Aflatoxin free complementary food to improve the growth of the children

United States Agency for International Developmen

Operationalizing R4D and innovation platforms in East and Southern Africa

United States Agency for International Developmen

Progress and future prospects in groundnut improvement to feed Africa in the face of technological advancements

Crop productivity is crucial in meeting food demands to feed the growing population in the face of endemic biotic and abiotic stresses. Technological advancement and its application to boost crop productivity would be a pathway towards ensuring food and nutrition security. Dryland legumes including groundnut are suitable in diversification of farming systems as insurance crops to ensure productivity. Crop improvement is one of the pillars towards enhancing productivity by delivering products and services based on demand articulation such as high yielding resilient varieties that are nutrient dense to address the global nutrition agenda. Recent advancements in molecular technology has made it possible to sequence the groundnut genome, develop genetic maps and identification of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for key traits of importance. These new developments need to be exploited to accelerate the design and development of quality products that fits within the African farming systems. The low genotyping cost has opened avenues for research centers in African countries to embrace the use of genomic selection tools in breeding. This should enhance efficiency in exploiting the wild genetic resource base, broadening the narrow genetic base of groundnut and fast tracking variety release. The use of molecular tools in breeding and wide hybridization techniques coupled with high throughput phenotyping is a new dawn to breeding programs and this would contribute significantly to food security and poverty alleviation in the long run. However, the success in the modernization of breeding for efficiency will be underpinned by pro-active engagement among different actors in the national, regional and international arena to leverage resources and expertise in the omics era for sustained outcomes. Healthy working partnerships are also key to the delivery and utilization of such technologies coupled with learning and feedback for product improvement

Delivering new sorghum and finger millet innovations for food security and improving livelihoods in Eastern Africa

ILRI works with partners worldwide to help poor people keep their farm animals alive and productive, increase and sustain their livestock and farm productivity, and find profitable markets for their animal products. ILRI’s headquarters are in Nairobi, Kenya; we have a principal campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and 14 offices in other regions of Africa and Asia. ILRI is part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (www.cgiar.org), which works to reduce hunger, poverty and environmental degradation in developing countries by generating and sharing relevant agricultural knowledge, technologies and policies

Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping in Maize for Resistance to Larger Grain Borer

Storability of maize grain is constrained by the larger grain borer (LGB) (Prostephanus truncatus). Host plant resistance is the most feasible way to manage LGB among smallholder farmers. Breeding for resistance to this pest inmaize is dependent on understanding genetic mechanisms underlying the resistance. The objective of this study was to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with LGB resistance in tropical maize. A mapping populationof 203 F2:3 derived progenies was developed from a cross between susceptible and resistant inbred lines.The F2:3 progenies were crossed to a tester and testcrosses evaluated across six environments, followed by screening for resistance to LGB. Data was collected on husk cover tip length, and grain texture in the field. Biochemical traits were analyzed on the maize grain. Harvested grain was evaluated for resistance and data recorded on grain damage, weight loss, and several insects. Grain hardness was measured as a putative trait of resistance. Univariate analysis of variance for all the traits was done using the general linear model of the statistical analysis system.Genetic mapping was done using Joinmap 4, while QTL analysis was done using PLABQTL. The QTL for resistance were mapped to 6 out of the ten chromosomes. QTL for resistance traits were located in chromosomes 1, 5 and 9.Chromosome 1 had a common QTL linked to protein content, grain hardness, and husk cover tip length. Additive genetic effects were prevalent in all detected QTL. Overall, the studies show that breeding for resistance to LGB is possible

Improving nutritional outcome of children in Tanzania and Malawi

United States Agency for International Developmen

REACTION OF Musa balbisiana TO BANANA BACTERIAL WILT NFECTION

Banana bacterial wilt ( Xanthomonas campestris ) is an emerging disease of bananas in Uganda. All banana cultivars grown are susceptible. Musa balbisiana , a wild banana relative exhibits a progenitor like resistance type reaction to banana bacterial wilt infection. The negative M. balbisiana disease reaction suggests it could be used to improve banana resistance to banana bacterial wilt disease. Screenhouse and field experiments were used to characterise the reaction of M. balbisiana to banana bacterial wilt infetion. Psang awak, a reference susceptible cultivar was used as a positive control. No disease development on M. balbisiana under field and controlled conditions was observed. In general, as early as two weeks after inoculation, significant differences (P<0.05) were observed between M. balbisiana and the susceptible banana cultivar, Psang awak (ABB). Time course analysis of the possible role of Pathogenesis related protein 2 (PR-2), Phenyl alanine ammonia lyase (PAL), Non-expressor of pathogenesis related gene (NPR1) genes in Musa balbisiana resistance reactions, revealed that only NPR1 was expressed 15 days after inoculation with X. campestris at 108 dosage. The expression of NPR1, a marker gene of the systemic acquired resistance plant defence system provides preliminary evidence that this may be the major form of resistance in Musa balbisiana to bacterial wilt infection.Le fl\ue9trissement bact\ue9rien du bananier ( Xanthomonas campestris ) est une maladie \ue9mergente en Uganda, o\uf9 tous les cultivars en sont susceptibles. Musa balbisiana , un bananier relatif sauvage manifeste un type de r\ue9action de r\ue9sistance prog\ue9nitrice \ue0 l\u2019infection due au fl\ue9trissement bact\ue9rien. La r\ue9action n\ue9gative de M. balbisiana \ue0 la maladie sugg\ue8re que ceci pourrait \ueatre utilis\ue9 pour am\ue9liorer la r\ue9sistance du bananier cette maladie. Des essais en serre et en champs \ue9taient conduits pour caract\ue9riser la r\ue9action de M. balbisiana \ue0 l\u2019infection du bananier par le fl\ue9trissement bact\ue9rien. Le Psang awak, un cultivar susceptible de r\ue9ference \ue9tait utils\ue9 comme t\ue9moins positif. Aucun signe de d\ue9veloppement de la maladie n\u2019\ue9tait observ\ue9 sur M. balbisiana dans les deux milieux en champs et en serre. En g\ue9n\ue9ral, des diff\ue9rences significatives (P<0.05) \ue9taient observ\ue9es plus t\uf4t avant deux semaines apr\ue8s inoculation entre M. balbisiana et le cultivar de bananier susceptible, Psang awak (ABB). L\u2019analyse du temps de d\ue9roulement du r\uf4le possible de la pathogen\ue8se li\ue9e \ue0 la prot\ue9ine 2 (PR-2), \ue0 la Ph\ue9nyl alanine ammonia lyase (PAL), \ue0 la non-expression de la pathogen\ue8se li\ue9e au g\ue9ne (NPR1) de r\ue9sistance exprim\ue9e par Musa balbisiana, a r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 que seulement NPR1 s\u2019\ue9tait exprim\ue9 15 jours apr\ue8s inoculation du X. campestris au dosage de 108. L\u2019expression de NPR1, un marqueur de g\ue8ne de r\ue9sistance acquis du syst\ue8me de d\ue9fence des plantes fournit une \ue9vidence que ceci serait une forme majeur de r\ue9sistance du Musa balbisiana \ue0 l\u2019infection du fl\ue9trissement bact\ue9rien