RSS 1.0Welcome to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Research Repository
Journal and Journal Articles
Recent Submissions
-
Mitigation of aflatoxin contamination of maize, groundnut, and sorghum by commercial biocontrol products in farmers’ fields across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Togo
(2024)Background Aflatoxin contamination by Aspergillus section Flavi fungi poses a significant threat to food security and public health in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Maize, groundnut, and sorghum are staple crops frequently contaminated with aflatoxins, sometimes at dangerous levels. Despite its detrimental effects, many farmers in SSA lack access to effective tools for mitigating aflatoxin contamination. Biocontrol based on atoxigenic isolates of A. flavus is an effective tool to limit aflatoxin ... -
Control potential of multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) isolated from fall armyworm in Nigeria (West Africa)
(2024-03-26)The fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) has now become an invasive pest of global concern. The pest was first detected in Central and Western Africa in early 2016. Sustainable management options explored by stakeholders during early FAW invasion in Africa included the use of biopesticides and biological control. The current study aimed to compare the susceptibility of FAW larvae to SfMNPV with the assumption that the virus isolated from FAW populations in Africa has ... -
Drivers and magnitude of food insecurity among rural households in southern Democratic Republic of Congo
(2024-11-06)Access to adequate and nutritious food is accepted as a human right worldwide. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kasai Oriental province is one of the most vulnerable provinces in the country in terms of food insecurity. However, its current depth of food insecurity and the root factors have not been studied. Against this background, this study used cross-sectional data from 318 households to analyze the magnitude and socioeconomic drivers of food insecurity among rural households in the ... -
Remotely sensed spectral indicators of bird taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity across Afrotropical urban and non-urban habitats
(2025-01)Urban areas are quickly expanding around the world, promoting deep changes in biodiversity. However, certain biogeographic realms, like the Afrotropics, are clearly understudied despite urbanization overlapping with their biodiversity hotspots. A commonly highlighted reason for the lack of information from the Afrotropics has been the logistical problem associated with data collection in the field. Recent advances in satellite remote sensing imagery offer an excellent opportunity to revert this ... -
Development of standard operating protocol for measurement of cassava root mealiness
(2024-07-27)One of the major attributes of boiled cassava roots is its ability to soften within a short period, otherwise known as mealiness. This study aimed to establish and validate standard operating procedures for assessing the mealiness of boiled cassava roots. Twenty cassava genotypes, including landrace and improved varieties, were selected for the protocol development, with an additional ten genotypes used for validation. Following cooking, the cassava roots were evaluated for hardness and work done ... -
Early detection of plant virus infection using multispectral imaging and machine learning
(2024-07-31)Climate change-resilient crops like cassava are projected to play a key role in 21st-century food security. However, cassava production in East Africa is limited by RNA viruses that cause cassava brown streak disease (CBSD). CBSD typically causes subtle or no symptoms on stems and leaves, while destroying the root tissue, which means farmers are often unaware their fields are infected until they have a failed harvest. The subtle symptoms of CBSD have made it difficult to study the spread of the ... -
Comparing fresh root yield and quality of certified and farmer-saved cassava seed
(2024-09-06)Formal systems supporting the delivery of high-quality cassava seed are being established in several key cassava producing countries in Africa. Questions remain, however, about the value of certified cassava seed when compared to seed which is recycled multiple times, which is standard farmer practice. A study was therefore conducted to compare fresh cassava root yields of high-quality seed (HQS) versus farmer-saved (recycled) seed (FSS) for three widely grown improved cassava varieties in Tanzania ... -
Using farm typology to understand banana Xanthomonas wilt management in Rwanda
(2024-01-09)This study aims to contribute to the understanding of diversity within the context of banana farming and its implications for the management of banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) disease in Rwanda. We used a structured questionnaire to collect data from 690 banana farmers in eight districts, representing various agroecological zones, across Rwanda. We implemented principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) of the data leading to the delineation of three distinct groups ... -
Combining temperature-dependent life table data into Insect Life Cycle Model to forecast fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) distribution in maize agro-ecological zones in Africa
(2024-05-06)The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), an invasive agricultural pest, has significantly impacted crop yields across Africa. This study investigated the relationship between temperature and FAW life history traits, employing life cycle modeling at temperatures of 20, 25, 28, 30, and 32°C. The development time for eggs, larvae, and pupae varied from 0–3 days, 10–18 days, and 7–16 days, respectively. The optimal temperature range for immature stage survival ... -
Stability analysis and nutritional quality of soybean (Glycine max (L).Merrill.) genotypes for feed in southwestern Ethiopia
(2024-04-15)Soybean is a leguminous crop known for its multiple utilizations both as food and feed for humans and livestock. The objectives of the study were to identify high dry matter yielder and stable genotypes across environments in southwestern Ethiopia. The effect of genotype environment (G x E) interaction on dry matter yield of soybean genotypes were evaluated in two cropping seasons (2019–2020) under rain fed condition. Eight pre tested soybean genotypes with two checks were used as treatment in a ... -
Variation among cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) genotypes for storage root yield, yield components and response to cassava mosaic disease at the advanced breeding stage
(2024-06-19)Cassava is a crucial starchy root crop cultivated worldwide in tropical and subtropical areas. Efforts have been made to improve its desirable characteristics to increase food and nutritional quality. However, the adoption of new cassava varieties can be influenced by their yield performance, which can be affected by cassava mosaic disease (CMD). The present study evaluated selected cassava genotypes' performance across two years at the advanced breeding stage. Using a randomized complete block ... -
Variations in micronutrient concentrations and retentions in fufu made from yellow-fleshed cassava as a function of genotype and processing methods
(2024-05-22)Introduction The biofortification of staple foods such as cassava is one of the technological breakthroughs in the nutritional improvement of foods. Fufu is one of the fermented cassava products produced and consumed in major West African countries, including Sierra Leone, and the majority of the processes involved in its production have direct and indirect effects on its properties. This study looked at how the concentration and retention of micronutrients in yellow-fleshed cassava fufu varied ... -
Strategic Foresight analysis of droughts in southern Africa and implications for food security
(2024-02-14)Southern Africa has been experiencing long-term changes in its climate and future projections imply that droughts should last longer and become more intense in southern Africa. Already, the region has been experiencing an increase in consecutive drought years. This study contributes to the literature by using bio-economic modeling to simulate the impact of future droughts on food security in southern Africa and identify plausible pathways for enhancing regional food security under drought. Food ... -
Combining temperature-dependent life table data into Insect Life Cycle Model to forecast fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) distribution in maize agro-ecological zones in Africa
(2024-05-06)The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), an invasive agricultural pest, has significantly impacted crop yields across Africa. This study investigated the relationship between temperature and FAW life history traits, employing life cycle modeling at temperatures of 20, 25, 28, 30, and 32°C. The development time for eggs, larvae, and pupae varied from 0–3 days, 10–18 days, and 7–16 days, respectively. The optimal temperature range for immature stage survival ... -
Genome-wide association studies of photosynthetic and agronomic traits in cowpea collection
(2024-10-04)Exploring genomic regions linked with drought tolerance and photosynthesis in cowpea could accelerate breeding of climate-resilient cowpea varieties. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted to identify marker–trait associations for agronomic and photosynthetic traits measured under well-watered and water-stressed conditions. One hundred and twelve cowpea accessions from IITA were phenotyped for agronomic and photosynthetic traits across 3 locations in 2 years: Ibadan, Ikenne (2020 and ... -
Genome-wide association study for yield and quality of granulated cassava processed product
(2024-06-16)The starchy storage roots of cassava are commonly processed into a variety of products, including cassava granulated processed products (gari). The commercial value of cassava roots depends on the yield and quality of processed products, directly influencing the acceptance of new varieties by farmers, processors, and consumers. This study aims to estimate genetic advance through phenotypic selection and identify genomic regions associated and candidate genes linked with gari yield and quality. ... -
Assessment of climate change impact and adaptation strategy for millet in the Sudano‑Sahelian region of Niger
(2024-10-03)Pearl millet is an important food and fodder crop in West African semi-arid regions. Climate change is projected to have a significant impact on the productivity of the crops in these regions. Adaptation strategies to sustain agricultural production are therefore urgently required to sustain millet productivity. The Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) CERES-Millet model was used to assess the impact of climate change and adaptation strategies on millet in Niger. Three millet ... -
Adoption of agronomic practices and their impact on crop yield and income: an analysis for black gram and green gram in India
(2024)Black gram and green gram are important pulse crops in India, but their production has faced fluctuations and stagnancy in yields over the last few decades. The Government of India has implemented several measures to enhance crop yield, including recommending and promoting the adoption of crop-specific agronomic practices. However, there is limited empirical evidence on the determinants of the adoption of these practices and their impact on yield and income. In this context, this study analyses ... -
Weeding force saving to improve profitability of cassava-legumes cropping systems in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
(2025-01)Weeding is a common farming practice for optimal emergence, growth and maturity of crops. Smallholders in Central Africa use a traditional hoe for weed control. This is a hard and time-consuming activity. To address this bottleneck, a study was conducted at three sites, namely Walungu, Uvira, and Mulungu in South-Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), over two growing seasons (September 2020 and February 2021). The purpose was to minimize the workload involved in weed control and ... -
Willingness of West African consumers to buy food produced using black soldier fly larvae and frass
(2024-09-05)The use of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae and frass in agriculture can make an important contribution to food and nutrition security. However, it is important to understand whether consumers are willing to consume food products resulting from the use of BSF larvae as animal feed or BSF frass as fertilizer. This study employed the stated preference approach as food products produced using BSF larvae and frass are not currently available on the market. Questionnaires were administered to a total of ...
