Production des variétés de haricot (Phaseolus vulgaris) biofortifié sous engrais verts et fumures minérales dans le Haut-Katanga

Actuellement, l’agriculture africaine est confrontée à des nombreux défis dont le climat caractérisé par une irrégularité tant quantitative que qualitative des pluies, la pauvreté des sols en éléments nutritifs ce qui se traduit par le niveau moins fertiles de sols suite à l’érosion du sol, causant leur détérioration et la perte d’éléments nutritifs. Cette dernière s’exprime à son tour par une diminution brusque ou graduelle de rendement selon le type de sol. En effet, il apparaît nécessaire d’utiliser pour l’agriculture les techniques pouvant apporter les nutriments disponibles aux sols et à un faible coût (la Commission économique pour l'Afrique, 2001 ; Kasongo.E et al, 2013, Tejada et al. 2008). L’utilisation des amendements minéraux et organiques est une option possible pour renverser cette tendance de perte de rendement et donc pour améliorer la sécurité alimentaire. Dans le cadre de l'approvisionnement de façon durable des sols en éléments fertilisants, à partir de l'enfouissement de la biomasse végétale en combinaison avec les fumures minérales; des recherches seront conduites pour l’amélioration du rendement du haricot

Innovative agroecological practices can restore degraded farmlands and revive crop yields

Land degradation is a major obstacle to agricultural development in Africa, where it’s accentuated by poor agricultural practices and climate change effects. Restoration of degraded lands is crucial to prevent incursions into virgin and marginal lands. A field experiment was carried out over a four-year period on two degraded sites, to assess and compare the effect of the common practices of: (i) burning crop residues and weeds by resource-poor farmers (T1) and (ii) burning crop residues and weeds followed with application of manure and/or NPK as external inputs (T2) by resource-endowed farmers with (iii) an innovative agroecological package (T3) on soil physical, chemical and biological attributes, and crop yields. T3 consisted of crop rotation and/ intercropping with Mucuna pruriens cover crop, grasses (Pennisetum purpureum and Setaria sphacelate) and shrubs (Calliandra calothyrsus, and Leucaena diversifolia), and the application of manure and NPK. A randomized complete block design with 8 and 10 blocks, with each package appearing once in each block, was used respectively, at Mulungu and Mushinga. The agroecological package significantly improved soil and plant parameters compared to the common practices at both sites. The average plot- level aboveground biomass was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in T1 (11.3–17.4 t/ha) and T2 (10.1–21.9) than in T3 (39.9–60.4 t/ha). Similar trends were observed for bean and maize grain and banana bunch yields. When T1 is compared to T3, mean yields increased 2.6 times (848 kg/ha against 327 kg/ha), 2.8 times (2,201 kg/ha against 792 kg/ha) and 1.5 times (7.4 t/ha against 5.0 t/ha) for bean grains, maize grain, and banana bunches, respectively. Improvements were also observed for soil physical, biological, and chemical properties. A decrease in soil temperature; and increases in soil porosity, earthworm density/m2 (1,932 against 0), nodules/bean plant (28 against 21) and root length density (65 against 15.5cm) were observed in T3. T3 (compared to T1), had a decrease in acidity and Al3+; an increase in soil organic matter, K+, Ca+, and aboveground carbon stock (26.5 t/ha against 5.6 t/ha). The innovative agroecological package is thus an approach that can be used to effectively restore degraded and abandoned farmlan

Biofortified Bean Genotypes under Integrated Soil Fertility Soil Management in the humid mid-highlands of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) is an important crop for more than 20 millions people in Eastern, Southern and Western D.R. Congo, where its consumption can supply 60 % of dietary protein for rural and urban people with an estimated consumption of 60 kg per year and per person. It is the most grown legume that provides daily metabolic needs, on carbohydrates, proteins, and micronutrient. •Despite high bean consumption , the malnutrition in general and malnutrition due to iron and zinc deficiency remains high and almost chronic within bean production areas and the prevalence of anemia due to iron deficiency is very high (53 % among pregnant women in North and South Kivu). •Bean production level depends on many factors: yield potential, biotic and abiotic constraints and farming practices. Yield is always the first trait for famers and evidence for bio fortification breeding shows that high micronutrient concentration can be combined with yield, pests and diseases resistance. •Although identification of best genotypes (through plant breeding), Understanding of trait expression to the optimal levels requires exploring environmental conditions and elucidating genotype‐by‐environment interactions (G x E). Soil is one of most components of the environment which can be influenced by farming practices such as ISFM. • The main objective of this study was to investigate the contribution of ISFM options (in addition to breeding) on yield, micronutrient content, Pests and diseases resistance of bean genotypes in Multi‐Environment Trials ( MET), by assessing cultivar’s response and stability across environment (locations x years) in relationship with ISFM

Évaluation agronomique des variétés de haricot volubile riches en micronutriments dans un système intégré d’Agroforesterie sur deux sols contrastés à l’Est de la RD Congo

Objectif: L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer différentes variétés de haricots riches en fer et zinc dans un système intégré de type «jachère-herbage agro-forestière».Méthodologie et résultats: Le dispositif expérimental était le split plot avec comme parcelles principales le type de jachère-herbage agro-forestière, elles étaient subdivisées en quatre sous parcelles secondaires chacune correspondant à une variété de haricot. Les parcelles étaient au total onze et constituaient les différents traitements : T00 (témoin : 0 herbage-arbres, 0 NPK et 0 Fumier) ; T0 (NPK+Fumier), T1 à T9 issus de la combinaison herbes x arbres+NPK et fumier. Les 11 parcelles principales ont constitué un bloc répété cinq fois par site. Le fumier (20 t MS/ha) et les micros doses d'engrais NPK (50 kg.ha-1) étaient appliqués. Des différences ont été observées entre les traitements et les deux sites. Le traitement NPK+Fumier (T0) a donné les rendements en graines de haricots et les teneurs en zinc et en fer dans les graines de haricots les plus élevés dans les deux sites, dans le site avec sol fertile le rendement était de 1144,2 kg.ha-1 de graines et dans le site avec sol pauvre de 260, 6kg.ha-1 de graines). Les traitements T00 et NPK + Fumier+ jachère-herbage agro-forestière ont donné des rendements les plus bas (12,2 et 4,7 kg.ha-1) respectivement dans les sols pauvre et fertile. Les scores de maladies étaient bas, les variétés ont affiché une réaction intermédiaire.Conclusion et application de résultats: L’application de la microdose d’engrais et la jachère-herbage agroforestière ont augmenté le rendement en graines et la teneur en micronutriments dans les graines de haricots. En plus, cet effet était plus prononcé sur sol pauvre que sur sol fertile. L’application de microdoses d’engrais minéral et organique est l’un d'importantes pratiques pour améliorer le rendement de haricots dans le sol pauvre de Mushinga.Mots clés: Arbustes, fertilité du sol, graminées, légumineuses, haricots biofortifiés, rendementEnglish AbstractEnglish Title: Agronomic evaluation of different climbing beans varieties rich in micronutrient in an integrated Agroforestry systems in two contrasting soils in south Kivu, Eastern DR CongoObjective: The objective of this study was to evaluate different varieties of climbing beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) rich in iron and zinc in an integrated agroforestry system.Methodology and Results: The experiments were established in two sites using a split-plot design, with the main plot treatments consisting of agroforestry-fallow types. These plots were 11 in total: T00 (control: 0 grasses, trees, NPK and manure); T0 (NPK+manure), T1 to T9 from the combination grass-trees+NPK and manure and were repeated five times per site. They were subdivided into 4 subplots, each corresponding to one variety of beans. Manure (20 t DM/ha) and micro doses of NPK fertilizer (50 kg ha-1) were applied. Differences were observed between treatment and between sites. The treatment with NPK+manure (T0) gave the highest grains yields and content in zinc and iron in the grain beans in the two sites, 1144.2 kg ha-1 for site with fertile soil and 260.6 kg ha-1 in poor soil.The T00 treatments and NPK+manure+agroforestry fallow grassland gave the lowest bean grain yields (12.2 and 4.7 kg ha-1) respectively in the poor and fertile soils. Disease scores were low, varieties showed intermediate reaction.Conclusion and application of results: Bean grain yield and micronutrient content in the grain beans were enhanced with application of microdose of fertilizers and agroforestry-fallow grassland. In addition, this effect was more pronounced on poor soil than on fertile soil. The application of microdose of mineral and organic fertilizer is one of the important practices for improving bean yield in the poor soil of Mushinga.Keywords: Biofortified beans, grasses, legumes, shrubs, soil fertility, yiel

The integration of shade-sensitive annual crops in Musa spp. plantations in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo

Small-holder banana fields are often intercropped with various annual crops to optimize land-use in East and Central Africa, a practice severely constrained by light availability under the banana canopy. Light availability is not a major constraint in newly established banana fields, giving a window of opportunity to target light-demanding annual crops before shifting to more shadetolerant crops. This study investigated the performance of climbing and bush beans and the vegetable amaranth in banana fields with varying shade levels across three sites in the South Kivu province, DR Congo. These crops were selected for their highly nutritious and good market value and the added benefit of nitrogen fixation for the legumes. We show that both grain legumes and vegetable amaranth can achieve reasonable yields during a first annual cropping season in newly established banana fields, irrespective of the plant density. Declines in yield occurred during a second cropping season in more densely spaced banana fields (2 2 m and 2 3 m). A greater decline occurred in amaranth and its cultivation should be limited to the first annual cropping season or to less dense banana fields. The legumes could be extended to a second cropping season with reasonable yield. Significant variability in amaranth and legumes performance was observed across sites, with rapid yield declines occurring under more fertile soil conditions due to fast banana growth/canopy formation and under more vigorous cultivars. The choice of banana spacing will need to be tailored to the banana cultivar, soil conditions and the farmers’ objectives

Responses of some genotypes of bio-fortified climbing common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to the climatic conditions of three agro-ecological zones, southern DR Congo

Multi local trials were carried out during the 2014-2015 cropping season simultaneously in three sites: Kasenga, Katanga and Fungurume located in the provinces of Upper Katanga and Lualaba. Five genotypes of bio-fortified climbing common bean: NUC 479, CWARENTINO, NAMULENGA, M 211, CODMLV059 were sown according to the randomized complete block design with four replications. The ecological conditions of Katanga site were more or less lenient to justify the high yield of seed, it should be noted that GWARENTINO and NAMULENGA varieties showed a high productivity. Furthermore, the combination of genotypes x environment revealed interactions on all parameters, yields were low for all genotypes due to poor rainfall distribution, but NUC479 remained least influenced by the environment. This could be exploited in varietal improvement program face to water stress, while keeping the other materials in the germplasm

Analysis of the Stability and Yield Performance of Biofortified Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Genotypes under Low Altitude Conditions

The supply of biofortified material to areas affected by malnutrition or micronutrient deficiency remains one of the major concerns of breeders. Nevertheless, this material must be efficient and stable. The evaluation of this performance and stability requires statistical indices. Biofortified genotypes are evaluated for the first time by these indices. The objective of this work is to analyze the performance and stability of biofortified common bean genotypes under low altitude conditions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The present contribution uses the evaluation of twenty-six genotypes of biofortified common beans over six crop years using parametric (Wᵢ², σ²ᵢ, s²dᵢ, bi, CVi, θ₍ᵢ₎, θᵢ) and non-parametric (S(1), S(2), S(3), S(6), NP(1), NP(2), NP(3), NP(4), KR, AR) indices for the identification of successful and stable genotypes. The results indicate the presence of the genotype x year interaction. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) shows similarities between the indices. Mean sum rank (AR) identifies NYIRAMUHONDO, G59/1-2, CODMLV 086, MBC 23, NABE 4, and K 131 as performing and stable genotypes. In the end, the best genotypes are those that are both efficient and stable. However, where stability is much more desired in relation to performance, the use of ecovalence (Wi) is more appropriate in the stability calculation

Evaluating the effects of manual hoeing and selective herbicides on maize (Zea mays L.) productivity and profitability

The objective of this study was to evaluate maize production and the economic profitability of weed management techniques. Field trials were conducted at the Kasapa farm during the 2021/22 growing seasons using a split-plot design with three repetitions. The main factor was the herbicides applied in pre-emergence alone (2L ha−1: acetochlor, bentazon, imazethapyr and 60 g ha−1 chlorimuron-ethyl), then mixed (1L ha−1: acetochlor plus bentazon plus imazethapyr plus 30g ha−1chlorimuron-ethyl), manual hoeing (3-5WAS) including the non-weeding. The secondary factor: maize varieties (GV672A, GV673A, GV664A and Sam4vita). The highest maize dry grain yield (7.66 t ha−1) was associated with imazethapyr, while those of acetochlor and chlorimuron-ethyl (6.86 and 6.92 t ha−1) compared to manual hoeing (7.62 t ha−1, respectively) were low, but much higher than no weeding (1.21 t ha−1). The yields of varieties GV672A and GV664A were higher (6.87 and 6.77 t ha−1), compared to Sam4vita (5.64 t ha−1). The total dry weight of weeds was negatively correlated with all crop parameters, with its maximum value (127.56 g m−2) characterizing non-weeding, and the minimum for manual hoeing (18.83 g m−2). The Ratio Cost Value showed that all treatments were profitable: imazethapyr > bentazon > chlorimuron-ethyl > combination > acetochlor > manual hoeing. However, imazethapyr was economically more profitable and could replace manual hoeing when the field to be weeded increases and labor is scarce

Inventaire des mauvaises herbes associées à la culture de haricot commun (Phaseolus vulgaris) comme guide dans un programme de désherbage en milieu paysan dans l’hinterland de Lubumbashi R.D. Congo = Inventory of weeds associated with common bean culture (Phaseolus vulgaris) as a guide in a weeding program-farm in the hinterland of Lubumbashi DR Congo

In the hinterland of Lubumbashi characterized by peasant agriculture floristic investigations were conducted in common bean crop (Phaseolus vulgaris) during the 2014 growing season in 12 fields spread over two roads which: Kasumbalesa and Kipushi. Thus 10 quadrats 1m side were randomly placed in each field. The inventory identified 24 species grouped into 7 families and 5 biological types including: therophytes 66.66%; Geophytes 12.5%; 8.33% hemicryptophytes chamaephytes and finally Nanophan. Abstract: (french): Dans l'hinterland de Lubumbashi caractérisé par une agriculture paysanne des investigations floristiques étaient menées en culture de haricot commun (Phaseolus vulgaris) au cours de la saison culturale 2014 dans 12 champs repartis sur 2 axes routiers dont : kasumbalesa et Kipushi. De ce fait 10 quadrats de 1m de coté étaient placés aléatoirement dans chacun des champs. L'inventaire a identifié 24 espèces regroupées en 7 familles et 5 types biologiques dont : les thérophytes 66,66% ; Géophytes 12,5% ;Chamaephytes et Hémicryptophytes 8,33% enfin les Nanophanérophytes 4,16%. Cependant la grande richesse spécifique était observée à Kimono1 (24) et la plus faible successivement à Kalubamba etMwahiseni2(12) et l'equitabilité de Shannon a montré que la concurrence était plurispécifique notons qu'un fonds commun de(9) espèces est formé. Certains villages(champs) étaient corrélés positivement ont en commun certaines espèces et l'inverse est observé pour une corrélation négative .Cette étude a démontré l'importance des travaux culturaux dans la maitrise de l'enherbement partant du labour qui doit être profond allant à 30-40cm pour placer les organes de propagation dans des conditions de reprise défavorables et intervient le choix du moment de sarclage qui doit intervenir de préférence lorsque les mauvaises herbes sont au stade jeune pour limiter les effets de concurrence qui entravent la croissance et développement de la culture. L'usage des semences propres limiterait toute contamination des champs et envisager d'autres techniques visant à favoriser la croissance rapide de la culture tel que la fertilisation. Pour les paysans les mauvaises herbes ne seraient plus comme un fléau

Effects of Bradyrhizobium japonicum on Some Chemical Properties of Ferralsols under Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) Cultivation

peer reviewedThis study was conducted on acidic soils in two different agro-ecological zones in order to evaluate the influence of Bradyrhizobium japonicum on soil chemical properties in the Upper-Katanga (DR Congo). A split plot design with three replicates was installed in two sites. The main plots included three strains of Bradyrhizobium japonicum plus the untreated control and four soybean varieties in subplots. Seed inoculation was performed in the shade and sown on the same day. The results showed that Bradyrhizobium strains did not influence soil pH, Nitrogen, C: N ratio and organic matter neither at flowering nor at harvest. However, total and available phosphorus (P) were influenced by the different treatments at harvest in Kanyameshi site. The strain S1 induced the highest average of total and available P whereas, the strain S2 had the lowest value of total P, and S3 induced the lowest content in available P. By comparing the timing of soil sampling at flowering and harvesting, the Student test revealed significant differences in pH, total nitrogen, C: N ratio, organic matter and available P indicating that soil chemical properties was improved at harvest and are only partially influenced by applied Bradyrhizobium strains