Analysis of production costs, market opportunities and competitiveness of Desi and Kabuli chickpeas in Ethiopia

This study was conducted to examine the existing conditions of chickpeas in relation to production and marketing and outlines the major technological and institutional constraints for harnessing market opportunities in the chickpea sub-sector. The study determines variety introduction, market conditions and seed delivery systems in Ada'a-Liben woreda. This district is one of the major chickpea growing areas in which new market-preferred and high-value Kabuli types are being tested and promoted. Section two of this paper presents the research process and methods. This is followed by discussion of production trends, available technologies, costs and opportunities for chickpeas. An overview of the structure and organization of the chickpea marketing system is given in section four. Section five presents market conditions with emphasis on opportunities for Kabuli exports, quality requirements, grading systems, competitiveness of smallholder producers, and existing potentials in domestic markets. The final section summarizes the key findings and highlights issues for policy and future research

Utilization of landraces for the genetic enhancement of pigeonpea in eastern and southern Africa

The eastern and southern Africa (ESA) region is considered as a centre of secondary diversity for pigeonpea. Accessions (297) of pigeonpea landraces were collected from major production areas in four countries in the region and evaluated for desirable agronomic traits, particularly resistance to fusarium wilt and market-preferred traits. Selected germplasm was utilized in the regional breeding program aimed at genetic enhancement of pigeonpea. Five improved long-duration (LD) cultivars that are highly resistant to fusarium wilt and have large (100-grain weight >15.0 g) grains were developed. Similarly, six early maturing medium-duration (MD) cultivars (averaging 2.5 t/ha) for production in the high latitude areas in the region and three MD cultivars that are able to ratoon, were developed. Seed of pre-released cultivars that are preferred by the farmers was distributed widely in the region in order to facilitate adoption. Consequently, the productivity of pigeonpea and food security in the region improved significantly

Pigeonpea in eastern and southern Africa: summary proceedings of the Launching Meeting for the African Development Bank/ICRISAT Collaborative Pigeonpea Project for Eastern and Southern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, 17-18 Mar 1992 and Lilongwe, Malawi, 30-31 Mar 1992

Two meetings took place in March 1992 to launch an African Development Bank-funded collaborative pigeonpea project for eastern and southern Africa. This resulting publication was specifically prepared by ICRISAT for submission to the African Development Bank. It is divided into three sections. The first consists of introductory and background information, the second deals with the Nairobi meeting, and the third the Lilongwe meeting. Summaries of the 19 papers presented at the meetings are included. These cover Country Papers that are statements of the status of pigeonpea research in each country, and Special Topic Papers that provide additional information on various aspects of the crop. The full texts of the opening and closing speeches and the participating countries' lists of national program requirements are also included. Of particular importance are the recommendations and suggested work plans for initiating collaborative pigeonpea research in the two regions

Impact of a New Source of Resistance to Fusarium Wilt in Pigeonpea

Pigeonpea is an important grain legume grown by smallholder farmers in Southern Africa. Fusarium wilt, caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium udum Butler, is the major disease limiting pigeonpea production in the region. This study was designed to evaluate the reaction to fusarium wilt as well as agronomic performance of new elite pigeonpea germplasm in three different countries during the 2001/2002 cropping season using wilt-sick plots. Per cent incidence of fusarium wilt (%FW), grain size and yield, were measured. The genotype ICEAP 00040 consistently showed a high (<20.0%) level of resistance to the disease in all three countries. In contrast, %FW score for the susceptible genotype ICEAP 00068 was 87.5, 92.0 and 90.9% in Kenya, Malawi and Tanzania, respectively. The grain size obtained for ICEAP 00040 at Ngabu (Malawi) was 25.0% larger than that at each of the remaining locations indicating environmental influence on this trait. At all the three locations, ≥1.5 ton/Ha of grain yield was obtained for ICEAP 00040 compared with <1.0 ton/Ha for ICEAP 00068. In 2003, this improved resistant genotype (ICEAP 00040) was released for commercial production and will be useful as a good source of resistance in pigeonpea genetic improvement programs in the region

Insect pest incidence on long-duration Uganda pigeonpea lines at Kabete in Kenya

Eight local long-duration landraces from Kitgum and Gulu in Uganda were grown at Kabete during 1998-99. Insect pest and damage assessments were conducted at pod maturity. The insect pests that caused damage on the pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) lines were pod fly (Melanagromyza chalcosoma), pod borers (Etiella zinckenella, Lampides sp. and Helicoverpa armigera) and pod-sucking bugs (Clavigralla tomentosicollis). In general, total seed damage was low and the percentage damage by pod fly was 2-7%. Pod fly accounted for 80% of the total seed damage, pod borers 12.7% and pod-sucking bugs 6.3%. ICEAP lines 00954, 00955, 00956 and 00957 had relatively higher levels of damage than the other lines. ICEAP 00953 and 00958 appeared more tolerant of pod fly

Evaluation of the shoot regeneration response in tissue culture of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.) varieties adapted to eastern and southern Africa

Seven varieties of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.) of varying growth durations and adapted to a wide range of environments across eastern and southern Africa were evaluated for their shoot regeneration response in tissue culture. On a standardized shoot regeneration medium, the shortduration varieties (ICPV 88091 and ICPV 86012) generally responded faster and better than the medium duration (ICEAP 00554 and ICEAP 00557) and long duration (ICEAP 00020, ICEAP 00040 and ICEAP00053) varieties. However, all the tested varieties produced healthy rooted plants in vitro that could be transferred to the greenhouse where they exhibited normal growth, flowering and viable seed set. Thisstudy established the basis for genetic engineering of African pigeonpea varieties

Registration of pigeonpea cultivar Tumia

'Tlimia' pigeonpea [Cajanuscajan (L.) Millsp.]. (Reg. no. CV-271. PI 642783). originally designated as ICEAP 00068. was developed jointly by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Ilonga Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) (Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. Tanzania). Thmia was adopted widely in several countries in eastern and southern Africa (HSA) and released in 2003 in Tanzania jointly by ICRISAT (Nairobi. HSA) and IARI. Tumia is a medium-duration pigeonpea cul-tivar released for its earliness. ratoonability. high quality grain attributes and adaptation to diverse agro-ecologies and cropping systems in Tanzania

Variability patterns in Ugandan pigeonpea landraces.

In-situ evaluation of pigeonpea cropping system and management in Uganda and agro-morphological characterization of 29 pigeonpea landraces were studied in 2001 and 2004/05, respectively. Results showed that pigeonpea in Uganda is predominantly intercropped with finger millet and to some extent with maize and sorghum. Farmers largely used saved grain as seed and appreciated the damage by insect pests, but only farmers in Apach and Lira districts practiced any form of pest control. Observations across the collection districts indicated low levels of Fusarium wilt disease. Agronomic evaluation of the 29 accessions revealed differential adaptation at the two test locations in Kenya with accessions expressing a delayed phenology at the cooler Kabete relative to the warmer Kampi ya Mawe. Lower 100-seed weight was reported at Kabete relative to Kampi ya Mawe possibly due to excessive vegetative growth at Kabete. Cluster analysis delineated the germplasm into four clusters all separated from the adapted medium- and long-duration checks. Although overall two distinct diversity groups were observed separating the short, medium-maturing types from the tall late- and very late-maturing types, the separation was relatively marginal suggesting a closer genetic relation between the Ugandan pigeonpea germplasm. Relatively low diversity in qualitative traits was observed in the ccessions. The predominance of accessions with pubescent pods, a trait associated with resistance to pod damaging insects may provide an opportunity to identify materials for insect pest resistance for use in breeding

Analysis of production costs, market opportunities and competitiveness of Desi and Kabuli chickpeas in Ethiopia

This working paper series has been established to share knowledge generated through Improving Productivity and Market Success (IPMS) of Ethiopian Farmers project with members of the research and development community in Ethiopia and beyond

Response of pigeonpea genotypes of different maturity duration to temperature and photoperiod in Kenya

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) is one of the major grain legumes grown in the tropics and subtropics. The crop is grown rainfed in prone drought areas where daylength varies from 11 to 14 h and large differences in temperature are experienced, largely due to variations in altitude and latitude. Field studies were conducted with different pigeon pea in Kenya to determine the effect of photoperiod and temperature on flowering. Variation in temperature was achieved by planting six genotypes at four locations varying in altitude where temperature decreased with increasing altitude, and variation in photoperiod was achieved through artificial lighting (approximately 12.6 h, natural daylength, 14.5 h and 16.0 h). The genotypes used were carefully selected to represent different maturity duration (extra-short-, short-, medium- and long-maturity durations) and major pigeon pea production regions. Equations that describe the rates of development (1/f) were used to determine rates of progress of each genotype towards flowering as influenced by temperature and photoperiod. For photoperiods below 13 h, rates of progress towards flowering were influenced by temperature in five genotypes (ICPL 90011, ICPL 87091, ICP 7035, ICP 6927 and ICEAP 00040). The optimum temperature for rapid flowering were 24.7°C for the extra-short-duration genotype, 23.1°C for the short-duration genotype, 23.8 and 22.2°C for medium-duration genotypes and 18.3°C for the long-duration genotypes, 22.2°C for medium-duration genotypes and 18.3°C for the long-duration genotypes which indicated that the area of origin had a strong influence on adaptation. The effects of photoperiod on the rates of progress towards flowering were investigated only under sub-optimal temperatures. The extra-short-duration genotype (ICPL 90011) was the least responsive to variation in photoperiod, while the two long-duration genotypes (ICEAP 00040 and T-7) were the most sensitive to photoperiod variation with flowering rate reduced by 0.001 d-1 per hour increase in daylength