Variety Of Improvements Research Articles

Comparative Phytochemical Screening and Acute Toxicity Study of Two Varieties of Ginger, Zingiber officinale

Phytochemicals are a wide range of compounds that exist naturally in plants, enhancing them with a defensive role that prevents the advancement of chronic diseases. The present study was conducted to determine and compare the presence of phytochemicals and acute toxicity of the two varieties of Zingiber officinale. Samples of Z. officinale were extracted with methanol by maceration, and the extracts were screened for phytochemicals by conventional techniques, while extracts were evaluated for acute toxicity to estimate the LD50 through oral administration in albino mice. Results showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins, terpenoids, cardiac glycosides, carbohydrates and the absence of anthraquinone in all the two varieties of the methanolic extracts for both the leaves and the rhizomes. The acute toxicity study showed that the local variety (LV) had oral LD50 values of 2154.1mg/kgBW (leaves) and 3807.8 mg/kgBW (rhizomes). In comparison, the improved variety (IV) had LD50 values of 3807.8 mg/kgBW (leaves) and > 5000 mg/kgBW (rhizomes) in the mice. Findings from the preliminary phytochemical screening implies that both two varieties of Z. officinale are rich in phytochemicals and that both varieties are less toxic with the local variety having higher toxic effect with respect to the LD50 values.

Impact of participatory sorghum breeding in Burkina Faso

An ex post analysis of the impact of research projects related to Participatory Breeding (PB) of sorghum in Burkina Faso was carried out in 2015 and 2016 using the “Impress” method developed by CIRAD. The sorghum PB approach emerged in Burkina Faso in the late 1990s as a response to the very low adoption of improved varieties released by the conventional breeding program. This approach represents a paradigm shift from a research approach focused solely on the development of “high-yielding varieties”, irrespective of the social context in which these varieties are to be used, towards the development of varieties, seed and their dissemination within a multi-stakeholder framework. The present study aims to assess the impact of the sorghum PB program and the activities related to seed production and dissemination carried out in Burkina Faso over a period of 20 years. Detailed mappings of the timeline and the actors that have been involved in the innovation process, as well as the impact pathway, have been established. The causal relationships between outputs, outcomes and impacts have been developed on the basis of 67 impact descriptors provided by research partners and beneficiaries during participatory workshops. Around thirty measurable impact indicators were assessed by means of individual or focus-group interviews and by means of secondary data sources. The three major outputs of the study were: the new improved varieties (IV) resulting from the PB actions; the mini-pack seed strategy; and the new skills acquired by the farmer organizations regarding sorghum improvement and certified seed production. The appropriation of these outputs by the farmer organizations not only brought structure to the experimentation networks, but also ensured the promotion and dissemination of the new varieties, and the establishment of a decentralised certified seed production scheme. One major positive impact was the significant increase in the use of sorghum IVs not only in the villages covered by the program but also in neighbouring areas. The expansion and performance of these new IVs has helped reduce the hunger gap while increasing the revenues of farmers involved in seed production. Furthermore, the research projects helped bring structure to the national seed sector as well as to the certified seed market, where the farmer seed production Unions consolidated by the PB projects now play an important role in the orientation of national legislation. The experimental method of impact assessment used in this analysis explores and makes visible the complex multidimensional and multi-stakeholder processes that have helped shape technological innovation and its impact on development. Such impact assessments can also elucidate the role of research in reinforcing the individual and collective capacities needed for innovating and testing out new technologies, that is, new varieties and seed production practices according to local constraints and/or opportunities.

Household Determinants of the Adoption of Improved Cassava Varieties using DNA Fingerprinting to Identify Varieties in Farmer Fields: A Case Study in Colombia

AbstractWe examine factors affecting the adoption of improved cassava varieties of 217 households in the Cauca Department in southwest Colombia. Using DNA fingerprinting through Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), we identified different cultivars in farmers fields. We also used this information to remove possible bias in the adoption model that could have resulted from a misclassification of improved varieties (IVs). As a result, we found that farmers substantially overestimate their use of IVs and there are important differences in the determinants of adoption between farmer self‐identification and DNA fingerprinting. This finding implies that the incorporation of DNA fingerprinting in IV adoption studies is important to ensure the accuracy of future agricultural economic research and the relevance of subsequent policy recommendations.

Genetic diversity in Ethiopian Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum var durum) inferred from phenotypic variations

AbstractThe valorization of genetic diversities of major crops like wheat may help substantially to feed the world Population. Durum wheat genotypes consisting of 265 farmers’ varieties (FVs), which have been cultivated for many centuries in Ethiopia, as well as 24 improved varieties (IMVs) have been recently evaluated in northern Ethiopia. The evaluation has been carried out at two different locations for 2 consecutive years to verify the inherited diversity in FVs for important phenological and agronomic traits; with the intention to provide refined information to breeders and genebank managers. As a result of a careful evaluation, a very significant variation was observed between the FVs and IMVs. A large number of the former have demonstrated superior performance to the latter in terms of mean values of the major traits within the stipulated years and locations. The best performing FV has shown a gain of 20% grain yield over the best IMV. Multivariate analyses revealed that FVs displayed larger genetic diversity than in those IMVs. FVs could therefore be used as donor of useful alleles in durum wheat breeding for improvement of yield per se and other traits of agronomic and phenological importance. The identified stable superior FVs include: 8208, 226834A, 238567, 222426, 226282 could be best candidates for farmers in marginal environments. Genotypes that have shown stable performance for spatial variation such as 204493A, 214357 and 238567; and temporal variation such as 8208, 208479, 214357 and 226834A could be the best candidates for exploitation in future breeding programs.

Adoption of improved potato varieties in Ethiopia: The role of agricultural knowledge and innovation system and smallholder farmers’ quality assessment

Although potato is considered to be one of the strategic crops for ensuring food security in Ethiopia, the adoption of high yielding and disease tolerant improved potato varieties is low. Common explanations include farmers’ attitudes to risk and socio-cultural factors. We develop a system perspective that explores farmers’ decisions about adopting improved varieties (IVs) in relation to (1) their engagement with the agricultural knowledge and innovation system (AKIS) and (2) their preferences for local varieties (LVs). On the basis of original data from 346 ware Ethiopian potato farmers we show that the frequency of use of technical assistance from NGOs and access to credit positively affect the adoption of IVs while the use of the main buyer as a source of advice negatively affects IV adoption. We found that farmers have a preference for LVs because of the perceived easier crop management and better stew quality attributes. Yield, disease resistance, and maturity period are less important attributes. Higher education of the household head and the presence of a radio and/or television also have a positive effect on adoption. As to the scale of adoption, we found that only the percentage of owned land, tuber size (of ware potatoes), access to credit, stew quality, and presence of a mobile phone have an impact on ware potato farmers’ decision on the amount of land to be used for growing IVs. These results imply that improved production-related quality attributes may not be enough to induce ware potato farmers to adopt new varieties. LVs with relatively low scores on production-related criteria continue to be appreciated by farmers due to demands from their customers. We recommend putting more emphasis on market-related quality attributes in new variety development.

Genetic erosion of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in the centre of diversity, Ethiopia

The Ethiopian region is characterised by a wide range of agro-climatic conditions, which accounted for the enormous resources of agro-biodiversity that exist in the country. The most important of these resources is the immense genetic diversity of the various crop plants in the country. Of these, one of the most on farm genetically diverse crops is sorghum. Since the advent of formal breeding in particular after green revolution, genetic diversity of most crops has been threatened worldwide. In order to assess on farm genetic erosion (GE), various research methodologies were employed. These were focused group interviews with 360 farmers, on farm monitoring and participation with 120 farmers, key informant interviews with 60 farmers and development agents, and semi-structured interviews with 250 farmers. Besides, diversity fairs were done with over 1200 farmers. Notwithstanding the complexity of assessing GE, it was assessed by various methods; namely, by temporal method (comparing 1960 and 2000 collections), area method, and semi-structured interview method at individual, community or wereda level and causes of varietal loss from other various perspectives. Farmers perceived GE as the reduced importance of the variety as indicated by lower proportion in the varietal portfolio. The five most important factors for varietal loss at individual farmers’ level were reduced benefit from the varieties, drought, Khat expansion, reduced land size and introduction of other food crops respectively. GE was not affected by wealth groups and ecological regions. Farmers do not make simple replacement as a strategic mechanism for genetic resources management. GE at regional level was quantified by temporal and spatial method. There was a complementation not rivalry between farmer varieties (FVs) and improved varieties (IVs). The whole process of GE is explained by three models, namely: Bioecogeographic enhanced genetic erosion model, Farmer induced genetic erosion model and Farmer-cum-bioecogeographic genetic erosion model. As aforementioned, sorghum genetic erosion behaviour is completely different from other food crops such as tetraploid wheat. The prediction in the late seventies that complete erosion of FVs by IVs by the end of the eighties, the principle of GE that competition between IVs and FVs, favours the former and results in the replacement of the latter is not valid in the context of sorghum in Ethiopia. Hence, maintenance of the on farm genetic diversity of sorghum is a reality but GE is rhetoric.

Farmer and formal breeding of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and the implications for integrated plant breeding

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is the fifth most important cereal crop worldwide and it is the fourth most important crop in Ethiopia. The national average yield amounts 1302 kg/ha. In order to assess the achievement in farmer breeding various types of research were undertaken. These include survey research to quantify the trend in productivity, the level of and reasons for adoption of improved varieties, yield performance and preference evaluation of farmers’ varieties (FVs) and improved varieties (IVs). As per the trend analysis over the last four decades, total production and yield per hectare has increased by 11.63 and 14.2%, respectively. However, area allocated to sorghum has decreased over years by −2.93%. The lack of consistent productivity is attributed to the fluctuation of environmental factors. Sorghum production in Ethiopia is predominantly based on varieties developed by farmers. The share of IVs is very low. FVs and IVs are adopted by 87.3 and 12.7% of the farmers, respectively. Besides, the adoption of IVs is limited to the lowland crop ecology. The comparative yield of FVs is higher than IVs by 132%. On top of yield, farmers do prefer their varieties for other multipurpose values namely feed, fuel wood and construction material. FVs under production are identified in each wereda. Farmer breeding has been successful compared to four decades of formal breeding. On the other hand, both farmer and formal breeding are not without weaknesses; a comparative balance sheet is outlined for both. Ideotypes for the three major crop ecologies are suggested and integrated plant breeding is anticipated to develop the proposed ideotypes thereby increase sorghum productivity in the region.

Farmers' Seed System of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in the Center of Diversity

Farmers' seed system is defined as a system in which seed selection, seed production, seed storage, seed management and seed diffusion are integrated with crop production. Formal seed system is the one that is run by formal private and public seed companies. Farmers indicated that when they started sorghum farming the seed of farmers' varieties (FVs) they obtained was normally a gift from the parents and relatives. Thereafter own stock was the predominant seed source. However, for the improved varieties (IVs) purchasing was the common initial source. The current seed source is predominantly own stock. The farmers' seed system was dominantly dependent on the FVs. Consequently, the demand for IVs is very low. The weather conditions partly affect the seed-sourcing pattern. In a bad cropping season, farmers were forced to use seed sources other than own stock; namely, purchase, gift, exchange and loan. Genetic diversity dictated the pattern of seed sources. High on-farm genetic diversity leads to more on-farm and less off-farm seed sourcing (more own stock than non-own stock). The most widely used non-cash based seed channels were gift and exchange. The role of formal seed system in seed supply is very limited. Over the last 20 years, the total amount of seed produced by Ethiopian Seed Enterprise (ESE) amounted to 16,740 tons, which is almost equivalent to two years' sorghum seed requirement. The low amount of seed produced and sold by the ESE is due to the low demand by farmers for IVs and lack of appropriate varieties for the intermediate and highland areas. Farmers' seed system has been found resilient, accommodative, adaptive and flexible. It has been always responsible for on-farm conservation, maintenance and selection of farmers' varieties.

Gender and agrobiodiversity: a case study from Bangladesh

Local geography and gender are two major factors determining which crop varieties are cultivated in a case study of two rural villages in Bangladesh. This paper explores the interrelationships between gender, agrobiodiversity, and the use of, and preferences for, improved and local crop varieties. These are examined in relation to rice, minor field crops, and home garden fruits and vegetables. Reasons for both the displacement and the persistence of local varieties (LVs) are analysed in comparison to improved variety (IV) diffusion. The research evaluates agrobiodiversity through the number, types, and varieties of crops grown in fields and home gardens. The desired agroecological, economic, and cultural characteristics of crops grown document how respondents rank their variety preferences. Variety preferences and the perceived importance of LV preservation are compared with what is actually grown. The study indicates that there was little variation between villages in their approach towards the use of IV and LV rice; IVs were cultivated for their high yields and LV rice for taste and culinary uses. However, there were significant differences in relative agricultural dependence between the two villages which led to unique variety preferences. In both villages, women's preferences for IVs or LVs play a major role in crop choices, particularly as they manifest themselves in gendered domains of authority.