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Journal and Journal Articles: Recent submissions
Now showing items 41-60 of 5266
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Identification of the Loci associated with resistance to banana xanthomonas wilt (Xanthomonas vasicola pv. musacearum) using DArTSeq markers and continuous mapping
(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
(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
(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
(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
(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 ... -
Striking variation in chromosome structure within Musa acuminata subspecies, diploid cultivars, and F1 diploid hybrids
(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
(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
(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
(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 ... -
Trend of soil salinization in Africa and implications for agro-chemical use in semi-arid croplands
(2024-11-15)Soil salinization is a gradual degradation process that begins as a minor problem and grows to become a significant economic loss if no control action is taken. It progressively alters the soil environment which eventually negatively affects plants and organism that were not originally adapted for saline conditions. Soil salinization arises from diverse sources such as side-effects of long-term use of agro-chemicals, saline parent rocks, periodic inundation of soil with saline water, etc. In Africa, ... -
Genomic prediction of the performance of tropical doubled haploid maize mines under artificial Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. infestation
(2024-08-12)Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth., a parasitic weed, causes substantial yield losses in maize production in sub-Saharan Africa. Breeding for Striga resistance in maize is constrained by limited genetic diversity for Striga resistance within the elite germplasm and phenotyping capacity under artificial Striga infestation. Genomics-enabled approaches have the potential to accelerate identification of Striga resistant lines for hybrid development. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the ... -
Genetic diversity, linkage disequilibrium, and population structure in a common bean reference collection
(2024-05-08)An in-depth understanding of the extent and pattern of genetic diversity and population structure in crop populations is of paramount importance for any crop improvement program to efficiently promote the translation of genetic diversity into genetic gain. A reference collection of 150 common bean genotypes selected from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture’s global core collection was evaluated using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to quantify the amount of genetic ... -
Genetic diversity of whiteflies colonizing crops and their associated endosymbionts in three agroecological zones of Cameroon
(2024-08-30)Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is as a major pest of vegetable crops in Cameroon. These sap-sucking insects are the main vector of many viruses infecting plants, and several cryptic species have developed resistance against insecticides. Nevertheless, there is very little information about whitefly species on vegetable crops and the endosymbionts that infect them in Cameroon. Here, we investigated the genetic diversity of whiteflies and their frequency of infection by endosymbionts in Cameroon. ... -
A case of transdisciplinarity and collaborative decision making: the co-construction of Gendered Food Product Profiles
(2024-06)Crop breeding in sub-Saharan Africa has made considerable gains; however, postharvest and food-related preferences have been overlooked, in addition to how these preferences vary by gender, social difference and context. This context is changing as participatory approaches using intersectional gender and place-based methods are beginning to inform how breeding programmes make decisions. This article presents an innovative methodology to inclusively and democratically prioritise food quality traits ... -
Modeling integrated soil fertility management for maize production in Kenya using a Bayesian calibration of the DayCent model
(2024-08-22)Sustainable intensification schemes such as integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) are a proposed strategy to close yield gaps, increase soil fertility, and achieve food security in sub-Saharan Africa. Biogeochemical models such as DayCent can assess their potential at larger scales, but these models need to be calibrated to new environments and rigorously tested for accuracy. Here, we present a Bayesian calibration of DayCent, using data from four long-term field experiments in Kenya in a ... -
First evidence on the occurrence of multi‑mycotoxins and dietary risk exposure to AFB1 along the cassava value chain in Uganda
(2024-09-17)This study investigated the occurrence and distribution of multiple mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2, feminizing B1, B2, ochratoxin A (OTA), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZEN), and citrinin (CIT)) in cassava products and as assessed the potential risk of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure among cassava consumers. A total of 192 samples of Cassava products (96 four and 96 chips, each with 48 samples from farmer and 48 from wholesaler) were analyzed using LC/MS–MS. All positive samples irrespective ... -
Framing behaviour change for sustainable agriculture: themes, approaches, and future directions
(2025-01)Despite the growing demand for behaviour change research and the benefit of understanding how human behaviour influences use cases and the adoption of agricultural innovations, research on how behaviour change occurs and the state of knowledge in the field remains scarce. To address this concern, this study conducted a systematic literature review of behaviour change in sustainable agriculture between 2015 and 2024. Our search identified 568 studies. After careful evaluation, 74 primary studies ... -
Crop calendar optimization for climate change adaptation in yam farming in South- Kivu, eastern D.R. Congo
(2024-09-04)The traditional crop calendar for yam (Dioscorea spp.) in South-Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is becoming increasingly inadequate given the significant climatic variability observed over the last three decades. This study aimed at: (i) assessing trends in weather data across time and space to ascertain climate change, and (ii) optimizing the yam crop calendar for various South-Kivu agro-ecological zones (AEZs) to adapt to the changing climate. The 1990–2022 weather data series ... -
Impact of storage conditions on the shelf life of aflatoxin biocontrol products containing atoxigenic isolates of Aspergillus favus as active ingredient applied in various countries in Africa
(2024-09-10)Aflatoxin contamination significantly threatens food safety and security, particularly in tropical and sub-tropical regions where staple crops such as maize, groundnut, and sorghum become frequently affected. This contamination is primarily caused by the fungus Aspergillus favus. The contamination causes adverse health effects, reduced income, and trade restrictions. In response to this challenge, various technologies have been developed to mitigate the impacts of aflatoxin. Among these, biocontrol ...
