Evaluation and release of East African highland cooking banana ‘Matooke’ hybrids

The production of East African highland bananas Eastern Africa is under threat by pests and pathogens. Improved banana cultivars with high and stable yield, suitable end use quality, host plant resistance to major pests and pathogens, and adaptation to target population of environments can help boost productivity when combined with sound crop husbandry practices. This study evaluated 24 primary and secondary 'Matooke' banana triploid hybrids [NARITA (N)], six triploid local 'Matooke' cultivars, and one exotic cultivar over three years at three highland sites in Uganda's western and central regions, as well as three sites in Tanzania's northeastern and southern highlands regions. The aim of this investigation was to; (1) assess the relative importance of characteristics used by farmers in Uganda and Tanzania to select improved ‘Matooke’ banana cultivars, (2) identify high-yielding banana genotypes with specific and broad adaptation potential, (3) contribute to the release of four ‘Matooke’ hybrids banana cultivars with the potential of adoption by farmers in East Africa, and (4) carry out molecular verification of newly bred cultivars, ensuring the release and supply of true-to-type banana cultivars to farmers. We used farmer participatory approaches to understand farmers' preferences for cultivar characteristics, as well as mixed models (i.e., restricted maximum likelihood/best linear unbiased prediction), and additive main effect multiplicative interaction model biplots to dissect and visualize genotype-by-environment patterns. Large fruit, a large bunch, market acceptability of the banana bunch, a sturdy stem, and an attractive appearance of the banana plant were the characteristics that Tanzanian and Ugandan farmers preferred the most. Farmers of both genders were more focused with production-related characteristics, but men valued marketing-related characteristics more while women preferred use-related characteristics. The highly significant effects of both genotype and interaction of the likelihood ratio test indicated the influence of genotype and site heterogeneity in selecting specific and broadly adapted cultivars. N23 had the highest yield at all sites related to adaptability and stability, outperforming the mean genotype-wide yield by 34.2%. N27 (2nd), N7 (3rd), N18 (4th), N4 (5th), N12 (6th), and N13 (7th) in Tanzania, as well as N17 (2nd), N18 (3rd), N2 (4th), N8 (5th), N13 (6th), N12 (7th), N4 (8th), and N24 (9th) in Uganda, had high yield, stability, and adaptability. Lyamungo in Tanzania and Sendusu in Uganda were the best sites for discriminating breeding clones. As a result, these testing locations are suggested as prime examples of locations to test and choose superior genotypes. Furthermore, Pseudocercospora fijiensis, a fungal pathogen, causing black leaf streak (BLS) did not have a significant effect (P > 0.05) on the hybrids' yield, stability, or adaptability. The four released 'Matooke' hybrids (TARIBANs) have the potential to improve the quality of life of millions of people in the East African region and ensure food security because they combine high yield, farmer desired characteristics (including cooking attributes), and host plant resistance to the BLS pathogen. Over 90% of the 'Matooke' cultivars were be true-to-type, and the microsatellites markers used in this study produced repeatable polymorphic bands in 26 'Matooke' and exotic banana cultivars, thus demonstrating their value as a powerful tool for investigating genetic diversity and establishing relationships among 'Matooke' cultivars. This demonstrates genotyping's ability to precisely identify and validate clones

Novel feed Ingredients for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.)

Lack of affordable feeds is one of the major constraints facing small-scale fish farmers in Tanzania. This study evaluated the suitability of moringa leaf meal (MLM), cassava leaf meal (CLM) and cassava root meal (CRM) as novel ingredients in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus diets. Each of the ingredients was processed in an attempt to remove the most significant antinutritional factor. A series of five experiments was conducted in a recirculation system using juvenile O. niloticus. The fish were fed isonitrogenous (30g 100g-1), isolipidic (10g 100g-1) and isoenergetic (18 kJ g-1) diets containing graded levels of the processed ingredients to their apparent appetite but not exceeding 10% of their body weight for a period of 8 weeks. Processing led to the removal of 0.3% of saponin from MLM and 60% and 90% of hydrogen cyanide from CLM and CRM respectively. The contents of other inherent antinutritional factors such as phenols, tannins and phytic acid were little affected. Processed MLM, CLM and CRM had 31.1/29.0/1.5g 100g-1 of crude protein, 5.9/10.2/2.4g 100g-1 of crude fibre and 20.1/19.7/15.8k Jg-1 of gross energy. The content of sulphur amino acids was higher in CLM (0.47%) than in MLM (0.23%). Digestibe protein and digestible energy was higher in MLM (25.71g 100g-1/15.44kJ g-1) than in CLM (12.71g 100-1/9.16kJ g-1). CRM had a digestible energy content of 13.5kJ g-1. Inclusion of either of the leaf meals, even at the lowest level of 15g 100g-1 of total dietary protein, led to a significant reduction in feed intake, growth and feed utilisation. Liver and small intestine did not show any histopathological changes which could be linked to dietary treatment. Conversely, cassava root meal could replace up to 75% of wheat meal in the diet without significantly affecting performance. The performance of leaf meals was marginally improved by a combination of blending and feeding stimulants, whereby a blend containing 1 part MLM and 2 parts CLM could provide up to 20g 100g-1 of dietary protein without significantly reducing performance. Biological and economic performance of practical diets containing 30-50g 100g-1 of dietary protein from moringa and cassava blends (LMB) with feeding stimulants was significantly lower than a fishmeal-meal based diet (FM) but comparable to a soybean meal-based diet (SBM). The suitability of MLM and CLM as novel protein sources in O. niloticus diets will depend on 1) improving reduction/removal of inherent antinutritional factors in MLM and CLM as well as improving digestibility of CLM. On the other hand, the suitability of CRM as a carbohydrate energy source will depend on the availability of cost effective protein sources due to its low protein content

The Impact of Selected Economic and Social Factors on Women Employment in the Public Sector in Eighteen Countries

This study examines the impact of selected economic and social factors on the representation of women in the public sector in eighteen countries using aggregated data published by international organizations and mainly from the statistics division in the United Nations between 2000 and 2010. Multiple Regression analysis is used to test the study hypotheses. Findings reveal that there is a positive relation between number of women in the public sector and each one of the following independent variables: size of the public sector, unemployment among men, and general job turnover in the public sector. In addition, there is a negative relationship between number of women in the public sector and two independent variables, namely level of urbanization in the country and number of schooling years for women. These findings and their possible implications for researchers and policy makers are discussed in detail. Recommendations are also included

Effects of dietary cottonseed meal protein levels on growth and feed utilization of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L

The nutritional suitability and cost effectiveness of cottonseed meal (CSM) as protein source in the diet of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) with mean initial weight 4.24±0.20 g, was evaluated over a 56-day growth period. Four isonitrogenous (320 g kg-1), isolipidic (100 g kg-1) and isoenergetic (18 KJ g-1) test diets were formulated in which CSM protein replaced fish meal (FM) protein at levels of 0% (control), 25%, 50% and 75%. The control diet had FM as the sole protein source. The growth experiment was conducted in plastic tanks in a recirculation system each dietary treatment was in triplicate. After 56 days of feeding fish at 6% - 4% body weight per day, CSM protein replacements of 25% and 50% did not significantly (

Mixtures of oilseed meals as dietary protein sources in diets of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus l.)

The suitability of different mixtures of soybean meal (SBM), cottonseed meal (CSM) and groundnut cake (GNC) as ingredients to replace fish meal in the diets of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.), was evaluated over a 56-day growth period. Nine isonitrogenous (320g.kg-1), isolipidic (100 g.kg-1) and isoenergetic (18 KJ.g-1) test diets were formulated in which different mixture combinations of SBM, CSM and GNC proteins replaced fish meal (FM) protein at levels of 50% and 75%. The control diet had FM as the sole protein source. Fish were fed at 6 - 4% body weight per day. The growth experiment was conducted in plastic tanks in a recirculation system. Each dietary treatment was in triplicate. Growth performance and feed utilization of fish fed with the oilseed meal mixtures indicated that up to 50% replacement could be more effective than a single source for the substitution of fish meal in tilapia diets. This was particularly evident with the diet containing equal proportions of all oilseed meals (EQ50). Combination of oilseed meals in different proportions was more effective than the single individual sources. This could be due to a compensatory effect which led to some reduction of antinutritional factors coupled with improved essential amino acid profile in the diet as a result of mixing.Keywords: Oilseed meals, Nile tilapia, protein sources, mixtures, growth performanc

Effects of dietary cottonseed meal protein levels on growth and feed utilization of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L

The nutritional suitability and cost effectiveness of cottonseed meal (CSM) as protein source in the diet of Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus L.) with mean initial weight 4.24\ub10.20 g, was evaluated over a 56-day growth period. Four isonitrogenous (320 g kg-1), isolipidic (100 g kg-1) and isoenergetic (18 KJ g-1) test diets were formulated in which CSM protein replaced fish meal (FM) protein at levels of 0% (control), 25%, 50% and 75%. The control diet had FM as the sole protein source. The growth experiment was conducted in plastic tanks in a recirculation system each dietary treatment was in triplicate. After 56 days of feeding fish at 6% - 4% body weight per day, CSM protein replacements of 25% and 50% did not significantly (P<0.05) affect growth (Specific Growth Rate, Weight Gain) and feed utilization (Feed Intake, Feed Conversion Ratio, Protein Efficiency Ratio, Apparent Net Protein Utilization and Energy Retention). However, the highest replacement level (75%) significantly reduced these parameters compared to the control diet and this was attributed to low levels of lysine, methionine and threonine and also to high levels of gossypol, trypsin inhibitors saponin and phytic acid in the diet. In terms of cost effectiveness, all the CSM based diets were more profitable than the control. The study indicated that CSM could replace at least 50% of fish meal protein in the diet of O. niloticus without adversely affecting growth and feed utilization and the most cost effective diet was also the diet with 50% inclusion level of CSM

Management and Value Chain of Nile Tilapia Cultured in Ponds of Small-scale Farmers in Morogoro Region, Tanzania

A study was carried out to assess production performance and value chain of Nile tilapia grown in ponds of small-scale farmers in Morogoro region, Tanzania. Information was collected through individual interviews of 30 fish farmers. The main reasons for culturing fish were provision of animal protein food for home consumption (66.7%) and generation of income (23.3%). Fish farming contributed 10.6% of household annual income and was ranked second to crop production (50%). The majority of the farmers were fertilizing their ponds with chicken manure (30.0%) and cattle manure (23.3%). Most farmers (73.3%) cultured pure stand of Nile tilapia and only few (26.7%) practiced polyculture of Nile tilapia and African catfish. All farmers depended on natural food as a source of feed for their fish. Moreover, the farmers were feeding maize bran (96.7%), vegetables (66.7%), and kitchen leftovers (13.3%) as supplementary feeds. Men were responsible for purchasing and stocking fingerlings (60.0%), feeding (40.0%), pond maintenance (53.3%), harvesting (60.0%) and selling (43.3%). Women were mainly involved in fish processing (76.7%). The average period from stocking to harvesting was 5.75 ± 0.18 months for Nile tilapia and the mean yield was 6,946.2 kg/ha per year. About 22.2% of the harvested fish were consumed at home and the remaining (77.8%) were sold. The main actors in the value chain of cultured Nile Tilapia were fingerling producers, fish farmers and consumers. Most farmers sold fresh fish directly to neighbours (70.0%) and consumers in the local market within the village (30.0%). It is concluded that small-scale fish farming is important for provision of animal protein food and income and is done mostly by men, and it is characterized by low productivity due to improper pond fertilization and feeding. The major problems to Nile tilapia farming under small-scale fish farming is lack of funds, stunted growth of stocked fish, inadequate knowledge on fish farming and unavailability of concentrate feeds.This is part of the IIFET Special Session on Markets and Value Chains for Small Aquaculture & Fisheries Enterprises with a Focus on Gender that took place on 17 July 2012 in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania in conjunction with 16th IIFET Conference. The complete proceedings of this special session are available ( http://aquafishcrsp.oregonstate.edu/Documents/Uploads/FileManager/IIFET%202012%20CRSP%20Session%20Proceedings%20Final_small.pdf) through the Aquaculture & Fisheries Collaborative Research Support Program gender web site, ( http://aquafishcrsp.oregonstate.edu/Gender/)

Gender-Disaggregated Seasonal and Daily Calendars of Farmers in Uganda and Tanzania

This report discusses the agricultural activities (seasonal, weekly, and daily) that take place in a typical year to provide insight into men’s and women’s perceptions of the seasons, agricultural activities, crops grown, and sex-disaggregated division of labor related to those crops and activities performed during specific times in a day or week in selected regions of Uganda and Tanzania. Qualitative data were collected from 38 sex-disaggregated focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted with a total of 341 participants. Sixteen FGDs consisted of men only and 22 consisted of women only

Yield stability of East African highland cooking banana ‘Matooke’ hybrids

East African banana (Musa sp.) breeding efforts have focused mainly on enhancing ‘Matooke’ productivity through the development of high-yielding, pathogen-resistant cultivars with adequate stability to contribute to regional food security. Before a breeding program can recommend promising cultivars for release, they must pass the sensory screens; be evaluated in the target population environments; and the data analyzed for yield, adaptability, and stability. Twenty-four primary and secondary triploid hybrids [NARITA (N)] derived from ‘Matooke’ bananas, six triploid local ‘Matooke’ cultivars, and one exotic cultivar were evaluated for their yield, adaptability, and stability across the East African region at three highland sites in Uganda’s western and central regions, as well as at three sites in Tanzania’s northeastern and southern highlands regions, from 2016–19. A randomized complete block design with four replicates was used for multisite trials. The mixed-model restricted maximum likelihood/best linear unbiased prediction approach, along with additive main effect multiplicative interaction model biplots, were used to dissect and visualize genotype-byenvironment patterns. Following the likelihood ratio test, both genotype and interaction effects were highly significant, confirming the influence of genotype and site heterogeneity for selecting specific and broadly adapted cultivars. N23 had the greatest yield across all sites associated with adaptability and stability, outperforming the overall mean yield of all genotypes by 34.2%. In Tanzania, N27 (second), N7 (third), N18 (fourth), N4 (fifth), N12 (sixth), and N13 (seventh); and in Uganda, N17 (second), N18 (third), N2 (fourth), N8 (fifth), N13 (sixth), N12 (seventh), N4 (eighth), and N24 (ninth) demonstrated good adaptability and stability, as well as high yield. Furthermore, the fungal pathogen Pseudocercospora fijiensis had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on yield, stability, and adaptability of the hybrids. As a result, they can be introduced into areas where black leaf streak constrains banana production significantly and threatens farmers’ livelihoods. The average site yield potential ranged from 9.7 to 24.3 t⋅ha–1 per year. The best discriminating sites for testing breeding clones were Lyamungo in Tanzania and Sendusu in Uganda. Hence, these testing sites are recommended as ideal examples of locations for selecting superior genotypes

Gender-Disaggregated Seasonal and Daily Calendars of Farmers in Uganda and Tanzania

This report discusses the agricultural activities (seasonal, weekly, and daily) that take place in a typical year to provide insight into men’s and women’s perceptions of the seasons, agricultural activities, crops grown, and sex-disaggregated division of labor related to those crops and activities performed during specific times in a day or week in selected regions of Uganda and Tanzania. Qualitative data were collected from 38 sex-disaggregated focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted with a total of 341 participants. Sixteen FGDs consisted of men only and 22 consisted of women only. Research was conducted in two districts in Uganda (Luweero in the Central Region and Mbarara in the Western Region) and four districts in Tanzania – Meru in Arusha Region, Moshi in Kilimanjaro (Northeastern zone), Rungwe in Mbeya Region (Southern Highland zone), and Bukoba in Kagera Region (Northwestern zone). Agriculture was the main occupation for the participants in both countries. The ten most commonly grown crops across all districts included banana, maize, beans, coffee, sweet potatoes, cassava, groundnuts, and vegetables (including leafy greens), with banana being ranked as the most important crop in both countries. Maize and beans were mostly emphasized by women as important food and cash crops. The ranking of crop importance provides insight into what participants viewed as important for meeting household subsistence needs as well as providing cash income. The month of March was reported as the start of the farming season by most FGDs, with peak rainfall occurring in April and November. Peak sunshine occurred in July and January/ February. There were also some slight seasonal variations across the different districts in the timing and types of cropping activities. For instance, most sweet potato activity takes place during the rainy season, while for beans and banana, two peaks of activities occur, one in the rainy season and one in the dry season. Coffee activities increase and decrease when bean and banana activities decrease and increase, respectively, indicating when labor can be transferred between these crops. The division of labor by men and women showed that cropping activities for banana were mostly done by men as they spent more labor on banana than on other crops. As such, banana was regarded as a men’s crop. These activities, which include land preparation, procuring planting material, and digging holes and trenches, were not specific to a banana usage type (e.g., dessert, cooking, beer). Similar to banana, coffee was considered a cash and men’s crop, as men undertake most (72%) of the cultivation activities. Maize production activities were undertaken by 59% women and 41% men, while women undertook most (81%) of the bean production activities. The types of activities done over a week in busy and quiet months, for instance, home activities, child care, and farm work, occurred consistently across the week. Some activities took place on specific days of the week such as worship in mosques or churches. Sunday was reported as a specific rest day. Home, farming, and livestock activities occur throughout the year regardless of the season. Daily activities such as those done around the home (e.g., food preparation) were consistently undertaken regardless of the season (busy or quiet). Daily activities differed between men and women. While men reported more time spent bresting and socializing than women on both busy and quiet days, women reported more time in food preparation, child care, and home activities (which include cleaning but also making handicrafts or other income-generating activities