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Diversity and Composition of Plant Species in Home Gardens ofDamot Gale Woreda in Wolaita Zone,SNNPRS, Ethiopia
Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026)Home gardensare theareas adjacent to households used for growing a diverse array of plant species in a spatially complex pattern that serve a multitude of functions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diversity and composition of plant species within home-garden areas of Damot Gale Woreda, Wolaita Zone. The study period was from March to July 2020,and this study aimedto document home-garden plant species found in the area and also the knowledge regarding theuses, hazards,and management of those plants found in that area. Out of the total,276 households wereselected for this investigation. Semi-structured interviews, transect walks,and focus group discussionswere employed as data collectionmethods. Plant species diversity was calculated using the Shannon-Wiener diversity index. A total of 57 plant species of 56 genera belonging to 30 families of beneficial plants havebeen identified from home-garden areas. The inventoried plant species were classified into 4 growth forms: 50.87% herbs, 24.56% shrubs, 19.29% trees, and 5.26% climbers. Most plants belonged to the family Solanaceae (5 species),followed by Rutaceae, Poaceae,and Lamiaceae.
Out of all the identified plant species, 59.6% were edible, 22.8% medicinal plants, 14% material culture used, 12.2% firewood, 7% ornamental plants, 5.3% live fencing, 3.5% stimulants, and 7% shading plants. The highest Shannon diversity index (H+= 2.94) was recorded in Gacheno Kebele,followed by Kebele Pulasa (H+= 2.51) and Woreda Gale (H+= 2.34) among the sampled kebeles. Several hazards were identified in home gardensto valuable plants. Those Hazards were cutting the stem for construction, improper land husbandry,and deforestation for making charcoal fuel. The study concludes home-garden to be a reservoir of plant genetic resources;thus,active stakeholder involvement is necessary for their conservation.
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Assessment of the Phytotoxic Effects of the Herbicide Metsulfuron-Methyl on Cow-pea at the Morphological and Biochemical Levels
Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026)Herbicides like sulfonylureas are widely used, but they can persist in the soil and harm unintended plants. In this study, we examined how metsulfuron-methyl (MSM) affects cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) by measuring changes in plant growth and chemical processes. We focused on seed germination and early seedling growth. We tested four MSM concentrations: 0, 100, 200, and 300 mg per liter. For the germination test, we used Petri dishes and treated healthy, sterilized seeds with these concentrations. For other growth and biochemical tests, we used plastic cups in which we sowed uniform healthy seeds after surface sterilization. We applied foliar sprays of MSM at different con-centrations to 15-day-old plants at the three-leaf stage. We applied the leaf sprays when plants had three leaves, 15 days after planting. We measured plant growth and leaf green pigment 30 days after planting. We analyzed the data using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test at P ≤ 0.05. MSM application significantly inhibited germination, veg-etative growth, and chlorophyll accumulation in a concentration-dependent manner. Germination rates declined from 93% in the control group to 66% at 300 mg L⁻¹. Furthermore, shoot length decreased by 68% at 300 mg L⁻¹ relative to the control. Chlorophyll levels declined in MSM-treated plants. Treatment with 200 mg L-1 resulted in a 53% reduction in chlorophyll a and up to a 60% reduction in chlorophyll b compared to untreated plants. Total chlorophyll content was also reduced by 55% at 200 mg L-1 MSM relative to the control. Notably, plants treated with 300 mg L-1, which were already desiccated at the time of sampling, exhibited no detectable chlorophyll. A similar case was also reported for biomass accumulation: no fresh biomass was observed at 30 mg L-1 MSM because the plant was already dry. As herbicide concentration increased, root growth, leaf number, and leaf area all dropped significantly. This shows that cowpea is highly sensitive to MSM during the early seedling stage. The results indicate that herbicide application can pose risks to non-target plant organs. To promote sustainable plant growth, clear criteria and precautions should be established to safeguard these organs from adverse effects.
