For quite some time, cassava breeding activities of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Uganda were mainly focused on developing genotypes resistant to cassava mosaic disease (CMD), which was the major biotic production constraint since the early 1990s. Although cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) was reported some time back in 1940s, it had been dormant in Uganda. However, in early 2004, cases of CBSD were reported and re-confirmed both onstation (Namulonge) and in ...

A clonal evaluation trial of llTA plantain hybrids for black Sigatoka (85, resistance was established in October 1990. The trial included the three tetraploid hybrids TMPx 5484. TMP" 548-9and TMP" 5974. and their non-treated and fungicide-treated female plantain parent Obino l'Ewa' (French plantain}. Differences between the BS-susceptible plantain parent and the hybrids were distinct. In the first week 01 April 1991 {6 months after printing' the number of standing leaves in the non-treated plantain ...

Insect pests often develop resistance to insecticides, and such resistance represents a serious management problem. Devising methods that concurrently delay resistance and minimize injury by insects to field crops and stored grain has long been a goal of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). A centerpiece of IPM has been the combined use of biological control agents and prudent application of chemical insecticides. Unfortunately, successful application of IPM has remained a challenge. This chapter ...

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp.) is the most important grain legume in the dry savannas of West Africa, however grain and fodder yields are low (averaging 25 to 300 kg and 450 to 800 kg grain and fodder/ha, respectively) due to biotic and abiotic constraints. Improved varieties and cropping systems are continuously being developed to tackle the various constraints and some of the results have shown promises in limited on-farm trials in the past. Recently IITA, in collaboration with several ...

On a Ferralic-haplic Acrisol (terre de barre non degradee) in Southern Benin Republic, four years after the establishment of the hedgerows, yields of maize and cassava alley cropped with Leucaena leucocephala and Cajanus cajan were no better than those in control plots without hedgerows. Reduced crop yields were mainly due to competition with the hedgerows for water and nutrients as Indicated by lower soil moisture and nitrogen-nitrogen concentration the soil solution and high root-Iength densities ...

Alley cropping with Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit, caused a shift in weed flora away from fast-growing annual weeds that are characteristic of frequently cultivated fields to shade-tolerant, less-competitive weeds. Alley cropping caused a greater decline in weed density over lime than was observed in arable fields without alley cropping. This beneficial effect was reduced by the upsurge of shade-tolerant weeds and the build up of Leucaena volunteers where the Leucaena hedgerows were allowed ...

Field trials were carried out on a Dystric Nitosol at Calavi in the subhumid zone of southern Benin Republic, West Africa from 1989-1997. A split plot design with four replications was used. There were (our main plots: control (no hedgerow), Leucaena hedgerows, Acacia hedgerows and mixed Leucaena/Acacia hedgerows. Hedgerows were planted 4 m apart. Subplots consisted of three K rates (0, 37, 74 kg K ha-1). Maize and cassava were planted at populations of 40,000 and 10,000 plants ha-1, respectively. ...

Plantain requires mulching for high yields and sustained productivity. Mulching is, however, labor-intensive and requires extra land for production. An experiment was conducted to determine the potential of alley cropping to supply in situ mulch for plantain production. Foliage from hedgerows of Dactyladenia barteri, Alchornea cordifolia, Senna siamea and Gmelina arborea were compared with mulch from elephant (napier) grass (Pennisetum purpureum) carried into plots that served as the no-tree ...

An alley cropping trial was carried out on an acidic Typic paleudull in the humid forest zone of southeastern Nigeria using Three indigenous (Anthonotha macrophylla, Dactyladenia barteri, Harungana madagascariensis and two exotic (Calliandra calothyrsus and Flemingia macrophylla) hedgerow species. Early growth of Anthonotha was slow. Harungana and calliandra could not withstand repeated pruning and died 3 to 4 years after establishment. Dactyladenia performed better than Anthonata and Flemingia. ...

Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) is a very serious disease in many cassava growing areas of the Eastern zone of Tanzania. It is mainly confined to the lower elevations, mainly along the coast yield losses of up to 74% occur as a result of CBSD infection in some part of the Eastern zone. In the year 2001, a variety believed to be tolerant to CBSD was introduced in two villages Zogowale and Viziwaziwa in the Eastern zone in which CBSD is a big problem. The objective was to find out whether Kiroba ...