Comparative analysis of phenotypic characterization of Kenya and Pacific Islands tarogen germplasm collections Colocasia esculenta L. (Schott)

Fifty accessions of taro germplasm collections Colocasia esculenta L. Received: 15 November, 2014 (Schott) were collected from Kenya and Pacific Islands tarogen germplasm collections. Twenty five accessions of Kenyan taro germplasm were Accepted: 17 December, 2014 collected from Western, Nyanza and Rift valley province. The taro germplasm were planted at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Published: 20 February, 2015 Technology main campus farm field station at Kakamega county (00O 17.30’ and 34o45’East GPS receiver) in western province of Kenya. The phenotypic characterization was based on the International Plant Genetic Citation Resources Institute's (IPGRI) descriptors for Colocasia esculenta. The data Akwee PE, Netondo G, Palapala VA. 2015. Comparative was collected from both qualitative and quantitative traits. The phenotypic analysis of phenotypic characterization of Kenya and characteristics were classified into leaf and petiole characteristics. From Pacific Islands tarogen germplasm collections Colocasia the research study, the phenotype characters such as plant height, presence esculenta L. (Schott). Scientia Agriculturae, 9 (2), 113-119. or absence of stolons, number of sucker holds the highest criteria to be Retrieved from www.pscipub.com (DOI: selected towards improving the taro crop. These phenotypic characters are 10.15192/PSCP.SA.2015.9.2.113119) vital diagnostic features for distinguishing taro genotypes and they may serve as genetic bench markers that could facilitate selection of suitable germplasm variety for crop improvement in the country. Comparative assessment on the phenotypic characterization of the germplasm is a key guide to search for desirable traits that are important in crop productivity and breeding. This could lead to an increased understanding of the adaptation potential of taro in various ecological zones to e

Additive effects of Na+ and Cl– ions on barley growth under salinity stress

Soil salinity affects large areas of the world’s cultivated land, causing significant reductions in crop yield. Despite the fact that most plants accumulate both sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl–) ions in high concentrations in their shoot tissues when grown in saline soils, most research on salt tolerance in annual plants has focused on the toxic effects of Na+ accumulation. It has previously been suggested that Cl– toxicity may also be an important cause of growth reduction in barley plants. Here, the extent to which specific ion toxicities of Na+ and Cl– reduce the growth of barley grown in saline soils is shown under varying salinity treatments using four barley genotypes differing in their salt tolerance in solution and soil-based systems. High Na+, Cl–, and NaCl separately reduced the growth of barley, however, the reductions in growth and photosynthesis were greatest under NaCl stress and were mainly additive of the effects of Na+ and Cl– stress. The results demonstrated that Na+ and Cl– exclusion among barley genotypes are independent mechanisms and different genotypes expressed different combinations of the two mechanisms. High concentrations of Na+ reduced K+ and Ca2+ uptake and reduced photosynthesis mainly by reducing stomatal conductance. By comparison, high Cl– concentration reduced photosynthetic capacity due to non-stomatal effects: there was chlorophyll degradation, and a reduction in the actual quantum yield of PSII electron transport which was associated with both photochemical quenching and the efficiency of excitation energy capture. The results also showed that there are fundamental differences in salinity responses between soil and solution culture, and that the importance of the different mechanisms of salt damage varies according to the system under which the plants were grown

A critical review of the role of taro Colocasia esculenta L. (Schott) to food security: A comparative analysis of Kenya and Pacific Island taro germplasm

The many threats to global food security in Sub Sahara Africa include poverty, unsustainable cultivation practices and climate change. Increasing poverty and decreasing food security have been exacerbated by continued low food crop productivity by smallholder farmers, constrained by several factors. Taro (Colocasia esculenta L. (Schott.) is a amongst the category of plant species that farmers and researchers have neglected or underutilized crops considered as orphan crops yet they can have the potentials to ameliorate malnutrition and food paucity in developing nations. In Kenya, taro production has suffered low crop productivity leading to underexploitation in terms of popularity of the crop, food security, nutritional aspects and economical contribution to the country earnings. In terms of food production, it does not translate into improved yields for sustained food security and as a result of this; its agricultural production is extremely low. The agronomic potential and importance of taro remains unknown because it has remained as underutilized crop in the country due to little attention attached to the crop. As a result, it has led to dangerous levels of reduced economic livelihoods and loss of its genetic diversity. This paper review interest in neglected taro food crop stems from a variety of factors that could lead to an increased understanding of the adaptation potential of taro to enhance development of efficient and sustainable taro cultivation practices. The review could be a major breakthrough in understanding various biotechnological approaches towards integrating the taro crop into mainstream research for crop improvement and intervention programs. © 201 5 PSCI Publisher All rights reserved. Key words: Taro as a food crop; Under-exploitation; Commercial production; Agronomic potential; Low crop productivity; Undesirable impacts; Economic livelihoods; Genetic diversity; Smallholders farmers

The Relationship between Grassland Composition on Stemborer Abundance on Grasses Surrounding Maize Farms

Grasslands are known to host crop pests and may act as the reservoir of pests affecting maize production. This research aimed at determining the effect of grassland composition on abundance of stemborers on grasses sorrouding maize farms in western Kenya. The experimental set up followed a complete random block design (CRBD); with four elevations at Lambwe, Homabay, Luanda and Mt. Elgon assigned as blocks based on different altitudes. Sampling was done in two seasons, during the short rain season of 2019 and the long rain season of 2020. Grasslands surrounding four pairs of push-pull and non-push-pull maize farms were assessed. Data on grass species diversity and the corresponding number of stemborers were collected from five quadrates per transect of 500m, for 4 transects per farm. The four transects originated from the midpoint of push-pull and non-push pull maize farm. A mixed design analysis of variance was used to test for variance within the elevation’s variability. The most common types of grasses surrounding most of the maize farms were mainly Cynadon dactylon and Immensis spp. These results point at the role of grasslands surrounding maize farms as reservoirs for the stem borers which need to be managed to reduce stem borer and fall armyworm infestations in the surrounding maize farms

Agrobiodiversity endangered by sugarcane farming in Mumias and Nzoia Sugarbelts of Western Kenya

Commercial sugarcane farming has been practised in western Kenya for nearly forty years. This monocultural land use is associated with loss of natural vegetation and cropland, thus undermining food security status of a place. Further, sugarcane farming is a major contributor to loss of biodiversity in western Kenya. This study was therefore aimed at determining the long-term effects of sugarcane farming on indigenous food crops and vegetables in Mumias and Nzoia sugarbelts of western Kenya. Up to 188 respondents in three divisions of Mumias and 178 respondents of three divisions in Nzoia were purposively selected. These included small-scale and large-scale farmers. Data were collected using questionnaires, Participatory Rural Appraisal tool, interviews and field observations. Secondary data were obtained from documented materials. Land under indigenous food crops and vegetable has been declining since the introduction of sugarcane. Indigenous food crops and vegetable cultivation by farmers in the sugarbelts has been declining. Furthermore, some farmers have abandoned the growing of these crops altogether. Our results imply that sugarcane farming is a major contributor to agrobiodiversity erosion, but that there are also other important reasons such as change of consumer preference, land fragmentation, climate variability among others. In order to curb further loss of biodiversity, efforts should particularly focus on food crops and livelihood diversification and adoption of farming technologies such as agroforestry.Key words: Biodiversity, farming, indigenous crops, monoculture, Western Kenya

Markov model for bamboo harvest forecasting in South Nyanza region, Kenya

The Markov model applied to bamboo growth and harvest helps determine expected harvest, given survival probabilities at various stages of bamboo growth. The introduction of bamboo in South Nyanza region in Kenya as an alternative source of income met with pessimism due to the wait of at least three years before harvesting. To convince farmers to plant bamboo, they needed to know the expected quantity of harvest, its timing and consequently its associated income. Related findings show that bamboo is four times more profitable than tobacco and more than tenfold when processed into high quality bamboo products

ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY SABAOTS OF MT. ELGON KENYA.

Though the majority of people in Kenya and at Kopsiro Division in particular, rely on ethnomedicinal plant species to manage human ailments, the indigenous knowledge largely remains undocumented. Therefore, an ethnobotanical study was conducted on medicinal plant species used to manage human ailments at Kopsiro Division Mt. Elgon District Kenya. The objectives were to identify and document plants traditionally used for medicinal therapy by the Sabaots, to find out the method used for preparing and administering the drugs and to find out the conservation practices for the medicinal plants. Observations and semi-structured interviews were used to gather ethnobotanical data. 107 plants belonging to 56 families were identified and reported to be of medicinal value to the locals. Roots (47.3%) were the most frequently used parts of the plant followed by the bark (23.35%) then leaves (22.75%). The whole plant (1.8%), seed (1.2%), fruit (1.2%), sap (1.2%), flower (0.6%) and wood (0.6%) are least used in that order. The study revealed other hitherto undocumented medicinal plant species that may be new records for treating various ailments. Traditional medicine in Kopsiro division offers cheap, accessible and convenient remedy that suits the traditional lifestyle of the local community in comparison to the conventional medicine. Most medicinal plant species reported in this study were found to be under threat and this calls for urgent conservation measures so as to maximize the sustainable use of these vital resources in the study area

Salinity tolerance ecophysiology of Equisetum giganteum in South America: a study of 11 sites providing a natural gradient of salinity stress

In river valleys of the world's driest desert (The Atacama of South America) large stands of giant horsetail (Equisetum giganteum) are found to tolerate soil water salinity up to at least half that of seawater. The roots selectively exclude Na and take-up K in response to salinity while stomatal conductances and photochemical efficiency of Photosystem II remain unaffected