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Vegetable production is mainly practiced by smallholder farmers in Ethiopia and it is their main source of income, employment opportunities and improving food security. Although farmers are producing more surplus vegetables, they are not much linked with markets and thus their opportunity to diversify their livelihoods from vegetable production is very much limited. Thus, this study was required to identify factors affecting market participation among smallholder vegetable farmers in southwest Ethiopia. To get the sample respondents two-stage sampling procedures were employed and finally, 240 vegetable producers were selected. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from primary and secondary sources. To achieve the stated objective probit model was used and its result indicates that age of household head, household family size, education level of household head, labour market, market information and distance from the market place were statistically influencing market participation among smallholder vegetable producers. To enable smallholder's participation in vegetable marketing government interventions is needed to strengthening institutional service, communication and infrastructure facilities. This study may be valuable input for smallholder farmers, policymakers and other stakeholders in revealing the gab in the performance of the current vegetable production system to realize the national development policy.

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Fruit tree production is challenged by climate change, which is characterized by heat waves, warmer winters, increased storms, and recurrent droughts. The technology of top netting may provide a partial solution, as it alleviates climatic effects by microclimate manipulation. The tree physiological performance is improved under the nets, with an increased productivity and quality. The application of photoselective nets, which also alter the light spectrum, may result in additional horticultural improvements. We present the results of a 5-year experimental study on Valencia oranges, examining three nets: red, pearl, and transparent. Each net was tested at three fertigation conditions: a field standard (100%, I100) and two reduced fertigation regimes, which were 80% (I80) and 60% (I60) of the standard. The average multi-annual yield under the red and pearl nets with I100 and I80 and transparent net with I100 was significantly higher than that of the control trees. While the multi-annual yield increase under the red net I80 was due to the increase in the fruit number, in other treatments, the effect was mostly due to induction in the individual fruit weight. The data presented here show that an increased productivity of orange trees grown under photoselective nets, particularly the red net, with its specific spectral properties, was achieved with a considerable water-saving effect.

Long-term irrigation of clayey soils with treated wastewater (TWW) has significant negative effects on soil physicochemical properties and the performance of various orchards, including avocado. The objectives of the study were to investigate the effects of four different mitigation practices on the dynamics and the spatial changes in selected soil properties, following long term irrigation with TWW. The experiment was conducted in a commercial fruit-bearing 'Hass' avocado orchard (Persea americana Mill.) grown on a clayey soil irrigated with TWW since 2009. The mitigation measures, each in 6 replicates, were implemented in 2016 and included the following treatments: freshwater (FW), blended TWW: FW in a 1:1 ratio (MIX), low-frequency TWW-irrigation (LFI), TWW irrigated tuff trenches (TUF) and TWW as the control treatment. The results showed that FW and MIX significantly reduced total salinity (EC), specific salinity related ions (Na and Cl), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) to (i) a depth of 90 cm and 30 cm under drippers, respectively, and (ii) a depth of 60 cm except for chloride and 30 cm between drippers, respectively compared with TWW. Moreover, FW significantly increased aggregate stability to a depth of 30 cm. TUF and LFI reduced soil salinity and sodicity under drippers but not between drippers compared with TWW. TUF increased oxygen concentration in the root zone (35-cm depth) compared with all other treatments. Considering the scarcity of FW, MIX and TUF can be suggested as mitigating measures for reducing soil salinity and sodicity, and increasing poor aeration of clayey soil under long term irrigation with TWW, respectively.