Crop In Kenya Research Articles

Distribution of parasitic nematodes in Kenyan rice fields and their relation to edaphic factors, rainfall and temperature

Rice is the third most important crop in Kenya after maize and wheat. Plant parasitic nematodes (PPN) are a major rice production constraint. The objective of this study was to determine the distribution and abundance of rice PPN in Kenya and their association with environmental variables. Soil and plant samples were collected from rainfed upland and irrigated lowland rice fields in Kirogo, Thiba, Nyangati, Ombeyi, Kombura, Kakola and Mwambe Sub-locations. Twenty-two PPN genera were identified across all Sub-locations with the highest (20) number of nematode genera recorded in rainfed upland rice fields. The nematode genera Scutellonema, Hoplolaimus, Ditylenchus, Hemicycliophora, Heterodera, Paralongidorus and Tylenchus were not recorded in the irrigated lowland rice fields while Criconemella and Tylenchorhynchus were not observed in rainfed upland fields. Canonical correspondence analysis of the relationship between soil properties and nematode abundance revealed a significant (P < 0.05) relationship between PPN abundance and potassium, sodium, sand and clay. The relationship between rainfall, minimum temperature and nematode genera was significant (P < 0.05) while maximum temperature was not significant (P = 0.928). Our results provide critical information for designing nematode management strategies in Kenyan rice fields.

The Cotesia sesamiae story: insight into host-range evolution in a Hymenoptera parasitoid and implication for its use in biological control programs.

This review covers nearly 20years of studies on the ecology, physiology and genetics of the Hymenoptera Cotesia sesamiae, an African parasitoid of Lepidoptera that reduces populations of common maize borers in East and South Africa. The first part of the review presents studies based on sampling of C. sesamiae from maize crops in Kenya. From this agrosystem including one host plant and three main host borer species, studies revealed two genetically differentiated populations of C. sesamiae species adapted to their local host community, and showed that their differentiation involved the joint evolution of virulence genes and sensory mechanisms of host acceptance, reinforced by reproductive incompatibility due to Wolbachia infection status and natural inbreeding. In the second part, we consider the larger ecosystem of wild Poales plant species hosting many Lepidoptera stem borer species that are potential hosts for C. sesamiae. The hypothesis of other host-adapted C. sesamiae populations was investigated based on a large sampling of stem borer larvae on various Poales across sub-Saharan Africa. The sampling provided information on the respective contribution of local hosts, biogeography and Wolbachia in the genetic structure of C. sesamiae populations. Molecular evolution analyses highlighted that several bracovirus genes were under positive selection, some of them being under different selection pressure in C. sesamiae populations adapted to different hosts. This suggests that C. sesamiae host races result from co-evolution acting at the local scale on different bracovirus genes. The third part considers the mechanisms driving specialization. C. sesamiae host races are more or less host-specialized. This character is crucial for efficient and environmentally-safe use of natural enemies for biological control of pests. One method to get an insight in the evolutionary stability of host-parasite associations is to characterize the phylogenetic relationships between the so-called host-races. Based on the construction of a phylogeny of C. sesamiae samples from various host- and plant species, we revealed three main lineages. Mechanisms of differentiation are discussed with regard to the geography and ecology of the samples. One of the lineage presented all the hallmarks of a distinct species, which has been morphologically described and is now studied in the perspective of being used as biological control agent against Sesamia nonagrioides Lefèbvre (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a major maize pest in West Africa and Mediterranean countries (see Benoist et al. 2017). The fourth part reviews past and present use of C. sesamiae in biological control, and points out the interest of such molecular ecology studies to reconcile biodiversity and food security stakes in future biological control.

On the Use of Regression Models to Predict Tea Crop Yield Responses to Climate Change: A Case of Nandi East, Sub-County of Nandi County, Kenya

Tea is a major cash crop in Kenya. Predicting the potential effects of climate change on tea crops prompts the use of statistical models to measure how the crop responds to climate variables. The statistical model was trained on historical tea yields, and how they related to past data on maximum temperature, minimum temperature and precipitation over Nandi East Sub-County. Scatter diagrams for selected months were generated from tea yield and temperature data. A multiple linear model was developed to predict tea yield using climatic variables. A contingency table was used to verify the model. Results from an analysis of trends in rainfall depicted a positive trend and revealed an increased frequency of annual droughts. The study showed that the frequency of extreme rainfall events during September-October-November (SON) season has decreased. Results from an analysis of the trends in temperature revealed that the minimum temperatures are increasing and that the frequency of extreme events has increased. Rising maximum temperatures were observed in March. The study revealed that May, the cold month, is becoming warmer. Correlation analysis indicated that the climatic variables during some months in both the concurrent year and the previous year were positively correlated with the tea yield. However, there was an inverse relationship between maximum temperature and rainfall. Results of model verification revealed that that 70% of model forecasts were correct. The results also showed that at least half of the observed events were correctly forecasted and thus the majority of the forecasts were true. An equation for predicting the yield of tea from the climate variables is presented.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Striga hermonthica populations from Kenya and Nigeria

SummaryStriga hermonthica is a parasitic weed that poses a serious threat to the production of economically important cereals in sub‐Saharan Africa. The existence of genetic diversity within and between S. hermonthica populations presents a challenge to the successful development and deployment of effective control technologies against this parasitic weed. Understanding the extent of diversity between S. hermonthica populations will facilitate the design and deployment of effective control technologies against the parasite. In the present study, S. hermonthica plants collected from different locations and host crops in Kenya and Nigeria were genotyped using single nucleotide polymorphisms. Statistically significant genetic differentiation (FST = 0.15, P = 0.001) was uncovered between populations collected from the two countries. Also, the populations collected in Nigeria formed three distinct subgroups. Unique loci undergoing selection were observed between the Kenyan and Nigerian populations and among the three subgroups found in Nigeria. Striga hermonthica populations parasitising rice in Kenya appeared to be genetically distinct from those parasitising maize and sorghum. The presence of distinct populations in East and West Africa and in different regions in Nigeria highlights the importance of developing and testing Striga control technologies in multiple locations, including locations representing the geographic regions in Nigeria where genetically distinct subpopulations of the parasite were found. Efforts should also be made to develop relevant control technologies for areas infested with ‘rice‐specific’ Striga spp. populations in Kenya.

Modelling future potato (Solanum tuberosumL.) production in Tasmania and Kenya

Potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.), like many other crops, will be affected by changes in temperature, rainfall and other factors related to climate change. Global warming due to increased greenhouse gases concentrations continue to be felt with many of the observed changes since the 1950s unprecedented over decades to millennia. In Africa, the increase in mean annual temperature is likely to be more than 2°C and by about 2.9°C in Tasmania by 2100 in the high emission scenario. In eastern Africa, precipitation and intensity of high-rainfall events are projected to increase while in Tasmania the seasonal and regional distribution will change although the mean annual rainfall for Tasmania will not vary significantly. In north-west Tasmania where potatoes are grown, a reduction in the total annual rainfall is predicted. Potato is planted in more than 125 countries and consumed daily by more than a billion people, making it the worldRSQUOs most important non-grain crop. In Tasmania, potato represents 70% of the vegetable industry total value and 9% of the stateRSQUOs total agricultural value. It is the second most important food crop in Kenya. The new APSIM-potato model can be used to simulate the effects of N-fertilizer levels, sowing dates, plant density and irrigation treatments but has only been tested in a limited range of locations and for limited cultivars. This is the first time that the APSIM potato module is being tested and compared under both Tasmanian and Kenyan conditions. Field trials using a range of cultivars were conducted both in Tasmania (2012/13) and Kenya (2013/14) where input data (management, soil, crop and daily weather data) were measured. The analysis of Kenyan data is on-going but for Tasmania, the preliminary simulation results highlight the need for parameter adjustment to improve its predictive performance.

English

The biological control agent Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. strigae isolate Foxy 2 had shown potential as a biological control in West Africa, however it failed to achieve the same results when used on Kenyan Striga hermonthica. A F. oxysporum isolate FK3 was obtained from infected S. hermonthica in a maize crop in Kenya and tested as a potential control agent of S. hermonthica in Kenya. Two pot trials were conducted where the S. hermonthica seed and varying rates of isolate FK3 (7.5 to 60 &times; 107 CFUs per pot) were added prior to planting of maize. Numbers of S. hermonthica plants were reduced significantly at the lowest rate of FK3 application when compared to the control from 10.7 to 5.5 per pot in the first trial and 21.3 to 7.9 plants per pot in the second trial. Where a more susceptible variety of maize was used in the second trial evidence of improved maize growth (fresh root mass and stover weight) and yield (weight of grains and whole cob weight) was associated with the reduction in S. hemonthica numbers. More extensive field trials are recommended to fully assess the impact of FK3 on maize yield. The findings support the idea that regional genetic variation in both S. hermonthica and the pathogen F. oxysporum may explain the regional specificity of F. oxysporum isolates as a potential biological control agents. Key words: Biological control, maize, mycoherbicide, parasitic plants, striga, Fusarium.

Adequacy of Nutrient Intake, Morbidity and Nutritional status of HIV and AIDS Infected Children at Pre and Post Amaranth Grain Supplementation

Introduction: Morbidity and mortality related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the developing world remain unacceptably high, despite major advances in HIV therapy and increased funding internationally for care. The HIV epidemic largely overlaps with populations’ already experiencing malnutrition [1]. Combating under nutrition and HIV and AIDS are two of the eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals to be achieved by 2015 [2,3]. Food and nutrition interventions are critical components of comprehensive responses to the HIV pandemic [4-6]. Provision of high quality and adequate food is a significant challenge to the caregivers due to financial constraints, inability to access adequate amounts of food and low diversibility of the diets [4]. A diverse and adequate diet is fundamental for better health for people living with HIV and AIDS [7]. Although the nutrition quality of amaranth grain in other countries has been established, amaranth grain is an underutilized crop in Kenya and yet it has the potential to broaden the food base, enhance diet diversification and reduce the levels of malnutrition among vulnerable groups such as HIV and AIDS infected children.Objective: To determine the impact of amaranth grain supplementation on the adequacy of nutrient intake and nutrition status of HIV and AIDS infected children attending the comprehensive care clinic at Thika District Hospital, Kenya. Methodology: The study was a longitudinal (6 months) experimental pre and post single group design, with a comprehensive sample of 52 children. The study included baseline assessment and an intervention phase. The intervention included monthly provision of adequate amaranth flour to be consumed by the children on a daily basis, nutrition education and counseling. The data collected comprised demography, dietary intake, anthropometric, morbidity, and CD4 counts.Results: Baseline findings indicated inadequate mean intake of total kilocalories (1281.10±379.69), vitamin A (268.35±216.65), calcium (412.41±253.79) and selenium (26±12.93). There was significant difference (P < 0.001) between mean intake of all nutrients at baseline and after intervention at 95% confidence level. Pre-intervention stunting was 36.5%, wasting 34% and underweight 30.8%. Wasting and underweight reduced significantly (P= 0.001) after intervention but not so for stunting (P= 0.083). Conclusion: The findings indicated that dietary intake and morbidity are significant predicators of nutritional status of HIV infected children. It is recommended that public awareness and education on the nutritive value and nutritional benefits of amaranth grain be promoted by nutritionists. Sensitization of the consumption of amaranth grain need to be upscaled by nutritionists and other care providers of persons infected with HIV and AIDS.

Efficacy and Mode of Application of Local Beauveria bassiana Isolates in the Control of the Tea Weevil

The tea crop in Kenya ubiquitously is exposed to biotic and abiotic stresses which can be devastating. This includes damage by five species of tea weevils. Tea weevils reported to occur in Kenya include, the Tea Root Weevil ( Aperitmetus brunneus ) [Hust], Nematocerus Weevil (Nematocerus sulcalus), Systates Weevil (Systates sp.), Kangaita/Kimari Weevil ( Entypotrachelus meyeri ) [micans/Kolbe] and Nyambene Weevils ( Sprigodes mixtus ) [Hust], among others, Adult Original Research Article

In vitro Meristem Culture for Rapid Regeneration of Papaya Plantlets in Liquid Media

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is an important crop in Kenya, produced both for local consumption and export. Papaya propagation via seeds makes it difficult in differentiating gender at seedlings phase. However, in vitro system could offer a solution to this problem. This study was an attempt to determine rapid in vitro methods for regeneration of papaya plantlets using liquid and semi solid/liquid double layer media and different concentration of growth regulators. Shoot meristems were harvested from hermaphrodite 30 cm tall papaya seedlings raised in greenhouse and cultured in Murashige and Skoog basal media supplemented with 30 g sucrose, and different concentrations of hormones which were treatments in liquid medium. The treatments comprised five levels (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2) of mg.L 2 Chloro 4 Pyridy – N Phenyl-urea (CPPU) in liquid and semi-solid/liquid double layer combination for shoot induction. For root initiation, four levels of Indole-3butyric acid (IBA) (0, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 mg.L) were used. The experiments were laid out in Original Research Article Gatambia et al.; ARRB, 9(1): 1-7, 2016; Article no.ARRB.22056 2 a completely randomized design with 3 replicates. Number of shoots, shoot length and leaf number were recorded every 2 weeks for 8 weeks. The percentage number of shoots that produced roots was also recorded. There was significant differences between the liquid and semi-solid /liquid media and the level of hormones used on shoot induction. The highest number of shoots (10), shoot length and number of leaves was recorded in the semisolid/ liquid double layer combination with CPPU at 0.15 mg.L. The highest root initiation (73.33%) was at 3.0 mg.L of IBA. Results indicated that semi-solid/liquid double layer combination could be used for rapid regeneration of papaya plantlets of known gender.

Evaluation of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Varieties for Resistance to Bean Stem Maggot (Ophiomyia spp.) in Kenya

Common bean is the most important pulse crop in Kenya, though small scale farmers involved in its farming have limited access to quality seeds resistant to pests such as bean stem maggot, thereby limiting its production from potential yield production of 2000 kg ha -1 to less than 1000 kg ha -1 . This study was therefore aimed at determining effective ways of managing bean stem maggot through identification and selection of resistant commercial varieties for enhanced host resistance. This was achieved through screening levels of resistance among commercial varieties and determining severity and incidence of bean stem maggot infestations. The study was conducted in Kakamega, Njoro and Uasin-gishu. The varieties were planted together with two local checks; KK 8, Tasha, KK

Pathogenic Variability of Angular Leaf Spot Disease of Common Bean in Western Kenya

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important legume and is second only to maize as a food crop in Kenya. Despite its importance, bean productivity is declining in western Kenya due to several biotic and abiotic constraints including several fungal diseases. Among these diseases, angular leaf spot (Phaeoisariopsis griseola (Sacc.) is one of the most damaging and widely distributed diseases of common bean, causing yield losses as high as 80%. Furthermore, the problem is compounded by limited information on pathogen distribution and variability in western Kenya hindering breeding for angular leaf spot (ALS) resistance. Therefore, this study was carried out to characterise the ALS pathogen (Phaeoisariopsis griseola) (Sacc.) into different pathotypes. Forty-two isolates of P. griseola were collected from different bean growing areas of western Kenya and characterized into six pathotypes (63:11, 30:26, 33:23, 63:7, 31:10 and 63:63) by use of 12 differential cultivars. Advanced lines and commercial varieties obtained from KALRO-Kakamega were separately inoculated with six pathotypes of P. griseola and evaluated for disease reaction in the screenhouse. A screening trial of Mesoamerican and Andean bean genotypes showed that two varieties were tolerant (disease scores 1 to 3), fourteen varieties were moderately resistant (scores 4 to 6) and four varieties were susceptible (7 to 9). The tolerant varieties were small-seeded, while the susceptible varieties were mostly large-seeded.

English

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is one of the most important crops in Kenya and has wide range of economic importance. The sugar industry contributes up to 15% to the country&rsquo;s agricultural gross domestic product and an estimated 25% of the population depends on the industry for their livelihood. However, the industry has been facing several challenges including declining yields due to use of poor quality planting materials. There is an increasing pressure to enhance the productivity of sugarcane in order to sustain profitable sugar industries in Kenya, while there are several diseases attacking sugarcane and reducing its quality. Seed multiplication of newly released varieties of sugarcane is one of the major constraints in Kenya as it takes 6-7 years to produce sufficient quantity of improved seed material. In vitro culture offers a practical and fast method for mass propagation of disease-free clonal materials. Successful protocols for shoot tip culture, callus culture, embryo culture, virus free plant production and somatic embryogenesis have already been established. Thus, in vitro technology can be used to enhance productivity of sugarcane in Kenya. Despite several advantages of applying micro-propagation technique in sugarcane such as quick multiplication of newly released varieties, rejuvenation of old deteriorated varieties; production of disease free seed; easy transportation of seed material; elimination of viruses; high cane productivity and sugar yield etc., this technique is not gaining popularity up to the desired extent. There are several constraints like the high cost of production and appearance of some variants in micropropagated population among others. The present article describes the status, challenges and opportunities of in vitro technology for the sugar industry in Kenya. Though, some problems have now been resolved to considerable extents which have been described in this review however, some constraints still require intensive research work to be resolved so that a safe and efficient exploitation of this technique can be ensured in sugarcane seed production programmes for enhanced yields and quality. Key words: Sugarcane, somaclonal variation, in vitro culture, meristems, micro-propagation, callus.

Local and landscape effects on bee functional guilds in pigeon pea crops in Kenya

Pollinators face many challenges within agricultural systems due to landscape changes and intensification which can affect resource availability that can impact pollination services. This paper examines pigeon pea pollination and considers how landscape context and agricultural intensification in terms of pesticide use affects the abundance of bees characterized by species guilds on crops. The study was conducted on six paired farms across a gradient of habitat complexity based on the distance of each farm from adjacent semi-natural vegetation in Kibwezi Sub-county, Kenya. The study found that farms which do not use insecticides in farm management, but are in close proximity to natural habitat have greater bee guild abundance, but at further distances, overall abundance is reduced with or without insecticide use. At 1 km landscape radius, the complexity of habitats but not patch size had a positive impact on the abundance of cavity nesting bees and mason bees, which can be attributed to the interspersion of the small-holder farms with semi-natural habitats across the landscapes producing mosaics of heterogeneous habitats. The study revealed the strongest relationships between fruit set and bee abundance to be with the carpenter bee, social bee and solitary bee guilds, which are among the most abundant bees visiting pigeon pea flowers in this system. Our findings provide the foundation for conservation efforts by identifying which bee guilds pollinated pigeon peas. From this study, we suggest managing the floral and nesting resources that would best support the most abundant crop pollinators, and also reducing insecticide application to the crop.

Hot-spot application of biocontrol agents to replace pesticides in large scale commercial rose farms in Kenya

Rose (Rosa hybrida L.) is the most important ornamental crop in Kenya, with huge investments in pest management. We provide the first full-scale, replicated experiment comparing cost and yield of conventional two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch) control with hot-spot applications of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseidae) in large commercial rose greenhouses. Hot-spot treatments replaced acaricides except at high infestations and the two treatments were applied in seven greenhouses each. With the conventional treatment, acaricides were applied when T. urticae populations exceeded 250 motile individuals per plant based on scouting. Treatments with acaricides and P. persimilis were guided by weekly scouting and hot-spot treated greenhouses with infestations exceeding 1000 individuals m−2 (calculated as average mites/leaflet × average leaflets per plant) were first blanket-treated with an acaricide to decrease infestations. Roses subjected to the hot-spot treatment had significantly lower T. urticae infestations compared with conventionally treated roses. In addition, significantly fewer high spider mite infestations were recorded in roses with the hot-spot treatment. The cost of pest management was significantly lower in the hot-spot-treated greenhouses than in the conventional treatment. However, there was no significant difference in the number of harvested stems from the two treatments. It can therefore be concluded that acaricides can be replaced by P. persimilis hot-spot treatments in commercial cut rose production, effectively reducing pest management costs with no loss in crop yield.

Effect of Varying Ratios and Rates of Enriched Cattle Manure on Leaf Nitrogen Content, Yield and Quality of Tea (Camellia sinensis)

Tea (Camelia sinensis) a major cash crop in Kenya is normally grown on highly weathered and strongly acidic soils. Non-judicial use of the recommended inorganic compound fertilizer 25:5:5:5s acidifies the soil and pollutes water masses. Integrated soil fertility management, the combined use of organic and inorganic fertilizer is recommended for higher tea yield and soil health. An experiment was carried out in the Eastern Highlands of Kenya to determine the effect of different ratios and rates of enriched cattle manure on leaf nitrogen content, yield and quality of tea. Inorganic compound fertilizer 25:5:5:5s led to the highest N level in the mature leaf. Enriching organic manures with inorganic fertilizers increased the yield but reduced the quality. Tea quality parameters Theaflavins (TF) and Thearubigins decreased with increase in fertilizer rate irrespective of fertilizer type. Caffeine content however increased with increasing rate fertilizer especially in the case of inorganic compound fertilizer 25:5:5:5. Enriching organic manures with inorganic fertilizers increased the N content in the mature leaf and crop yield but reduced the quality. The study showed the beneficial effect of enriched manures in tea production.

English

Maize is a principal food crop in Kenya and the coastal lowlands. Choice of the enterprise at household level is influenced by the social position maize commands both as a staple food and trade facility or good while production patterns are dictated by various factors among them being resource endowment. Research in the recent past has provided technological recommendations that include fertilizer and pesticides use along with yield data with different management regimes. In the event of not using fertilizer or pesticides, yield losses of 0.421 and 0.203 by proportion of the yield potential were recorded in two different empirical studies respectively for the improved varieties thereby translating to a total gross margin short-fall of KES. 11,192/= per hectare. The household economic effect of this loss therefore doubles to wastage of land space and on the overall denied economic returns to labor devoted to the enterprise. The findings give evidence to recommend devotion to hard decisions on enterprise choice in place of maize especially where land is a limiting factor. High value short duration crops or a balanced cropping mix are thus recommended as best bet alternatives. &nbsp; Key words: Maize, yield losses, field pests, fertilizer, coastal lowland, gross margin, resource poor and household. &nbsp;

Interaction betweenPhaedrotoma scabriventrisNixon andOpius dissitusMuesebeck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Endoparasitoids ofLiriomyzaLeafminer

The exotic parasitoid, Phaedrotoma scabriventris Nixon, was imported from Peru for the biological control of invasive Liriomyza species in vegetable and ornamental crops in Kenya where Opius dissitus Muesebeck is the most abundant indigenous Liriomyza parasitoid. Both species are solitary larva-pupal endoparasioids attacking the same larval stage. In order to assess whether these two species compete or co-exist, an interaction study involving sole, sequential and simultaneous releases of the two species on polyphagous Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) was conducted in the laboratory at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya. Simultaneous releases of 50 individuals each of the two parasitoids resulted in significantly higher total parasitism rate (61.96±4.60) than in the single release of P. scabriventris (34.94±8.50). Simultaneous release of 25 individuals of each species resulted in a parasitism rate (44.52 ± 2.75) similar to that obtained for single releases o...

Cost-Price Squeeze in Export Oriented Crop Production: Welfare Implication for Commercialized Smallholder Tea Producers in Kenya

Tea production, a leading export crop in Kenya and produced largely by smallholders was analyzed to determine how the input and output prices adjust to both inflation and exchange rates. It was hypothesized that prices received and prices paid by farmers are not cointegrated and that a costprice squeeze could not be rejected in the long-run. Based on cointegration analysis results, we could not reject the null hypothesis of no cointegration between prices paid and prices received in the long run. Macroeconomic variables impacts unevenly on the tea sector with probable negative effects on the welfare of smallholders. The livelihood of export oriented cash crop producers in less developed countries, therefore, becomes integrally vulnerable to market forces. Price volatility coupled with constant market shocks could impact negatively on the general livelihoods of the smallholder export farmers particularly food access at the household level.

First report of Globodera rostochiensis infesting potatoes in Kenya

Potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) is the second most important food crop in Kenya after maize (MOA, 2007). However, increased production in Kenya has been constrained by various factors including pests and diseases. Potato cyst nematode (PCN) is…

Development of High Protein and Vitamin A Flakes from Sweet Potato Roots and Leaves

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) is one of the most important, versatile and unexploited crops in Kenya. The crop is well adapted to smallholder farming systems, inexpensive to produce, relatively drought tolerant and gives high yields even with minimum inputs. Although widely produced in Kenya, sweet potato remains primarily a subsistence crop. Lack of organized marketing, limited consumer interest and low value addition activities are some of the factors that have contributed to low commercialization of the crop. The overall objective of the current study was to investigate the suitability of incorporating sweet potato leaves into the roots to produce nutritious sweet potato flakes with high vitamin A and protein content. Sweet potato roots were cured to increase the endogenous amylase enzyme and then washed and pre-cooked to enable starch hydrolysis to increase sweetness of the flakes and then heated to boiling to enable mashing. Dried sweet potato leaves powder was then added to the mash sweet potato roots at varying percentages and then dried using single drum drier. Addition of sweet potato leaves was found to significantly (p < 0.05) increase protein content from 6.6% protein to 15.40% when the leaves constituted 50% of the flakes. Beta carotene content of the flakes decreased from 7986 μg/100g when no leaves were added to 3979 μg/100g when the leaves constituted 50% of the flakes. The addition of the leaves reduced the overall acceptability. Colour was the most adversely affected while texture was the least affected by the addition of sweet potato leaves. However, all the flakes with up to 30% leaves were acceptable to the panelists with respect to colour, taste, texture and overall acceptability. Incorporating sweet potato leaves into the roots can therefore improve sweet potato protein and hence improve nutrition and value addition of root-based products such as flakes and flour.