Journal and Journal Articles: Recent submissions

Now showing items 1-20 of 5236

    • Use of low cost near‑infrared spectroscopy, to predict pasting properties of high quality cassava flour 

      Abubakar, M.; Wasswa, P.; Masumba, E.; Ongom, P.; Mkamilo, G.; Kanju, E.; Abincha, W.; Edema, R.; Sichalwe, K.; Tukamuhabwa, P.; Kayondo, S.; Rabbi, I.; Kulembeka, H. (2024-07-25)
      Determination of pasting properties of high quality cassava flour using rapid visco analyzer is expensive and time consuming. The use of mobile near infrared spectroscopy (SCiO™) is an alternative high throughput phenotyping technology for predicting pasting properties of high quality cassava flour traits. However, model development and validation are necessary to verify that reasonable expectations are established for the accuracy of a prediction model. In the context of an ongoing breeding effort, ...

    • A review on nitrogen flows and obstacles to sustainable nitrogen management within the Lake Victoria Basin, East Africa 

      Masso, C.; Gweyi-Onyango, J.; Luoga, H.P.; Yemefack, M.; Vanlauwe, B. (2024-06-15)
      The Lake Victoria Basin (LVB) is located in the upper reaches of the Nile River Basin and is shared by five East-African countries. The population in the catchment is growing rapidly and the lake is facing several environmental problems. During the past few decades, numerous efforts have been made across the five countries, with the coordination of the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) to reduce the loading of reactive nitrogen (Nr) into the lake and Lake Watershed. However, most of the measures ...

    • Cross-country evidence of consumers' perception of food from animals fed on insects in DR Congo, Mali, and Niger 

      Dontsop-Nguezet, P.; Nyamuhirwa, D.A.; Shiferaw, F.; Manyong, V.; Sissoko, D.; Moussa, B.; Kouakou, A.G.; Zakari, S.; Abdoulaye, T. (2024-06-01)
      Insects can represent a valuable and cost effective source of animal feed in Africa. Recently, the interest in incorporating black-soldier fly larvae (BSFL) in animal feed has increased tremendously. However, many factors, including food neophobia and social and cultural context may affect consumers' perception of insect-technologies-derived food products. This study shed light on consumers' perception of the usage of BSFL as animal feed and consumption, buying, and commercialization of food from ...

    • A new phosphorus fertilizer blend enhances grain legume yield and profitability in northern part of Ghana 

      Adjei-Nsiah, S.; Ulzen, J. (2024-09)
      Low concentrations of phosphorus limit grain legumes’ yield in the northern part of Ghana. Smallholder farmers could benefit from P-fertilizer blends to improve yield. This study evaluated the responses of soybean, cowpea and groundnut to P-fertilizer blends and their profitability in researcher-managed and farmer-managed trials in Northern, Upper West, and Upper East regions. The experiment was set up in a cross-factorial arranged in randomized complete block design with four replications. The ...

    • Detoxification of aflatoxins in fermented cereal gruel (Ogi) by probiotic lactic acid bacteria and yeasts with differences in Amino Acid profiles 

      Banwo, K.; Adesina, T.; Aribisala, O.R.; Falade, T.D.O. (2023-03-10)
      Toxigenic members of Aspergillus flavus contaminate cereal grains, resulting in contamination by aflatoxin, a food safety hazard that causes hepatocellular carcinoma. This study identified probiotic strains as aflatoxin detoxifiers and investigated the changes to the grain amino acid concentrations during fermentation with probiotics in the presence of either A. flavus La 3228 (an aflatoxigenic strain) or A. flavus La 3279 (an atoxigenic strain). Generally, higher concentrations (p < 0.05) of amino ...

    • Think globally and act locally: assessing the environmental impacts of the Nigerian threatened native trees project 

      Awoyemi, A.G.; Olasupo, O.E.; Ajayi, A.D.; Bown, D. (2024-06-13)
      The environmental and socio-economic impacts of the Nigerian Threatened Native Trees Project are presented. This project conducted propagation trials and developed a freely downloadable online Manual of Tree Propagation (MTP) for 55 native tree species, training 146 local experts (32 women and 114 men) during the period (November 2015—December 2022). We used Google Analytics and interviews to assess the impacts of this project from January 2018—July 2023 (iEcology). Results show that the MTP has ...

    • Probiotic and cyanide degrading potentials of pediococcus pentosaceus and pichia exigua isolated from cassava products effluent 

      Banwo, K.; Ojetunde, J.T.; Falade, T. (2023-02-01)
      Cassava tubers contain high levels of cyanogenic glucosides that are toxic when consumed. Lactic acid bacteria and yeast from the effluent generated during the processing of cassava products were assessed for cyanide degradation and probiotic potentials. Pediococcus sp. OG08 and Pichia sp. OG4 had higher bile salt tolerance (p < 0.05) in 0.3 % bile salts (82.5 %,77.7 %) and 0.5 % bile salts (69.3 %, 71.2 %) respectively. They displayed high potassium cyanide tolerance (Pediococcus sp. OG08, 45.7 ...

    • Changes in the rhizosphere and root-associated bacteria community of white Guinea yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.) impacted by genotype and nitrogen fertilization 

      Idowu, A.P.; Yamamoto, K.; Koizumi, T.; Matsutani, M.; Takada, K.; Shiwa, Y.; Asfaw, A.; Matsumoto, R.; Ouyabe, M.; Pachakkil, B.; Kikuno, H.; Shiwachi, H. (2024-06-30)
      The bacterial diversity and composition of water yam (Dioscorea alata L. cv. A-19), which can grow without chemical fertilization, have recently been characterized with no significant differences compared with the use of chemical fertilization. However, the diversity and community structure of bacteria associated with the white Guinea yam (Dioscorea rotundata), the most cultivated and economically important yam in West Africa, have not yet been investigated. This study characterized the bacterial ...

    • Circular bioeconomy practices and their associations with household food security in four RUNRES African city regions 

      Sekabira, H.; Feleke, S.; Manyong, V.; Spath, L.; Krutli, P.; Simbeko, G.; Vanlauwe, B.; Six, J. (2024-04-25)
      Achieving the United Nation’s 2030 agenda which aims, among other goals, to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, requires a sustainable resource use model deployed at scale across global food systems. A circular bioeconomy (CBE) model of resource use has been proposed to reuse of organic waste in agricultural production to enhance food security. However, despite several initiatives recently introduced towards establishing a CBE in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), minimal scientific ...

    • Striking variation in chromosome structure within Musa acuminata subspecies, diploid cultivars, and F1 diploid hybrids 

      Berankova, D.; Cizkova, J.; Majzlikova, G.; Dolezalova, A.; Mduma, H.; Brown, A.; Swennen, R.; Hribova, E. (2024-07-04)
      The majority of cultivated bananas originated from inter- and intra(sub)specific crosses between two wild diploid species, Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Hybridization and polyploidization events during the evolution of bananas led to the formation of clonally propagated cultivars characterized by a high level of genome heterozygosity and reduced fertility. The combination of low fertility in edible clones and differences in the chromosome structure among M. acuminata subspecies greatly hampers ...

    • Identification of the Loci associated with resistance to banana xanthomonas wilt (Xanthomonas vasicola pv. musacearum) using DArTSeq markers and continuous mapping 

      Uwimana, B.; Nakato, G.V.; Kanaabi, R.; Nasuuna, C.; Mwanje, G.; Mahuku, G.; Akech, V.; Vuylsteke, M.; Swennen, R.; Shah, T. (2024-01-16)
      Banana Xanthomonas wilt, caused by Xanthomonas vasicola pv. musacearum (Xvm), is a devastating disease that results in total yield loss of affected plants. Resistance to the disease is limited in Musa acuminata, but it has been identified so far in the zebrina subspecies. This study identified markers associated with tolerance to Xvm in Monyet, a tetraploid banana from the zebrina subspecies which was identified to be partially resistant to the bacterium. We used a triploid progeny of 135 F1 hybrids ...

    • Segmental duplications drive the evolution of accessory regions in a major crop pathogen 

      van Westerhoven, A.C.; Aguilera-Galvez, C.; Nakasato-Tagami, G.; Shi-Kunne, X.; de la Parte, E.M.; Chavarro-Carrero, E.; Meijer, H.J.G.; Feurtey, A.; Maryani, N.; Ordonez, N.; Schneiders, H.; Nijbroek, K.; Wittenberg, A.H.J.; Hofstede, R.; García-Bastidas, F.; Sorensen, A.; Swennen, R.; Drenth, A.; Stukenbrock, E.H.; Kema, G.H.J.; Seidl, M.F. (2024-04)
      Many pathogens evolved compartmentalized genomes with conserved core and variable accessory regions (ARs) that carry effector genes mediating virulence. The fungal plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum has such ARs, often spanning entire chromosomes. The presence of specific ARs influences the host range, and horizontal transfer of ARs can modify the pathogenicity of the receiving strain. However, how these ARs evolve in strains that infect the same host remains largely unknown. We defined the ...

    • Trends in genetic gain for yam in the IITA breeding program 

      Asfaw, A.; Agre, A.P.; Dieng, I.; Adebola, P.O.; Obidiegwu, J.; Chamba, E.; Darkwa, K.; Otoo, E.; Dansi, A.; Dibi, K.E.B.; Kouakou, A.M.; Asiedu, R. (2024)
      Monitoring genetic gain is crucial to ensure breeding programs' effectiveness and identify potential challenges and areas for their improvement. Our study provides a first overview of the trends in genetic gain for tuber yield and disease resistance traits in the IITA's (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture) yam breeding program. We used historical data (2010–2022) from multiple generations of past breeding cycles evaluated at 31 sites in the white Guinea yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir) ...

    • A gendered conjoint analysis of tilapia trait preference rankings among urban consumers in Zambia: evidence to inform genetic improvement programs 

      Murphy, S.; Cole, S.M.; Kaminski, A.M.; Charo-Karisa, H.; Basiita, R.K.; McDougall, C.; Kakwasha, K.; Mulilo, T.; Rajaratnam, S.; Mekkawy, W. (2024-05-21)
      Zambia has experienced a rise in per capita fish supply in recent years due in part to growing domestic aquaculture production and expanding import markets that supply farmed Nile tilapia to mostly urban markets. While urban consumers enjoy a wide variety of local fish species, including wild-caught native tilapia, little is known regarding the consumer preferences for farmed tilapia traits. Understanding aquaculture consumer markets is needed, including more detailed evidence of differences in ...

    • Sustainable intensification of smallholder maize production in northern Ghana: the case of cowpea living mulch technology 

      Rahman, N.A.; Larbi, A.; Kizito, F.; Kotu, B.H.; Hoeschle-Zeledon, I. (2024-06-07)
      Several agricultural technologies have been promoted to intensify smallholder farming systems in Ghana, but there is limited literature on sustainability assessment of these technologies. A 2-year (2017–2018) on-farm study was conducted to evaluate the sustainability of using cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] living mulch (CPLM) technology to intensify smallholder maize (Zea mays L.) production in northern Ghana. Four treatments (control, CPLM planted with maize on the same day, CPLM planted ...

    • Sustainable intensification of smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia 

      Rahman, N.A.; Kotu, B.H.; Tetteh, F.M.; Karikari, B.; Akinseye, F.M.; Ansah, T.; Mutungi, C.; Kizito, F. (2024-04-09)

    • Striking variation in chromosome structure within Musa acuminata subspecies, diploid cultivars, and F1 diploid hybrids 

      Berankova, D.; Cizkova, J.; Majzlikova, G.; Dolezalova, A.; Mduma, H.; Brown, A.; Swennen, R.; Hribova, E. (2024-07-04)
      The majority of cultivated bananas originated from inter- and intra(sub)specific crosses between two wild diploid species, Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Hybridization and polyploidization events during the evolution of bananas led to the formation of clonally propagated cultivars characterized by a high level of genome heterozygosity and reduced fertility. The combination of low fertility in edible clones and differences in the chromosome structure among M. acuminata subspecies greatly hampers ...

    • A gendered conjoint analysis of tilapia trait preference rankings among urban consumers in Zambia: evidence to inform genetic improvement programs 

      Murphy, S.; Cole, S.M.; Kaminski, A.M.; Charo-Karisa, H.; Basiita, R.K.; McDougall, C.; Kakwasha, K.; Mulilo, T.; Rajaratnam, S.; Mekkawy, W. (2024-05-21)
      Zambia has experienced a rise in per capita fish supply in recent years due in part to growing domestic aquaculture production and expanding import markets that supply farmed Nile tilapia to mostly urban markets. While urban consumers enjoy a wide variety of local fish species, including wild-caught native tilapia, little is known regarding the consumer preferences for farmed tilapia traits. Understanding aquaculture consumer markets is needed, including more detailed evidence of differences in ...

    • Adoption potential of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens (L.), Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae composting technology among smallholder farmers in Greater Ahafo-Ano, Ashanti region of Ghana 

      Dzepe, D.; Osae, M.Y.; Asabre, J.O.; Twumasi, A.; Ofori, E.S.K.; Afampugre, G.; Abdoulaye, T.; Asiedu, R.; Djouaka, R. (2024-07-17)
      As the world’s population increases, the growing demand for food intensifies the generation of agricultural waste, leading to several environmental issues. Intensive research indicates black soldier fly (BSF) larvae Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) as efficient converters of organic waste into nutrient-rich biomass suitable for animal feed. Using a structured questionnaire and volunteer farmers (N = 595), we investigated the potential for adoption of BSF larvae composting technology for sustainable ...

    • "The bad job brings the good one": photovoice study with female and male waste workers in Rwanda 

      Surchat, M.; Irakoze, M.; Kantengwa, S.; Konlambigue, M.; Spath, L.; Wilde, B.; Six, J.; Krutli, P.; Stauffacher, M. (2024)
      Within the circular economy framework in Africa, sustainable waste management can contribute to improving the environment and creating green jobs. However, recycling activities are mostly carried out by informal workers, who are often forgotten in discussions about the circular economy. To ensure the development of a socially just circular economy, their voices must be heard and their needs accounted for. This study took place in Rwanda, a circular economy leader in Africa, and explored the ...