Study of the physicochemical quality of water in the Sebi-Ponty basin at Diamniadio (Senegal)

The Sebi-Ponty dam has a basin that is widely used by the population for agro-pastoral activities (animal watering, agriculture, etc.). This basin covers an average area of 106,000 m2 and an average depth of 7 m or about a volume of 435,000 m3. The origin of the water is rainfall (runoff and direct descent). The availability of water is estimated to eight months taking into account the water being drawn, infiltration and evaporation. A qualitative knowledge of the contents of this pool will be a great benefit to those activities of the population. Itrsquos in this context that this study was carried out by this group of researchers, following physic-chemical compositions were targeted: turbidity, color, temperature, conductivity, pH, hardness alkalinity, nitrite, iron, phosphate, boron, and chlorine concentrations. The physico-chemical results obtained on samples taken in the basin between October and December showed that the concentrations of boron, iron and nitrite exceeded the levels recommended by the standard for agro pastoral needs. While turbidity, color, temperature, conductivity, pH, hardness, alkalinity, phosphate and chlorine are at acceptable levels

Pattern Analysis of Sorghum Genotype x Environment Interaction for Leaf, Panicle, and Grain Anthracnose in Mali

Resistance to anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum gramUiicola, in.sorghum was identified through field screening at two locations (Samanko and Longorofc) in Mali. The occurrence and progress of anthracnose were monitored on 19 sorghum lines plus resistant and susceptible checks in the 1996 to 1998 rainy seasons. Foliar anthracnose severity was assessed at regular intervals throughout the season. Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated for each genotype. Anthracnose severity was also evaluated on the peduncle, rachis and glumes, panicle, and grain. For the characters under study, the site x year and site x year x line interactions accounted for the genotype x environment interactions. Pattern analysis was applied to the environment-standardized matrix of genotype x environment means to analyze these interactions and elucidate genotypic adaptation. None of the lines was completely (hypersensitive) resistant to the disease, but 12 showed high levels of stable resistance to both foliar and panicle anthracnose. Only one was moderately susceptible to both forms of the disease. In addition to identifying varieties that can be grown in zones to which they are adapted, additional genotypes were identified that can serve as sources of resistance in regional breeding programs

Reactions of Sorghum Genotypes to Leaf, Panicle, and Grain Anthracnose (Colletotrichum graminicola) under Field Conditions in Mali

Effective field screening techniques were used to identify resistance to anthracnose [caused by Colletotrichum graminicola (=C. sublineola)] in grain sorghum at two locations (Samanko and Longorola) in Mali. The occurrence and development of anthracnose was monitored on the leaves, panicles and grains of 19 sorghum genotypes in the 1997 and 1998 rainy seasons. Foliar anthracnose severity was assessed using a 1-9 scale on individual tagged plants at regular intervals throughout the season. The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated for each genotype. Anthracnose severity was also evaluated on the peduncle; rachis and glumes; panicle; and grain. None of the genotypes was completely (hypersensitive) resistant to the disease, but 9 showed stable resistance to both foliar and panicle anthracnose. Nine genotypes were resistant to foliar anthracnose but moderately susceptible to panicle anthracnose. One genotype was moderately susceptible to both forms of the disease

Erysipèle de jambe du nourrisson: Une observation dans l’unité dermatologie de l’hôpital régional de Gao (mali)

L’érysipèle est une dermohypodermite bactérienne aiguë non nécrosante, affectant le plus souvent les membres inférieurs. Les facteurs favorisant sa survenue sont l’existence d’une porte d’entrée (plaies traumatiques négligées, intertrigo), le lymphœdème, l’obésité et la dépigmentation volontaire. La complication la plus fréquente est la récidive. Les autres complications incluent notamment abcédassions, la fasciite et les bactériémies. Nous rapportons une première observation malienne d’érysipèle chez un nourrisson de 8 mois, de sexe féminin, amené en consultation dans l’unité dermatologique de l’hôpital régional de Gao pour l’installation brutale d’une grosse jambe rouge plus notion de fièvre et de frissons. Le diagnostic a été porté devant une tuméfaction du membre inférieur droit rouge, chaude et douloureuse surmontée de bulles tendues associée à une adénopathie inguinale et une leucocytose à l’hémogramme. Un traitement à base d’antibiotique associé à un pansement et le repos a été instauré. L’évolution a été émaillée par la disparition des lésions en dix jours. Le diagnostic positif est fondé sur la clinique renforcé par la recherche de l’origine streptococcique

Sélection participative des variétés de sorgho à l’aide d’essais multilocaux dans deux zones cibles

Variety development for sorghum requires multi-location testing for yielding ability. In West-Africa, where adaptation to specific zones of rainfall distribution is crucial for the success of a variety, these multi-location trials need to be conducted within any specific zone of adaptation. As most West-African countries lack sufficient research station capacity for this type of yield testing, we have developed a trial design and experiments with a sharing of roles and responsibilities between farmers, NGO's and researchers that allow for effective varietal differentiation in the target environment across a wide range of production conditions within a zone. The added advantage of farmer participation in this early stage of variety evaluation is that farmers also evaluate a wide range of other traits that are essential for making a variety a success

Genetic Diversification and Selection Strategies for Improving Sorghum Grain Yield Under Phosphorous-Deficient Conditions in West Africa

Sorghum, a major crop for income generation and food security in West and Central Africa, is predominantly grown in low-input farming systems with serious soil phosphorus (P) deficiencies. This study (a) estimates genetic parameters needed to design selection protocols that optimize genetic gains for yield under low-phosphorus conditions and (b) examines the utility of introgressed backcross nested association mapping (BCNAM) populations for diversifying Malian breeding materials. A total of 1083 BC1F5 progenies derived from an elite hybrid restorer “Lata-3” and 13 diverse donor accessions were evaluated for yield and agronomic traits under contrasting soil P conditions in Mali in 2013. A subset of 298 progenies were further tested under low-P (LP) and high-P (HP) conditions in 2014 and 2015. Significant genetic variation for grain yield was observed under LP and HP conditions. Selection for grain yield under LP conditions was feasible and more efficient than the indirect selection under HP in all three years of testing. Several of the BCNAM populations exhibited yields under LP conditions that were superior to the elite restorer line used as a recurrent parent. The BCNAM approach appears promising for diversifying the male parent pool with introgression of diverse materials using both adapted Malian breed and unadapted landrace material from distant geographic origins as donors

Diallel analysis of sooty stripe resistance in sorghum

Sooty stripe [Ramulispora sorghi (Ellis and Everhart) Olive and Lefebre] is a widespread foliar disease of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in West Africa, responsible for grain yield losses up to 46%. We studied the inheritance of sooty stripe resistance in a 9 × 9 sorghum F2-population diallel grown together with parent lines and checks in1996 under natural disease pressure at two locations in Mali. The percentage of infected leaf area was determined twice over a two-week interval during the season. At the second evaluation, the mean sooty stripe severity amounted to 13% infected leaf area at Samanko and 12% at Cinzana. The frequency distribution of the entries was approximately normal for the mean disease severity, averaged across assessment dates and locations, pointing to the involvement of multiple genes. With the data combined across the two locations, genetic differences among lines and among F2 populations were highly significant. Genotype × location interaction variances were also significant but much smaller than the genetic variances. Broad-sense heritability estimates were 0.92 for lines and 0.94 for the F2 populations, for the mean percentage infected leaf area across the two assessment dates. General combining ability effects (GCA) determined most of the differences among the F2 populations. Specific combining ability effects (SCA), and the interactions of GCA or SCA with locations were also significant but less important. Line performance per se was highly correlated with GCA. Because of the high heritability and predominance of additive effects, prospects are good for the genetic improvement of resistance to sooty stripe in sorghum in Mali, using simple pedigree or recurrent selection procedure