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This is the accepted manuscript version of the work published in its final form as Miriti, P., Otieno, D. J., Chimoita, E., Bikketi, E., Njuguna, E., & Ojiewo, C. O. (2022). Gender gaps in sorghum productivity: Evidence from male- and female-managed plots in Uganda.Development in Practice, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2022.2069228 Deposited by shareyourpaper.org and openaccessbutton.org. We've taken reasonable steps to ensure this content doesn't violate copyright. However, if you think it does you can request a takedown by emailing help@openaccessbutton.org.

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is the main food staple grain widely cultivated in sub-Sharan Africa including Uganda. There is a lack of current information on sorghum production constraints...

Grain legumes are nutritionally important components of smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Unfortunately, limited access to quality seed of improved varieties at affordable prices due to inadequate seed systems has reduced their contribution to improving nutrition and reducing poverty in these regions. This paper analyses four seed systems case studies: chickpea in Ethiopia and Myanmar; cowpea in Nigeria; and tropical grain legumes in Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda highlighting outcomes, lessons learned, and the enabling factors which supported the successful innovations. All four case studies highlighted at least some of the following outcomes: increased adoption of improved varieties and area planted; increased productivity and income to farmers; improved market access and growth; and significant national economic benefits. Important lessons were learned including the value of small seed packets to reach many farmers; the value of innovative partnerships; capacity building of value chain actors; and continuity and coherence of funding through Tropical Legumes projects II and III and the recently funded Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Delivery of Legumes and Cereals in Africa (AVISA) project. Successful adoption of innovations depends not just on the right technologies but also on the enabling environment. The case studies clearly showed that market demand was correctly identified, establishment of successful partners and institutional linkages overcame constraints in production and delivery of improved seed to smallholders, and fostered conducive policies supported national seed systems. All were integral to seed system viability and sustainability. It is hoped that these examples will provide potential models for future grain legume seed systems efforts. In addition, the analysis identified a number of areas that require further research.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every area of our daily activities and businesses. After the health crisis, the food crisis is the next battle to encounter, which will need to mobilize all energies to maintain social security and protect the citizens of the world. For sustained support and recovery of rural and urban populations, especially in the dryland areas of Sub-Saharan Africa, seed of the well-adapted, nutrient dense varieties should flow. The solution of quality seed flow equation is complex and involves several intervention areas, e.g., adapted and modern groundnut, chickpea, pigeonpea, sorghum and finger millet varieties, sustainable and long term approaches leveraging various seed production and delivery models, remote information and knowledge dissemination systems, digital seed production and delivery roadmaps, digitized variety release and promotion processes, smart food campaigns and trainings to promote good utilization of nutrient dense crops.

Improving agricultural productivity and production is a prerequisite to sustain rural livelihoods in developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This requires increased use of quality seed of improved and well-adapted crop varieties. Legumes are particularly critical in ensuring food and nutritional securities of the majority of farming households. However, their productivity has been constrained because of limited availability of quality seed, jeopardizing henceforth food security and rural livelihoods. The lack of interest in production of legume seeds by potential seed producers, especially the private sector, is attributable to limited information on the cost and profitability of producing these seeds. Using primary data collected from Tanzania and Uganda, we analyzed the cost structure of improved groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) seed production to assess viability. We adopted cost-benefit analysis framework to evaluate different seed production models. Results showed that groundnut seed price varied between 1 and 2 US$ kg−1 for certified and quality declared seed and between 2 and 3.5 US$ kg−1 for early generation seed. Overall, up to 50% increase in total seed production costs resulted in reduced drop in the gross margin earned. However, when production costs increased by 75–100%, the gross margin dropped by about 18% and 50% in Tanzania and in Uganda, respectively. These findings indicated that groundnut seed could be provided to farmers in remote communities at an affordable price while still keeping seed producers profitably in business. Availing these seeds to smallholder producers is a major step in achieving food security and nutritional health in developing countries in SSA.

BackgroundSeed systems are considered as a vehicle through which the sustainable agricultural intensification can be achieved. However, most sub-Saharan African countries have been ineffective to provide sufficient incentives for stakeholders to consistently invest in the seed systems specifically for crops like sorghum. This study was therefore conducted to uncover investment opportunities for stakeholders in the sorghum seed systems to attain an impact-oriented seed production and delivery systems.ResultsThe study applied descriptive statistics, Logit regression model, and Gross margin to analyze possible areas for investments. Descriptive statistics analyzed the percentage of farmers using sorghum improved varieties and sources used to obtained improved variety seeds. Logit regression model was applied to analyze factors correlating with planting of improved seeds. Gross margin was applied to show profitability of growing improved sorghum seeds and grain. Findings revealed that 39.2% of the sampled farmers were growing improved sorghum variety seeds. Farmers obtained improved variety seeds from both informal (57.8%) and formal (42.2%) sources. Logit estimates indicate that variety preference, unavailability of seeds, resistance to diseases, and drought had significant correlation with planting of improved variety seeds. Seed companies and quality declared seed (QDS) producers earned high margin of 53,08,900 Tanzanian Shillings per hectare (TZS/ha, 1 USD = 2315 TZS during the period of data collection) and 33,94,709 TZS/ha, respectively. Farmers using improved variety seed earned higher margin (8,19,805 TZS/ha) than farmers who did not use improved variety seeds (3,17,373 TZS/ha)ConclusionsThe identified investment opportunities were increasing number of farmers using improved variety seeds that would drive increased production, distribution, and marketing of quality seed. The large number of farmers still sourcing seed from the informal channel provides avenue to reach out to these farmers through demand creation and wide variety popularization meeting farmer preferences. The huge margin seed producers make provides good incentive to drive private seed companies and individual seed entrepreneurs to make sustainable business out of sorghum seed. The policy implications for reviving sorghum production and productivity are further discussed.

The high percentage of farmers (80–90%), including the pro-poor in remote areas, who have no access to recently released and high-yielding varieties proves the failure of various seed delivery models implemented so far. The ideal model to grow a crop commodity business to reach farmers in developing countries with seed of improved legume crop varieties has been a hard topic for development organizations. Past studies have shown that the full and balanced integration of multiple stakeholders’ knowledge and contexts into the process of agricultural technology development increases the uptake and ownership among end users.

This open access book shares the experiences of Tropical Legumes III (TLIII) project in facilitating access to seed of improved legume varieties to smallholder farmers through innovation platforms. It highlights practices and guiding principles implemented in eight developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This book details key processes that respective teams employed to create an innovation space that delivers seed, other inputs, knowledge and financial services to agricultural communities and most importantly, the underserved farmers in remote areas of the drylands. It offers valuable insights into the pathway to establishing, promoting and operating innovation platforms to enhance the performance and competitiveness of legume crops’ value chains, and addresses critical issues that must be considered to make innovation platforms more sustainable and attractive to beneficiaries. The book offers a wealth of practical insights for development workers, technical staff, and project managers. This publication is all about TLIII community of practice. It will definitely inspire other development workers and scientists to share their own experiences for others to learn from.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the third important food legume both in area and production after common beans and faba beans in Ethiopia. However, the productivity of the crop was very low compared to the potential as a result of non-use of improved varieties and technologies generated by the research system. To enhance the use of the improved and associated research technologies a National Chickpea Stakeholders Innovation Platform was established in 2013 with the objective of bringing together various stakeholders acting on the value chain in order to identify major challenges and find solutions that would be implemented through synergetic efforts. The platform identified seed shortage as a major bottleneck in the sector. This issue has been addressed through establishing farmers’ seed producer associations with the help of R&D partners and currently they are the major suppliers nationwide. Side by side, the platform strengthened the extension effort and triggered dissemination of improved technologies to a large number of farmers. As a result, productivity of the crop by model farmers increased by fourfold and the national productivity has been doubled to 2 ton ha−1 in the last decade. The platform also worked on improving access to market and recently chickpea joined the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange market. Cognizant of the huge development potential of the crop, the platform is striving to further strengthen the intervention and reap opportunities.

Sustaining crop production and productivity in sub-Saharan Africa requires the availability and use of quality seed of improved varieties by smallholder farmers. The private sector has been considered as the best way to sustain seed supply and crop productivity. Unfortunately, the private sector&rsquo, s share in the seed production and delivery in sub-Saharan Africa countries has not been very substantial for decades. As a consequence, farmer access to quality seed of recently released varieties remains very low. This manuscript analyzes the experiences of informal seed producers who graduated to formal private seed enterprises to understand the effectiveness of the support they receive to become viable seed ventures. We used comparative research methods to analyze the qualitative and quantitative data collected to understand the underlying mechanisms. The findings showed that the analyzed seed enterprises started with as little as about USD 300 and have already multiplied over tenfold their initial capital. They benefited from a wide variety of supports, e.g., quality seed production, marketing, partnerships, and value chain development trainings and infrastructures, from extension workers, research centers, national and international NGOs, and the other private seed enterprise operators like large public seed enterprises and agro-dealers. The seed enterprises are producing pre-basic, basic, and certified seed of cereals and self-pollinated legume crops delivered directly to farmers, institutional markets, and agro-dealers. The seed production data have been increasing for the past three years with an area expanding from about 30 ha to over 150 ha per year for chickpea. The seed production and delivery practices being employed are smallholder farmer-based practices that are environmentally friendly. For sustainable and reliable seed production and delivery systems in sub-Saharan Africa, a bold step is needed whereby the informal seed production entities are nurtured and upgraded into formal certified seed production ventures that deliver social and economic benefits to the promotors and the communities.

Groundnut is an important global food and oil crop that underpins agriculture-dependent livelihood strategies meeting food, nutrition, and income security. Aflatoxins, pose a major challenge to increased competitiveness of groundnut limiting access to lucrative markets and affecting populations that consume it. Other drivers of low competitiveness include allergens and limited shelf life occasioned by low oleic acid profile in the oil. Thus grain off-takers such as consumers, domestic, and export markets as well as processors need solutions to increase profitability of the grain. There are some technological solutions to these challenges and this review paper highlights advances in crop improvement to enhance groundnut grain quality and nutrient profile for food, nutrition, and economic benefits. Significant advances have been made in setting the stage for marker-assisted allele pyramiding for different aflatoxin resistance mechanisms—in vitro seed colonization, pre-harvest aflatoxin contamination, and aflatoxin production—which, together with pre- and post-harvest management practices, will go a long way in mitigating the aflatoxin menace. A breakthrough in aflatoxin control is in sight with overexpression of antifungal plant defensins, and through host-induced gene silencing in the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway. Similarly, genomic and biochemical approaches to allergen control are in good progress, with the identification of homologs of the allergen encoding genes and development of monoclonal antibody based ELISA protocol to screen for and quantify major allergens. Double mutation of the allotetraploid homeologous genes, FAD2A and FAD2B, has shown potential for achieving >75% oleic acid as demonstrated among introgression lines. Significant advances have been made in seed systems research to bridge the gap between trait discovery, deployment, and delivery through innovative partnerships and action learning.

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important cash crop in the lowland areas of Ethiopia. However, prevalence of Aspergillus invasions and subsequent aflatoxin contamination compromises the quality of groundnut kernels. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of farm yard manure (FYM) and seed treatments against Aspergillus species pod colonization and aflatoxin accumulation under field conditions. The inhibitory efficacy of Trichoderma species as biocontrol agents was also assessed. A total of 20 treatment combinations including pre-planting applications of FYM at 0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 tons/ha and seed treatments with carbendazim at 2 g/kg and mancozeb at 3 g kg-1, and Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride each at 5 g/kg as well as untreated seed as control were used. Treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in three replications. The experiment was conducted in two consecutive seasons (2014 and 2015) at Babile Haramaya University sub-Research Station. The highest pod and seed yields (1901.5 and 1281.5 kg/ha, respectively) were recovered from plots treated with T. harzianum at 5 g/kg seed. A. flavus was abundantly recorded in control plots, which could be responsible for the high aflatoxin B1 (5704.4 µg/kg) and B2 (2219.0 µg/kg) contamination. However, plots treated with T. harzianum at 5 g/kg seed and FYM at 5 tons/ha + T. harzianum at 5 g/kg were free from aflatoxin. Integrations of T. harzianum as biocontrol seed treatment and soil amendment with FYM were effective in the pre-harvest management of Aspergillus spp. and aflatoxins contamination. Key words: Aflatoxin, Aspergillus, carbendazim, farm yard manure, groundnut, mancozeb, Trichoderma species.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a dry season food legume largely grown on residual soil moisture after the rainy season. The crop often experiences moisture stress towards end of the crop season (terminal drought). The crop may also face heat stress at the reproductive stage if sowing is delayed. The breeding approaches for improving adaptation to these stresses include the development of varieties with early maturity and enhanced abiotic stress tolerance. Several varieties with improved drought tolerance have been developed by selecting for grain yield under moisture stress conditions. Similarly, selection for pod set in the crop subjected to heat stress during reproductive stage has helped in the development of heat‐tolerant varieties. A genomic region, called QTL‐hotspot, controlling several drought tolerance‐related traits has been introgressed into several popular cultivars using marker‐assisted backcrossing (MABC), and introgression lines giving significantly higher yield than the popular cultivars have been identified. Multiparent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) approach has been found promising in enhancing genetic recombination and developing lines with enhanced tolerance to terminal drought and heat stresses.

Legumes are important components of sustainable agricultural production, food, nutrition and income systems of developing countries. In spite of their importance, legume crop production is challenged by a number of biotic (diseases and pests) and abiotic stresses (heat, frost, drought and salinity), edaphic factors (associated with soil nutrient deficits) and policy issues (where less emphasis is put on legumes compared to priority starchy staples). Significant research and development work have been done in the past decade on important grain legumes through collaborative bilateral and multilateral projects as well as the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes (CRP‐GL). Through these initiatives, genomic resources and genomic tools such as draft genome sequence, resequencing data, large‐scale genomewide markers, dense genetic maps, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and diagnostic markers have been developed for further use in multiple genetic and breeding applications. Also, these mega‐initiatives facilitated release of a number of new varieties and also dissemination of on‐the‐shelf varieties to the farmers. More efforts are needed to enhance genetic gains by reducing the time required in cultivar development through integration of genomics‐assisted breeding approaches and rapid generation advancement.

A total of eighty one (81) rhizobial isolates were recovered from root nodules of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) grown in soils collected from eight different sites (Hawassa, Wondogenet, Chofa, Badawacho, Bodity, Gofa, Ziway, and Alemtena) in Ethiopia with no known history of inoculation. The test isolates together with seven reference strains belonging to five genera including Rhizobium, Ensifer, Mesorhizobium, Bradyrhizobium and Azorhizobium were characterized using ninety phenotypic traits. Thirty one isolates (38%) were found to be fast growers while fifty isolates (62%) were slow growers. The majority of the isolates showed an intrinsic resistance to antibiotics (µg/ml), Chloramphenicol (5 and 15), Lincomycin (100), Novobiocin (0.5 and 1.5), and Erythromycin (10 and 20) and to heavy metals manganese sulphate (500) and copper chloride (100). Most isolates did not tolerate NaCl concentration >3% (w/v) and high temperature (45°C). Dendrogram was constructed by applying the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) using NTSYSpc Version 2.1. They were grouped into seven clusters and eight unclustered positions, when 82% relative similarity was used as a cut point. Fifty eight percent of the test isolates were grouped with Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Bradyrhizobium elkanii superclades, thus indicating that rhizobia nodulating cowpea and groundnut are delineated within a branch that defines Bradyrhizobium genus. To elucidate the precise taxonomic positions of the isolates, further genetic studies are required using modern molecular biological methods. Key words: Groundnut, cowpea, isolates, phenotypic traits, Bradyrhizobium, Rhizobium.

Fifty endophytic bacteria recovered from surface sterilized root nodules of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) grown in Ethiopia were authenticated using three chickpea cultivars (Natoli, ICC-4918 and ICC-5003). These isolates were characterized based on morphological and phenotypic traits. The test isolates were divided into two: bacteria nodulating chickpea (27 isolates, Group I] and endophytic non-nodulating bacteria (23 isolates, Group II]. Twenty isolates from Group I were able to re-infect and form symbiosis with two chickpea cultivars, while the remaining seven isolates re-infected only one chickpea cultivar. The result demonstrated that: a number of the tested isolates were able to produce siderophore, showed variations in terms of their resistance to different antibiotics, grew at pH ranging between 5 and 9.5, tolerated salt concentration as high as 2.5% and grew at a temperature as high as 40oC, indicating the existence of a wide physiological diversity among themselves. Dendrogram construction indicated the existence of four clusters when 78% similarity level was used as cut-off point. Such diversity among the tested isolates showed the presence of diverse rhizobial and non-rhizobial isolates within chickpea nodules. Further investigation aimed at identifying the types of endophytic bacteria, their invading mechanism, and varietal preferences for nodule formation is recommended. Key words: BNF, Chickpea, Endophytic, Mesorhizobium, non-nodulating, rhizobia.

Podborer is a major pest of chickpea in Ethiopia. Field surveys were conducted in 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 in central and northwestern Ethiopia to assess the prevalence and within field distribution of the pest. Although podborer was prevalent throughout the surveyed areas, there was a significant difference in larval density (0.10–3.75 larvae per m2) among zones and districts within zones. This variation was attributed to cropping history, cropping patterns, chickpea-crop adjacency, and weather (rainfall and temperature) conditions before and during the season as well as control measures applied. The optimum sample size required for precision ranged from 98, when podborer density was 10/m2, to 1045, when podborer density was ≤1/m2. Within field distribution of the larvae fitted a negative binomial distribution indicating that the larvae had a clumped/aggregated dispersion pattern. These results will enable chickpea stakeholders to develop and apply appropriate integrated crop management techniques for the control of podborer.

This study was conducted to determine the interaction between chickpea genotypes with the environment (GxE) on the yield stability and adaptability of desi type chickpea genotypes (Cicer arietinum L.). Seventeen chickpea genotypes were evaluated for two cropping years (2012/2013 – 2013/2014) at four locations i.e., eight environments (locations x years combination). Chickpea grain yield was significantly (p

Competition over land between food and fodder production, along with recurrent droughts and increasing population, has put mixed crop–livestock farming systems in the drylands of sub-Saharan Africa under pressure. Dual-purpose crops hold huge potential to ease this pressure and simultaneously improve food and fodder availability in these systems. We investigated farmers’ preferences for dual-purpose maize, sorghum, and groundnut traits, and analyzed linkages of stated trait preferences with production of dual-purpose crops and adoption of improved varieties involving 645 households from two districts in Zimbabwe. The three target crops cover more than 75% of households’ cropping lands. Highly preferred stated traits of dual-purpose crops include yield, disease resistance, and drought tolerance. Highly appreciated feed attributes encompass stover yield and digestibility. The adoption of improved varieties is high for maize but low for sorghum and groundnut. Trait preferences are correlated with the production of dual-purpose crops and the adoption of improved varieties of the crops. However, the strengths of these correlations differ for maize, sorghum, and groundnuts. We discuss these linkages and suggest why crop improvement programs should reconcile trade-offs between grain and feed attributes to support mixed crop–livestock systems in Zimbabwe successfully.

International audience; Grain legumes form an important component of the human diet, provide feed for livestock, and replenish soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation. Globally, the demand for food legumes is increasing as they complement cereals in protein requirements and possess a high percentage of digestible protein. Climate change has enhanced the frequency and intensity of drought stress, posing serious production constraints, especially in rainfed regions where most legumes are produced. Genetic improvement of legumes, like other crops, is mostly based on pedigree and performance-based selection over the past half century. To achieve faster genetic gains in legumes in rainfed conditions, this review proposes the integration of modern genomics approaches, high throughput phenomics, and simulation modelling in support of crop improvement that leads to improved varieties that perform with appropriate agronomy. Selection intensity, generation interval, and improved operational efficiencies in breeding are expected to further enhance the genetic gain in experimental plots. Improved seed access to farmers, combined with appropriate agronomic packages in farmers' fields, will deliver higher genetic gains. Enhanced genetic gains, including not only productivity but also nutritional and market traits, will increase the profitability of farming and the availability of affordable nutritious food especially in developing countries.

Rising food and nutritional insecurity threatens the livelihoods of millions of poor people, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Vegetable and legume production and consumption are a potent mechanism for small-scale, disadvantaged farmers to obtain the required nutrients in their diets and to generate much-needed income through trade. Vegetables and legumes are key sources of nutrients and health-promoting phytochemicals, providing higher micronutrient contents and a wider spectrum of essential compounds to meet nutritional and health needs than other food sources. Diversifying diets with vegetables and legumes is a cheaper, surer, and more sustainable way to supply a range of nutrients to the body and combat malnutrition and associated health problems than other approaches that target only a single or a few nutritional factors. Furthermore, vegetables and legumes often accompany staple crops in meals, and most staple crops are less palatable without vegetable or legume accompaniments. As a growing world population demands more and higher quality foods, and as environmental problems such as soil degradation, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, and climate change become more acute, the need for innovative vegetable and legume research solutions to improve food and nutritional security cannot be overemphasized.

The attainment of the Millennium Development Goals is at severe risk, owing to rising malnutrition and high child stunting and mortality rates, greater poverty, a large increase in the incidence of noncommunicable diseases, and lack of progress in women's empowerment. Here, the role of vegetable home, school, community, and disaster recovery gardens as a pro-poor and pro-environment intervention in the developing world is reviewed. This includes the contribution of vegetable gardens in improving food and nutritional security, generating additional income, providing employment, contributing to better health, and helping to empower disadvantaged groups in society. The implications of global research in the tropics and subtropics over the last 20–30 years are assessed over a wide geographic and linguistic range. The effectiveness and sustainability of such interventions are considered in the light of their contribution to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. Suggestions for potential new direc...

Many Africans are presently confronted with nutritional insecurity as their diets are often deficient in essential vitamins and minerals owing to lack of sufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables. This results from problems of availability, affordability and lack of knowledge. There has been a substantive, long-term underinvestment in research and development of the horticultural sector in Africa with particular reference to those indigenous crops which are naturally high in nutritious vitamins and minerals. Lack of breeding effort, ineffective seed supply systems and an inadequate information, regulatory and policy framework have all contributed to the widespread occurrence of malnutrition on the continent. However, public sector research, development and policy amelioration efforts supported by a nascent private seed supply sector are now showing progress. Many new, improved, nutrient-dense indigenous and standard vegetable varieties are being released for which small-holder farmers are finding growing markets in both rural and urban settings. If such developments continue favourably for the next decade, it is expected that progress towards a reduction in poverty and malnutrition in Africa will be marked.

Late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) De Bary is among the most economically important diseases of tomato. The use of host–plant resistance offers a potentially cost-effective and environmentally sound complementary disease management strategy for incorporation into tomato late blight integrated pest management (IPM). Late blight resistance in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) was derived from S. pimpinellifolium and introgressed into highland-adapted tomato already resistant to Fusarium wilt, root-knot nematodes, tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) and tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). Evaluation and selection for durability of late blight resistance, yield, and other horticultural traits was done in a controlled environment at AVRDC, The World Vegetable Center headquarters in Shanhua, Taiwan, and under field conditions at the Regional Center for Africa in Arusha, Tanzania. Four lines were subjected to multilocational trials with a local check at 5 sites representing 4 agroecological zones. Two...

The genetic progress in seed yield and yield related characters of 10 kabuli chickpea varieties released by the Ethiopian Chickpea Crop Improvement Program from 1974 to 2017 was assessed during the main cropping season. The varieties were evaluated in the Randomized Complete Block design at Debrezeit Agricultural Research Center experimental research farm. The overall increase in seed yield over the local check, DZ-10-4, was estimated to be 739 kg/ha (38.9%). On station grain yield increased from 1900 to 3250 kg/ha during the last 43 years and the overall increase in seed yield of the Arerti variety over the oldest variety DZ-10-4 was estimated to be 1350 kg/ha or 71.1%. Based on the regression analysis, the estimated average annual rate of increase in grain yield potential was 10.87kg/ha/year with an annual relative genetic change of 0.57%/year. Genotypic change was an important source for increased grain yield potential during the studied period. Positive genetic gains were observed for the yield traits (grain yield and yield components). The average cumulative gains over 43 years of breeding was, therefore, 445.67 kg (23.37%) for seed yield, and 30.26 g for hundred seeds weight (297.7%). Hundred seed weight revealed the most dramatic response to breeding for the last 43 years. It is, therefore, strategically advisable that breeding efforts in the future should give due attention to yield related traits of kabuli chickpea varieties.

SummaryThis study was conducted to determine the biological effects of a 12C5+ ion beam on male-sterility in Solanum villosum, a leafy vegetable whose consumption and demand continues to escalate due to its high nutritional and medicinal value. S. villosum is still underutilised due to low vegetative yields that have hampered full domestication and commercialisation. Yields are limited mainly by prolific early flowering and excess fruit and seed set in competition with leaf expansion and productivity. Thus, there is a need to reduce this overbearing in order to circumvent the source-sink imbalances that occur after anthesis. Carbon-ion beam-induced male-sterility is proposed as a possible strategy. Based on overall plant development from germination rate, seedling survival frequency, the proportion of self-fertile M1 plants, and the frequency of diverse growth and development mutants in the M2 progeny, with an emphasis on male-sterility, 20–30 Gy of 12C5+ ions was determined to be optimum. Four male-steri...

SummaryOctoploids were induced in vivo from wild-type tetraploid Solanum nigrum ssp. villosum plants using colchicine sprays. Seedling survival rates and numbers of induced octoploids from 72 seedlings were 95.8%, 73.6% and 48.6%, and 4, 2 and 1, from 0.01%, 0.05% and 0.25% colchicine treatments, respectively. The applicability of pollen area and stomatal length, as indirect methods to determine ploidy level, was investigated. Further confirmatory tests involving direct chromosome counts (in root tip cells) and flow cytometric analysis revealed that pollen and stomatal cell size may not correlate accurately with ploidy level. Although octoploids generally had larger pollen and larger stomata, plants that were identified in the first generation (G1) progeny on a large-pollen and large-stomata basis were not necessarily octoploids. In addition, a number of tetraploids also had “large” stomata or “large” pollen. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that this species exhibits polysomaty in leaf tissues (i.e., th...

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important pulse crops in Ethiopia. Earlier reports and field observations have shown that Ascochyta blight caused by Ascochyta rabiei is one of the most devastating diseases of this crop in Ethiopia. Survey was conducted during August 2015 to February 2016 to determine the status of the blight disease in major chickpea the growing area of Ethiopia. A total of 251 on-station and on-farm fields were surveyed. Ascochyta blight was observed in 30 of the 251 fields and incidence ranged from 0 to 45.6 % with mean of < 10%. The highest mean incidence was observed in Ensaro district of Amhara region (46.6%) followed by Lume district of Oromia region (15%). The severity varied from 1 to 7 with mean severity of 1 to 3.2 which was observed in few fields. The low incidence and severity of the disease observed in the 2015/2016 season was associated with the drought conditions occasioned by El nino conditions.

Chickpea is rich in protein and micronutrients and plays a significant role in human diet especially as accompaniment to staples, but grain yields in Ethiopia are still below the crop potential. Field experiments were conducted during 2007/8-2009/10 to determine relationships among yield and some yield components using correlation and path coefficient analysis in desi chickpea grown under rainfed conditions. Correlation studies revealed that seed yield was significantly and positively correlated with days to flowering, days to maturity, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, stand count at harvest, plant height and biomass. The path coefficient analysis based on seed yield, as a dependent variable, revealed that biomass had the greatest direct effect on seed yield (0.0146) and followed by stand count at harvest and plant height. Both correlation and path analyses indicated that biomass, stand count at harvest and plant height were the major direct contributors to seed yield. Thus, the present study suggests that more biomass production, stand count at harvest and plant height are major yield factors in selecting high yielding desi chickpea cultivars.

Wilt/root rot diseases are a major chickpea production constraint in Ethiopia causing yield losses by reducing the number of plants. To determine the current status of disease incidence and distribution, surveys were conducted in the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 cropping seasons in major chickpea growing zones of Ethiopia. Despite recent efforts in dissemination of improved varieties, low to high incidence of 0.0–83.4, 0.0–27.6, 1.3–19.8 and 0.0–16.3% and 1.0–81.9, 0.0–25.5, 3.0–13.9 and 1.0–21.5% in East Gojjam, Southwest Shewa, North Shewa and West Shewa in 2013/2014 and 2014/2015, respectively. Therefore, integrated pest management strategies should be developed and availed to farmers.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) funded Tropical Legumes (TL III) project was implemented in seven sub-Saharan Africa countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda) and South Asia (India). Shortage of seed of improved varieties has been identified as the greatest hindrance to farmer adoption of new agricultural technologies developed through this project. This chapter compares the different approaches followed by different countries in the establishment of Multi-Stakeholder Platforms (MSPs) for supply of improved legume seed to farmers. Achievements from this initiative are mixed and multi-dimensional. The details herein provide the reader with insights on the level of success of innovation platforms in the different countries and implications for agricultural technology dissemination to smallholder farmers. Key achievements include strengthened linkages among various legume seed value chain actors, participation of several cadres of seed producers in a decentralized system resulting into significant increase in the production of certified and quality declared seed of legumes, and rapid adoption and use of newly released varieties by smallholder farmers. As for those areas where the initiative did not produce the desired results, it is a testament that unless a well thought-out inclusive and comprehensive approach which defines the critical roles of each player in the value chain is developed, current seed shortages will continue, eroding emerging market opportunities and good intentions of development partners. The reader is directed to individual chapters for details of the process followed by each country/crop in the establishment of MSPs, their composition, key achievements, challenges, and lessons for overall improvement of the national legume seed systems.

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is an important protein source grown in several tropical and sub-tropical countries, and is considered a multi-purpose plant that is resistant to the conditions where drought and salinity is a common phenomenon. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diversity of rhizobial isolates obtained from root nodules of pigeon pea plants grown in central and southern Ethiopia. A total of 116 nitrogen-fixing rhizobial strains were isolated. The bacterial isolates were characterized by 91 phenotypic traits including cultural characteristics, intrinsic antibiotic and heavy metal resistance, salt, pH and incubation temperature tolerance, and carbon and nitrogen sources utilization ability. Preliminary symbiotic properties of the isolates were also evaluated. The isolates were compared with seven reference strains of rhizobia by application of the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) using NTSYSpc Version 2.1 software program. The dendrogram constructed from cluster analysis of 91 phenotypic traits, grouped them into six clusters and eight un-clustered positions at 80% relative similarity. Cluster I contained 83% of the test isolates that were grouped together with the reference strains Bradyrhizobium japonicum (HAMBI 2314T) and Bradyrhizobium elkanii (LMG 6164), suggesting that pigeon pea is commonly nodulated by bradyrhizobia. Results from symbiotic effectiveness test revealed that majority of the isolates were found to be effective. Generally, this investigation demonstrated that rhizobial population nodulating C. cajan on the study area were phenotypically diverse and symbiotically effective. Furthermore, the result indicates the existence of strains in the collection, which can tolerate environmental stresses, thus can be developed into inoculant for pigeon pea inoculation and production in Ethiopia and beyond. Key words: Bradyrhizobium, Cajanus cajan, phenotypic characteristics, rhizobium.

This article highlights 12 years (2007–2019) of research, achievements, lessons learned, challenges and gaps in discovery‐to‐delivery research in legumes emanating from three projects, collectively called Tropical Legumes (TL) with a total investment of about US$ 67 million funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These projects were implemented by three CGIAR centres (ICRISAT, CIAT and IITA) together with 15 national agricultural research system partners in sub‐Saharan Africa and South Asia. The TL projects together with some of their precursors and complementary projects from other agencies, facilitated the development of 266 improved legume varieties and the production of about 497,901 tons of certified seeds of the target legume crops in the focus countries. The certified seeds have been planted on about 5.0 million ha by more than 25 million smallholder farmers in the 15 countries and beyond, producing about 6.1 million tons of grain worth US$ 3.2 billion. Furthermore, the projects also trained 52 next generation scientists that included 10 women, by supporting 34 Masters degrees and 18 PhD degrees.