Journal and Journal Articles: Recent submissions

Now showing items 101-120 of 5266

    • Studies on genetic polymorphism of improved cowpea varieties using Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) marker 

      Olasan, O.J.; Omoigui, L.; Oluma, H.A.; Aguoru, C.U.; Deo, D.; Ugbaa, M.S.; Ezugwu, J.; Ekeruo, G.; Dughduh, P.; Iyorkaa, N.; Simon, M.; Okoh, T. (2023-07-06)
      Background and Objective: Several new varieties are released from breeding programs targeted at solving specific threats to cowpea production in Nigeria. As part of efforts to promote crop improvement, this study was carried out to determine the level of genetic polymorphism and phylogenetic relationship that exists among four selected improved varieties of cowpea (SAMPEA-14, SAMPEA-15, SAMPEA-17 and SAMPEA-18) using ten SSR molecular markers. Materials and Methods: The DNA was extracted from 14 ...

    • Screening and genotyping of groundnut (Arachis hypogea L.) inbred lines and landraces in the North Central Nigeria 

      Olasan, O.J.; Aguoru, C.U.; Omoigui, L.; Iwala, J.; Dughduh, P.; Terseer, S.S. (2023-09-21)
      The study evaluated 33 accessions of groundnut in the field, consisting of 23 landraces from Nasarawa communities in Nigeria and 10 inbred lines. Assessment entailed the determination of plant survivorship, yield related parameters and pathological indices while genetic diversity study was undertaken using SSR and RAPD molecular markers. Data analysis was done on the Minitab 17.0 software. Significant variability was noted in all traits except in pod sizes, seed sizes and % infected seeds. About ...

    • Sensory characterization of the perceived quality of East African highland cooking bananas (matooke) 

      Khakasa, E.; Muyanja, C.; Mugabi, R.; Bugaud, C.; Forestier-Chiron, N.; Uwimana, B.; Arinaitwe, I.K.; Nowakunda, K. (2023-04-07)
      BACKGROUND It has recently become increasingly evident that banana projects in Uganda need to consider consumer preferences as part of the breeding process to increase the acceptability of new cultivars. A trained panel used quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA) as a tool to assess the sensory characteristics of 32 cooking bananas (matooke). The aim was to investigate which sensory characteristics best describe matooke. RESULTS Fourteen descriptors were generated. The preferred attributes of ...

    • Varietal impact on women's labour, workload and related drudgery in processing root, tuber and banana crops: focus on cassava in sub-Saharan Africa 

      Bouniol, A.; Ceballos, H.; Bello, A.A.; Teeken, B.; Olaosebikan, O.; Owoade, D.; Agbona, A.; Fotso Kuate, A.; Madu, T.; Okoye, B.; Ofoeze, M.; Nwafor, S.; Onyemauwa, N.; Adinsi, L.; Forsythe, L.; Dufour, D. (2024-06)
      Roots, tubers and cooking bananas are bulky and highly perishable. In Africa, except for yams, their consumption is mainly after transport, peeling and cooking in the form of boiled pieces or dough, a few days after harvest. To stabilize, better preserve the products and, in the case of cassava, release toxic cyanogenic glucosides, a range of intermediate products have been developed, mainly for cassava, related to fermentation and drying after numerous processing operations. This review highlights, ...

    • Analysing urban and peri-urban youth employment in agribusiness in Malawi 

      Mkandawire, D.; Gbegbelegbe, S.; Nsenga, J.V.; Yami, M.; Kenamu, E. (2023-09-21)
      The study aims to analyse key determinants of urban and peri-urban youth employment in agribusiness in Malawi to support youth policies. A mixed-methods approach is used, which combines both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The quantitative method involved a Bivariate Logit Model and Multinomial Logit Model to analyse nationally representative survey data from the Fourth Integrated Household Survey in 2016–2017. The qualitative method employed thematic analysis to data generated through Focus ...

    • Increased cassava growth and yields through improved variety use and fertilizer application in the highlands of South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo 

      Munyahali, W.; Birindwa, D.R.; Pypers, P.; Swennen, R.; Vanlauwe, B.; Merckx, R. (2023-10-15)
      Nutrient limitations due to low soil fertility and insufficient fertilizer use widen cassava yield gaps in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). This study was undertaken to investigate firstly the effects of variety and combined application of mineral fertilizer and organic (farm yard manure, FYM) inputs on cassava growth and yields, secondly to identify nutrient limitations to cassava production in the highland conditions of South Kivu, and thirdly to evaluate the economic benefits of the ...

    • Combining ability of extra-early maturing provitamin A maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines and performance of derived hybrids under Striga hermonthica infestation and low soil nitrogen 

      Makinde, S.A.; Badu-Apraku, B.; Ariyo, O.J.; Porbeni, J.B. (2023-02-24)
      Low soil nitrogen (low-N), Striga hermonthica infestation and vitamin A deficiency in normal endosperm maize are major challenges confronting maize production and nutrition of the people of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Development of pro-vitamin A (PVA) maize hybrids with combined resistance/tolerance to the two stress factors is crucial in mitigating the food insecurity and nutrition challenges resulting from low-N deficiency and Striga infestation. One hundred and fifty hybrids plus six hybrid ...

    • Maize stover transfers from maize fields to banana-based agroforestry homegardens and the corresponding nutrient flows in central-northern Tanzania 

      Meya, A.I.; Swennen, R.; Ndakidemi, P.A.; Mtei, K.M.; Merckx, R. (2023-07-13)
      Maize (Zea mays) stover produced in the drier lowland areas on the volcanic foot slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro serves as an important additional fodder for smallholder zero-grazed dairy cattle farming in the humid highland areas of the region. The obtained cattle manure is used to replenish nutrients and manage soil fertility in banana-based agroforestry homegardens of the highlands, which contributes significantly to sustaining crop production, thus food security and the livelihoods of the community. ...

    • Climate change adaptation strategies and its impact on household vulnerability to food insecurity: a micro-level evidence from Southwest Ethiopia 

      Begashaw, A.; Ketema, M.; Mehare, A.; Yami, M.; Feleke, S.; Abdoulaye, T. (2024-07-06)
      Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia face increasing challenges from climate change and variability, which threaten their food security and livelihoods. This study examines how adopting single and combined climate change adaptation practices affects their vulnerability to food insecurity in Bench Maji Zone, southwest Ethiopia. Through multistage sampling, data was gathered from 390 rural households in four climate-prone districts. The study examines the impacts resulting from both individual and combined ...

    • Structure of Aspergillus flavus populations associated with maize in Greece, Spain, and Serbia: implications for aflatoxin biocontrol on a regional scale 

      Ouadhene, M.A.; Callicott, K.; Ortega-Beltran, A.; Mehl, H.L.; Cotty, P.J.; Battilani, P. (2024-04)
      Aspergillus flavus is the most frequently identified producer of aflatoxins. Non-aflatoxigenic members of the A. flavus L strains are used in various continents as active ingredients of bioprotectants directed at preventing aflatoxin contamination by competitive displacement of aflatoxin producers. The current research examined the genetic diversity of A. flavus L strain across southern Europe to gain insights into the population structure and evolution of this species and to evaluate the prevalence ...

    • Economic analysis of on-farm trial of drought tolerant maize in Kwara state Nigeria: a gender approach 

      Ayinde, O.E.; Abdoulaye, T.; Takim, F.O.; Oloyede, A.O.; Bankole, F.A. (2016-01)
      This study analyzed the profitability of on-farm trial of Drought Tolerant (DT) Maize in Kwara State Nigeria using a gendered innovation approach. A Two-stage stratified sampling technique was used. The primary data for the study were collected through the use of well-structured questionnaires administered to forty (40) women farmers in an on-farm trial of the DT maize variety. The analytical tools used include Descriptive statistics, Ranking and Farm budgeting analysis. The result of the analysis ...

    • Are farm input subsidies a disincentive for integrated pest management adoption? Evidence from Zambia 

      Tambo, J.A.; Liverpool-Tasie, L.S.O. (2024-04-23)
      Input subsidy programmes (ISPs) remain a popular but contentious policy tool to promote agricultural intensification, food security and poverty reduction across Africa. Although previous studies have explored the impact of ISPs on various smallholder outcomes, no studies have analysed the impact of recent ISPs on pest management. This is particularly important given the increasing pest challenges due to climate change and the recent surge in pesticide use in low-income countries and its associated ...

    • Making genome editing a success story in Africa 

      Abkallo, H.M.; Arbuthnot, P.; Auer, T.O.; Berger, D.K.; Burger, J.; Chakauya, E.; Concordet, J.-P.; Diabate, A.; Di Donato, V.; Groenewald, H.; Guindo, A.; Koekemoer, L.L.; Nazare, F.; Nolan, T.; Okumu, F.; Orefuwa, E.; Paemka, L.; Prieto-Godino, L.; Runo, S.; Sadler, M.; Tesfaye, K.; Tripathi, L.; Wondji, C. (2024-03)

    • Farming practices, varietal preferences, and land suitability analyses for yam production in Eastern D.R. Congo: implications for breeding initiatives and food sovereignty 

      Mondo, J.; Chuma, G.B.; Matiti, H.M.; Balezi, A.Z.; Kihye, J.B.; Ayagirwe, R.; Agre, A.P.; Banda, V.B.; Adebola, P.O.; Asfaw, A. (2024)
      Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a key tuber crop in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with huge potential for poverty alleviation, food sovereignty, and nutrition security. Exploiting its full potential requires that factors holding it down are understood and mitigated. This study, conducted between May and July 2022 and 2023, assessed yam farming practices, varietal preferences, and land suitability in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We interviewed 765 smallholder farmers within four agro-ecological ...

    • Smallholder farmers' willingness to pay for two-wheel tractor-based mechanisation services in Zambia and Zimbabwe 

      Ngoma, H.; Marenya, P.; Hirpa Tufa, A.; Alene, A.; Chipindu, L.; Martin, M.A.; Thierfelder, C.; Chikoye, D. (2023)
      Mechanisation is back among top development policy priorities for transforming African smallholder agriculture. Yet previous and ongoing efforts ubiquitously suffer from lack of scientific information on end-user effective demand for different types of mechanical innovations to inform public investment or business development programmes. We assess smallholder farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for two-wheel tractor (2WT)-based ripping, direct seeding and transportation using a random sample of 2800 ...

    • Broad range plastid genome editing with monomeric TALE-linked cytosine and dual base editors 

      Wang, X.; Fang, T.; Lu, J.; Tripathi, L.; Qi, Y. (2024)

    • Promoting youth engagement in agriculture through land titling programs: evidence from Tanzania 

      Msangi, H.A.; Waized, B.; Ndyetabula, D.W.; Manyong, V. (2024-04-15)
      In many African countries, land access and tenure insecurity pose significant challenges to agriculture, in particular for the youth. As the farming population ages, young people are expected to take over, but they don’t often show much interest in farming, which could harm the future of agriculture in Africa, where the population is the youngest. Land reforms and titling programs are suggested as amongst strategies to make agriculture more attractive to investors and promote youth involvement. ...

    • Soil quality reflects microbial resource availability and drives rhizosphere microbiome variation in Ghanaian cocoa farms 

      Schmidt, J.; Addo-Danso, S.D.; Asare, R.; Tettey, A.; Isaac, M.E. (2024-06)
      Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) is an important crop in Ghana and the source of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers. Maintaining soil quality on these farms is critical to ensuring the long-term viability of cocoa farming and preventing deforestation to meet rising demand. However, increasing attention to soil health has revealed a significant knowledge gap related to the soil microbiome in cocoa production systems. Using a nested design of sixteen smallholder cocoa farms in ...

    • Elite genotypes of water yam (Dioscorea alata) yield food product quality comparable to white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) 

      Adesokan, M.; Alamu, E.O.; Fawole, S.; Asfaw, A.; Maziya-Dixon, B. (2024-04-26)
      Water yam (Dioscorea alata), also known as winged yam, is one of the most economically significant yam species, serving as a staple food crop in tropical and subtropical regions. Its widespread cultivation is due to its favorable agronomic characteristics, including high yield, improved tuber storability, and significant nutritional and health benefits. Despite these advantages, water yam often remains underutilized due to consumer biases towards its traditional food product quality, particularly ...

    • Making climate-smart cocoa inclusive: towards a framework for gender transformation 

      Torvikey, G.D.; Dalaa, M.A.; Adomaa, F.O.; Abdul-Razak, S.; Amoah, I.A.; Kofituo, R.K.; Tettey, A.; Asare, R. (2024)
      Climate-Smart Cocoa (CSC), a strategic offshoot of the wider Climate-Smart Agriculture, is gaining ground in Ghana, a cocoa export-dependent country. CSC is imperative, given the rapidly declining forests, prolonged periods of drought, pest and disease infestations, and fluctuating cocoa yields attributed to climate variability and change. Although many interventions are instituted to restore sustainable cocoa production, they are largely technicist because they do not pay attention to gender ...