Journal and Journal Articles: Recent submissions

Now showing items 461-480 of 5157

    • Determining and managing maize yield gaps in Rwanda 

      Bucagu, C.; Ndoli, A.; Cyamweshi, A.R.; Nabahungu, L.N.; Mukuralinda, A.; Smethurst, P. (2020)
      Smallholder maize growers are experiencing significant yield gaps due to sub-optimal agricultural practices. Adequate agricultural inputs, particularly nutrient amendments and best management practices, are essential to reverse this trend. There is a need to understand the cause of variations in maize yield, provide reliable early estimates of yields, and make necessary recommendations for fertilizer applications. Maize yield prediction and estimates of yield gaps using objective and spatial ...

    • Effluent quality of wet process coffee processing factories in coffee growing ecological zones in Burundi 

      Bisekwa, E.; Njogu, P.M.; Kufa-Obso, T. (2020)
      Arabica coffee is cultivated by smallholders for commercial purposes, and it is commonly processed using wet Coffee Processing Technology. Burundi has more than 250 Coffee Processing factories which discharge their effluents to water bodies. The goal of this study was to determine the levels of physicochemical parameters in wastewater from Coffee Processing Technology factories in major coffee growing ecological zones in Burundi. Wastewater samples were collected from 19 sites representing private, ...

    • Genome-wide diversity and structure variation among lablab [Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet] accessions and their implication in a forage breeding program 

      Sserumaga, J.P.; Kayondo, S.I.; Kigozi, A.; Kiggundu, A.; Namazzi, C.; Walusimbi, K.; Bugeza, J.; Molly, A.; Mugerwa, S. (2021)
      Most orphan crops have not been fully sequenced, hence we rely on genome sequences of related species to align markers to different chromosomes. This hinders their utilisation in plant population improvement programs. Utilising the advances in the science of sequencing technologies, the population structure, relatedness, and genetic diversity among accessions can be assessed quickly for better exploitation in forage breeding programs. Using DArTseq technology, we studied the genetic and structural ...

    • Impact of soil acidity and liming on soybean (Glycine max) nodulation and nitrogen fixation in Kenyan soils 

      Bakari, R.; Mungai, N.; Thuita, M.; Masso, C. (2020-11)
      There is a wide application of rhizobia inoculants to legume crops in Africa, irrespective of the soil acidity, though the latter limits the effectiveness of inoculants. Two trials were conducted in a controlled environment to determine suitable soil pH and impact of liming on soybean nodulation and nitrogen fixation to inform proper application of the rhizobia-inoculant technology on acid soils. In the first trial; soil, variety and inoculation had significant influence (p < 0.05) on weighed ...

    • How nutrient rich are decaying cocoa pod husks? The kinetics of nutrient leaching 

      Hougni, D.G.; Schut, A.G.T.; Woittiez, L.S.; Vanlauwe, B.; Giller, K.E. (2021)
      Aim Recycling of cocoa pod husks has potential to contribute to mineral nutrition of cocoa. Yet little is known of the nutrient content and nutrient release patterns from the husks. The potassium (K) rich husks are usually left in heaps in cocoa plantations in Africa. We aimed to understand and quantify release patterns of K and other nutrients from husks under varying rainfall regimes and assessed the effects of partial decomposition and inundation on nutrient leaching rates. Methods We incubated ...

    • Perceived social norms and agripreneurial intention among youths in eastern DRC 

      Ephrem, A.N.; Dontsop-Nguezet, P.M.; Murimbika, M.; Bamba, Z.; Manyong, V. (2021)
      The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a country with a high agricultural productivity potential; however, the agribusiness sector remains unattractive to youths. This study examined the extent to which perceived social norms and psychological capital affect youths’ intentions to pursue agribusiness opportunities in the Eastern DRC. Data was collected on a sample of 600 youths. We applied Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS−SEM) in order to examine the relationship ...

    • Sustainable and equitable agricultural mechanization? A gendered perspective on maize shelling 

      Fischer, G.; Kotu, B.; Mutungi, C. (2021-08)
      How can agricultural mechanization be accomplished in a sustainable and equitable way? This question has gained increased prominence in mechanization research over the past few years. In this study, we apply the question to mechanized maize shelling in Tanzania as a case in point. Data from a survey with 400 farmers and from semi-structured interviews with 21 key informants are combined for a gender analysis that relies on Kabeer's concept of four institutional sites (household, community, market ...

    • Bioactive composition and free radical scavenging activity of fresh orange maize hybrids: impacts of genotype, maturity stages, and processing methods 

      Alamu, E.O.; Maziya-Dixon, B.; Menkir, A.; Irondi, E.A.; Olaofe, O. (2021-02-24)
      Bioactive compounds in foods are responsible for their biological activities, but biotic and abiotic factors may influence their levels. This study evaluated the impact of three genotypes (designated 4, 5, and 7), maturity stages (20, 27, and 34 days after pollination) and processing methods (hydrothermal and dry-heating) on the bioactive constituents (carotenoids, phytate, tannins, vitamin C) and 2,2-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH*) scavenging activity of fresh orange maize hybrids. ...

    • The ontologies community of practice: a CGIAR initiative for big data in agrifood systems 

      Arnaud, E.; Laporte, M.A.; Kim, S.; Aubert, C.; Leonelli, S.; Miro, B.; Cooper, L.; Jaiswal, P.; Kruseman, G.; Shrestha, R.; Buttigieg, P.L.; Mungall, C.J.; Pietragalla, J.; Agbona, A.; Muliro, J.; Detras, J.; Hualla, V.; Rathore, A.; Das, R.R.; Dieng, I.; Bauchet, G.J.; Menda, N.; Pommier, C.; Shaw, F.; Lyon, D.; Mwanzia, L.; Juarez, H.; Bonaiuti, E.; Chiputwa, B.; Obileye, O.; Auzoux, S.; Yeumo, E.D.; Mueller, L.; Silverstein, K.; Lafargue, A.; Antezana, E.; Devare, M.; King, B. (2020-10-09)
      The Bigger Picture Digital technology use in agriculture and agrifood systems research accelerates the production of multidisciplinary data, which spans genetics, environment, agroecology, biology, and socio-economics. Quality labeling of data secures its online findability, reusability, interoperability, and reliable interpretation, through controlled vocabularies organized into meaningful and computer-readable knowledge domains called ontologies. There is currently no full set of recommended ...

    • Mapping QTLs for tolerance to salt stress at the early seedling stage in rice (Oryza sativa L.) using a newly identified donor ‘Madina Koyo’ 

      Amoah, N.K.A.; Akromah, R.; Kena, A.W.; Manneh, B.; Dieng, I.; Bimpong, I.K. (2020)
      Salt stress is a menace to rice production and a threat to food security worldwide. We evaluated 308 F4 families from Sahel 317/Madina Koyo for tolerance to salt stress at the early seedling stage. To better understand genomic regions controlling tolerance in the population, we genotyped the progenies and the two parents using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and regressed the genotypic data on their phenotype to detect QTLs. An average reduction of 63.4% was observed for all fitness-related ...

    • Politiques et pratiques foncieres et engagement des jeunes dans la production de l'igname (dioscorea spp) en Republique du Benin. Land policies and practices and youth engagement in yam (dioscorea spp) production in the Republic of Benin 

      Rosaire, A.; Abdoulaye, T.; Bernard, F. (2022)
      La culture d’igname, très exigeante en fertilité du sol, est de plus en plus confronté à la raréfaction des terres fertiles au Bénin. La présente étude analyse l’influence des politiques et pratiques foncières sur l’engagement des jeunes dans la production de l’igname en République du Bénin. Les données sont collectées à l’aide de questionnaires administrés à 383 producteurs d’igname du Département des Collines identifiés selon un échantillonnage à choix raisonné. Les résultats montrent que les ...

    • Fertilisers differentially affect facultative and obligate parasitic weeds of rice and only occasionally improve yields in infested fields 

      Tippe, D.E.; Bastiaans, L.; van Ast, A.; Dieng, I.; Cissoko, M.; Kayeke, J.; Makokha, D.W.; Rodenburg, J. (2020-09-01)
      Different fertilisers were field tested to investigate whether they (1) suppress the obligate parasitic weed Striga asiatica and the facultative parasitic weed Rhamphicarpa fistulosa, and (2) favour rainfed rice yields under parasitic weed infestation. Four years of experiments were conducted in southwest Tanzania, in a S. asiatica-infested rainfed upland and a R. fistulosa-infested rainfed lowland field. Treatments included sole mineral (NPK or Di-Ammonium Phosphate —DAP— plus urea), organic ...

    • Does use of atoxigenic biocontrol products to mitigate aflatoxin in maize increase fumonisin content in grains? 

      Ortega-Beltran, A.; Agbetiameh, D.; Atehnkeng, J.; Falade, T.D.; Bandyopadhyay, R. (2021-09-07)
      In the tropics and subtropics, maize and other crops are frequently contaminated with aflatoxins by Aspergillus flavus. Treatment of crops with atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus formulated into biocontrol products can significantly reduce aflatoxin contamination. Treated crops contain up to 100% less aflatoxins compared to untreated crops. However, there is the notion that protecting crops from aflatoxin contamination may result in increased accumulation of other toxins, particularly fumonisins ...

    • Quality attributes of fufu in south-east Nigeria: guide for cassava breeders 

      Chijioke, U.; Madu, T.; Okoye, B.; Ogunka, A.M.; Ejechi, M.; Ofoeze, M.; Ogbete, C.; Njoku, D.; Ewuziem, J.; Confidence, K.; Onyemauwa, N.; Ukeje, B.; Achonwa, O.; Forsythe, L.; Fliedel, G.; Egesi, C. (2021-03)
      Fufu is a popular traditional fermented wet paste food product from cassava. We examined consumer preferences and quality attributes of fufu in Abia and Imo States of South‐East Nigeria, with special attention to gender differences, for the purpose of providing guidance to breeders. Data were analysed by the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. Participants for the interview were randomly selected from a list of farmers in the study area. Individual (II) interviews were conducted among ...

    • Evaluation of some quality parameters of cassava starch and soy protein isolate matrices during deep fat frying in soybean oil 

      Omidiran, A.T.; Sobukola, O.P.; Sanni, S.A.; Sanni, L.O.; Adebowale, A.A.; Shajobi, A.O.; Kulakow, P. (2019-02)
      Snack industry is recently focused on the production of snacks with minimal oil content and enhanced quality attributes which prompted the need to study the changes in snack matrices produced from cassava starch processed from three varieties of cassava roots (TMS‐950289, TME‐419, and TMS‐30572) and soy protein isolate blends fried in soybean oil. Effect of frying temperature (170–180°C), frying time (2–4 min), soy protein isolate inclusion level (5%–15%) on proximate composition, color changes, ...

    • A comparative analysis of technical efficiency and profitability of agribusiness and non-agribusiness enterprises in eastern DRC 

      Nyamuhirwa, D.A.; Awotide, B.A.; Kusinza, D.B.; Bishikwabo, K.; Mignouna, J.; Bamba, Z.; Dontsop-Nguezet, P. (2022)
      The purpose of this study was to determine whether agribusiness could be competitive compared to non-agribusiness employment opportunities in terms of technical efficiency and profitability. We used data collected on all seven operating cassava community processing centers (CCPCs) and 150 comparable non-agribusiness enterprises in South Kivu province. A Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), as well as cost–benefit ratios and net monthly revenue, were used to examine technical efficiency and profitability. ...

    • Assessment of the nutritional composition, physical properties and sensory quality of composite bread baked with high-quality cassava flour from biofortified and white- fleshed cassava roots 

      Awoyale, W.; Abass, A.B.; Amaza, P.; Oluwasoga, O.; Nwaoliwe, G. (2019-06)
      With proper processing and utilization, biofortified cassava may contribute to the nutritional status of the consumers, thus, the need for this study. High-quality cassava flour from white- (TME 419) and biofortified (TMS 01/1368) cassava varieties were produced at a commercial processing factory, after which the flour is composite with wheat flour to produce bread. The nutritional composition, physical properties and sensory quality of the composite bread were analyzed using standard methods. ...

    • The cocoa yield gap in Ghana: a quantification and an analysis of factors that could narrow the gap 

      Asante, P.A.; Rahn, E.; Zuidema, P.A.; Rozendaal, D.M.A.; van der Baan, M.E.G.; Laderach, P.; Asare, R.; Cryer, N.; Anten, N.P.R. (2022-08)
      CONTEXT Global cocoa production is largely concentrated in West Africa where over 70% of cocoa is produced. Here, cocoa farming is largely a rain-fed, low-input system with low average yields, which are expected to decline with climate change. With increasing demand, there is a need to evaluate opportunities to increase production whilst avoiding deforestation and expansion to croplands. Thus, it is important to know how much additional cocoa can be produced on existing farmland, and what factors ...

    • White Guinea yam (Dioscorea rotundata Poir.) landraces trait profiling and setting benchmark for breeding programs in the Republic of Benin 

      Loko, Y.; Gbemavo, C.; Agre, A.P.; Dassou, A.G.; Yelome, O.I.; Idossou, R.; Afoha, S.A.P.; Dadonougbo, E.; Fakorede, J.; Dansi, A. (2022)
      To meet the high demand for white Guinea yam, there is a need to develop and release improved varieties to farmers. Unfortunately, low rate of adoption of most of the improved yam varieties by both producers and consumers was observed. Information regarding agronomic characteristics and food qualities of popular white Guinea yam landraces with high market value are not available to establish minimum standards to be considered by breeding programs. To fill this gap, surveys using rural appraisal ...

    • Does agricultural cooperative membership impact technical efficiency of maize production in Nigeria: An analysis correcting for biases from observed and unobserved attributes 

      Olagunju, K.O.; Ogunniyi, A.I.; Oyetunde-Usman, Z.; Omotayo, A.O.; Awotide, B.A. (2021-01-22)
      The formation of agricultural cooperatives has been widely promoted as an agricultural development policy initiative to help smallholder farmers cope with multiple production and marketing challenges. Using a nationally representative survey dataset of smallholder maize producers from rural Nigeria, this study assesses the impact of agricultural cooperative membership on technical efficiency (TE). We based our estimation approach on the combination of a newly developed sample selection stochastic ...