students, South East Ethiopia

Bune Feyisa — 2022-05-16

Spatial Rainfall Variability of Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Arragaw Alemayehu — 2022-05-16

Rainfall over Ethiopia shows high spatial and temporal variability and has significant effects on Ethiopia’s economy in general and on the agriculture sector in particular. This study describes the rainfall climatology of Oromia Region of Ethiopia using over the past 30 years (1983-2016) of monthly rainfall data from 20,475 points of 4km×4km grids. The data are created by blending station records with meteorological satellite estimates and were obtained from the National Meteorological Agency of Ethiopia. Methods of analysis used include calculation of longterm averages and indices of variability, and detection of trends over the period of observation. We found that mean annual areal rainfall over Oromia Region is 1009 mm, varying from 816 mm in the lowlands (locally known as Kolla, <1500 m asl) agroecological zone to 1240 mm in the midlands (locally known as Weyna-Dega, 1500–2300 m asl) agroecological zone. Inter-annual rainfall variability is generally low, and its intra-annual variability is characterized by moderate to high concentration. Annual rainfall shows statistically non-significant increasing trend. March-May (Belg) rainfall shows statistically non-significant decreasing trend except for Weyna-Dega agroecological zone where there is no clear trend. June-September (Kiremt) rainfall shows statistically significant increasing trend in Weyna-Dega and Dega (>2300 m asl) agroecological zones at p=0.05 level; and at p=0.1 level in the entire Oromia Region. The October-February (Bega) rainfall shows increasing trend in the Kolla agroecological zone at p=0.1 level. February and September show statistically significant increasing trends at p=0.05 level. The correlation between altitude and rainfall in Oromia Region is positive and statistically significant at p = 0.01 except in the Dega agroecological zone which showed statistically significant negative correlation at p=0.01 level. We present results by agroecological zones, and we believe this gives useful insights for development of context-specific agricultural planning, climate risk management and water resource management strategies in this topographically and climatologically diverse Region.

Practices and Challenges Postgraduate Students Face in Conducting Research in the Selected Colleges of Arsi University

Beshir Ida’o Machesa — 2022-05-16

The purpose of this study was to assess practices and challenges postgraduate students face in conducting research in the selected colleges of Arsi University. The study used descriptive design. The data collection tools were questionnaire, interview, document analysis and observation. The sampling techniques were purposive, availability and systematic. Findings showed thesis supervision to have lacked supervision policies and research guidelines, supervisory practice was characterized by mismatching in the area of specialization and topic of supervision, mismatch of numbers of thesis supervisors and postgrauate students (PGS). Challenges related to postgrauate students comprised lack of academic background, lack of research knowledge and skills, postgrauate students overlapped office with thesis work. Challenges related to supervisor were lack of attention, workload compounded inadequate supervision, supervisors did not give research guideline for postgrauate students, supervisors provided a delayed feedback, and supervisors were inaccessible to postgrauate students in times of needs. Challenges related to supervisor- supervisee relationship comprised un/friendly relationship, occurrence of disagreements and lack of clear communication, not making pre- discussion with postgrauate students. Institutional related challenges comprised lack of coordination among colleges, departments and supervisors; institutions did not make continuous follow up of advisor’s progress and delay in thesis supervision of students. The study highly recommends that it is worthy to emphasis on the strict implementation of supervision policies and guidelines, postgrauate students academic background, supervisors supervision policies and practices, supervisee-supervisor relationship and institutional related challenges.

Practices and challenges of reintegration of female return migrants in Ethiopia: the case of domestic labor migrants in East and West Arsi Zones of Oromia Regional State

Kassim Kimo — 2022-05-16

The objective of the study was to assess the return migrants’ state of reintegration. Qualitative approach was used to obtain data from 32 return migrants that were included in the study by availability sampling method. They were drawn from two districts of Arsi zone and West Arsi zones of Oromia regional state. The economic, social, and psychological aspects that influence human life were taken as theoretical framework for the study. The qualitative data generated from the participants indicated variations among the return migrants in their reintegration. It was observed that only two migrants were successful in all the three dimensions of reintegration. The researchers feel that psychological reintegration must be highly related to their economic situation as they frequently mentioned economic problem for the cause of their being scared in the community. The majority (24) of the return migrants were successfully reintegrated in the social dimensions of life. The socio-cultural values of the community had contributed greatly in this regard. The return migrants’ failure to reintegrate was worsened as they could not find the money they had sent to their family from abroad. Almost all of them could not get back their money as their family used the migrants as source of income to solve their economic problem. In the process of their reintegration, return migrants lacked attention from the local government in their economic reintegration. Therefore, the [forced] return migrants require multifaceted approach: job opportunity (or economic support), skills training, and psychosocial support.

Risky Sexual Behavior and Associated Factor among Arsi University Students, South East Ethiopia

Bune Feyisa — 2022-05-16