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  Better nitrogen fertilizer management improved Mchare banana productivity and profitability in northern highlands, Tanzania 

  Meya, A.I.; Swennen, R.; Ndakidemi, P.A.; Mtei, K.M.; Merckx, R. (2023-05-20)

  Declining land productivity is a major problem constraining banana (Musa spp.) production in Tanzania. Banana fruit yield consequently reaches only 15% of the potential, primarily due to inadequate soil nutrient replenishment. Improving farmers’ soil nutrient replenishment strategy in banana home gardens, which relies on applications of cattle manure only, by mixing with inorganic fertilizer resources can increase land productivity and can improve the overall profitability of banana production in ...
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  Investigation of amaranth production constraints and pest infestation reduction by basil intercropping 

  Azandémè-Hounmalon, G.Y.; Logbo, J.; Dassou, A.G.; Lokossi, L.; Akpla, E.; Fiaboe, K.; Tamo, M. (2023-06)

  Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) is the most consumed leaf vegetable in Benin. A study carried out in south Benin have shown that the production of this vegetable is severely limited by insect pest pressure. The present study aimed to identify the major constraint limiting amaranth production in Ségbana municipality, located in the north of Benin and proposed sustainable agroecological solutions to farmers. Thus, a survey was conducted among 150 farmers in three villages of Ségbana (Lougou, ...
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  Stressors and resilience within the cassava value chain in Nigeria: preferred cassava variety traits and response strategies of men and women to inform breeding 

  Olaosebikan, O.; Bello, A.A.; Utoblo, O.; Okoye, B.; Olutegbe, N.; Garner, E.; Teeken, B.; Bryan, E.; Forsythe, L.; Cole, S.M.; Kulakow, P.; Egesi, C.; Tufan, H.A.; Madu, T. (2023)

  This study investigated the trait preferences for cassava in the context of climate change and conflict stressors among value-chain actors in Nigeria to strengthen social inclusion and the community-resilience outcomes from breeding programs. Multi-stage sampling procedures were used to select and interview male and female value-chain participants in the Osun, Benue and Abia States. The results indicated that farmers preferred cassava traits such as drought tolerance, early bulking, multiple-product ...
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  Ethnobotany and Perceptions on the Value of Taro (Colocasia esculenta) among farmers in the Benin Republic 

  Quenum, Z.N.J.; Kumar, P.L.; Akoroda, M.O.; Dansi, A.; Vetukuri, R.R.; Bhattacharjee, R. (2023-05)

  Taro (Colocasia esculenta) is a widely grown vegetatively propagated food crop in the Benin Republic. The taro leaf blight (TLB) epidemic in 2009, caused by Phytophthora colocasiae, has destroyed taro production and wiped out many taro landraces in West Africa. A survey was conducted in the southern region of Benin to assess the status of taro and TLB, ethnobotany, farmers' perceptions of taro, and identify production constraints. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information from 24 ...
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  Transcriptome and metabolome profiling identify factors potentially involved in pro-vitamin A accumulation in cassava landraces 

  Olayide, P.; Alexandersson, E.; Tzfadia, O.; Lenman, M.; Gisel, A.; Stavolone, L. (2023-06)

  Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a predominant food security crop in several developing countries. Its storage roots, rich in carbohydrate, are deficient in essential micronutrients, including provitamin A carotenoids. Increasing carotenoid content in cassava storage roots is important to reduce the incidence of vitamin A deficiency, a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. However, cassava improvement advances slowly, mainly due to limited information on the molecular factors influencing ...

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