Cassava mosaic disease (CMD), caused by cassava mosaic geminiviruses (CMGs), is a major constraint to the cassava crop in Africa and southeastern Asia. Here, we investigated the ability of acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM), a functional analog of salicylic acid (SA), to trigger systemic acquired resistance (SAR) against two CMGs, namely African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) and East African cassava mosaic Cameroon virus (EACMCV) in Nicotiana benthamiana. ASM treatment delayed the time to first viral symptoms ...

The data presented in this article are related to the research paper “Physicochemical parameters and functional properties of flours from advanced genotypes and improved cassava varieties for industrial applications” [1]. The genotypes were collected from a multi-location (Uniform yield Trial) trial of the IITA breeding program in Malawi. The data were obtained using multiple analytical techniques and methodology such as oven-drying, sieving, colorimetry, titration, acid hydrolysis method, the ...

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum alatae, is the most devastating fungal disease of yam in West Africa, leading to 50%–90% of tuber yield losses in severe cases. In some instances, plants die without producing any tubers or each shoot may produce several small tubers before it dies if the disease strikes early. C. alatae affects all parts of the yam plant at all stages of development, including leaves, stems, tubers, and seeds of yams, and it is highly prevalent in the yam ...

Development of ideal breeding and crop management strategies that can improve maize grain yield under tropical environments is crucial. In the temperate regions, such yield improvements were achieved through use of genotypes that adapt high plant population density stress. However, tropical germplasm has poor tolerance to high plant population density stress, and thus it should be improved by temperate maize. The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic gains and identify traits associated ...

In developing countries, agricultural cooperatives are increasingly being used to promote improved agricultural technologies and alleviate food insecurity and poverty. However, little is known about the role of agricultural cooperatives in accelerating the adoption of improved agricultural technologies. Using a comprehensive balanced household panel and varietal data, this study applied the difference-in-difference model to identify factors affecting farmers’ decision to become cooperative members ...

Rural entrepreneurship in the developing world has long been hailed as a powerful tool for promoting the socioeconomic integration of young people and the key to avoiding rural depopulation as well as ensuring these areas remain attractive places for rural youth. However, there have been no efforts to investigate the role of collective entrepreneurship in the creation and management of new businesses in Morocco. Furthermore, we build on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to investigate and explain ...

Background and Objective: Arabica coffee is an important beverage crop in world trade. The crop is gaining increasing importance in Burundi as an export crop. This study aimed to evaluate diversity among coffee cultivars based on quantitative agro-morphological traits for developing superior cultivars in Burundi. Materials and Methods: Fifteen coffee accessions including five commercial cultivars) were used in the study. From each accession, data were collected from three randomly selected trees ...

Provitamin-A maize (PVA) with increased carotenoid content obtained through conventional breeding techniques has been largely successful in sub-Saharan Africa. This resulted in a need to evaluate their susceptibility, retention, and nutritional content during processing into local foods. This study evaluated the chemical, carotenoid composition, and retention of PVA, the phytic acid content in ogi powder, and the sensory perception of ogi porridge produced traditionally from the three novel PVA ...