Mutua, John Y.

Mwendia, Solomon W.

Notenbaert, An Maria Omer

Nzogela, Beatus

Odhiambo, Ruth

English

CGSpace (CGIAR)

Important biotic challenges for forage development in east Africa- A report Solomon Mwendia, Beatus Nzogela, Ruth Odhiambo, John Mutua and An Notenbaert Introduction By 2050, it is projected the demand for animal source foods to double (Sattari et al. 2016), a congruent increase in demand for roughages in relation to milk and meat production is equally inevitable. With livestock intensification, productive forage technologies and adaptable to both biotic and abiotic challenges are desirable to contribute to increasing roughages demand. In eastern Africa, the annual feeds demand to the tune of 1.1 million tons to cater for over 173 million heads of cattle (FAO and IGAD, 2019 ) continue to grow as cattle numbers increase (FAO, 2017).  Currently, there are efforts from national and international research organizations on validating and use of selected and improved forages to bolster forage production for improved livestock productivity. Among forage species with potential to increase feed resource base include species of Urochloa (Syn. Brachiaria) and Megathyrsus (Syn. Panicum species) (Mutimura et al., 2016; Uwe and Mwendia, 2018). However, pests and/or diseases can be a major drawback limiting benefits from such productive forages. To understand such potential threats, placing the forage technologies under real field conditions and monitor for the same produce reliable empirical evidence.  We monitored for pests and diseases in two projects, one in Kenya and the other in Tanzania each with several sites and over several seasons. The projects are (1.) Climate-smart dairy systems in East Africa through improved forages and feeding strategies: enhancing productivity and adaptive capacity while mitigating GHG emissions (2.) Improved forage grasses: Making the case for their integration into humid- to sub-humid livestock production systems in Kenya and Ethiopia  Approach In each of the projects, we planted several forage types and replicated in each site. Over each growth cycle (largely 8 weeks) and before any harvesting, we examined all plots, on plot-by-plot basis and scored for any pest and/or disease. We adopted scoring scale of 0–5 as stipulated below;   Pests; where 0=no insect pest, 1=few plants have insect  and 5=75% of plants have insects   Disease incidence; 0-5  where 0=no disease present, 1=few plant have disease and 5=75% of plants are diseased  Figure 1. Forage demonstration sites in Kenya and Tanzania 2018-19       Forages involved in the projects are as summarized in Table 1  Table 1. Forage types examined for pest and diseases in Kenya and Tanzania Project:  Climate-smart dairy systems in East Africa through improved forages and feeding strategies: enhancing productivity and adaptive capacity while mitigating GHG emissions Project 2: Improved forage grasses: Making the case for their integration into humid- to sub-humid livestock production systems in Kenya and Ethiopia Brachiaria  hybrid Cayman + Stylosanthes guianensis Brachiaria hybrid Cobra  Pennisetum purpureum cv Ouma + Lablab purpureus Brachiaria hybrid Cobra + Desmodium intortum Pennisetum purpureum  cv 16835  Brachiaria  hybrid Cayman + Stylosanthes guianensis Chloris gayana + Stylosanthes guianensis Cayman + Desmodium Brachiaria  hybrid Cayman  Chloris gayana + Desmodium intortum Pennisetum purpureum  cv 16835+Lablab purpureus Tripsacum andersonii- Guatemala grass- Pennisetum purpureum cv Ouma  Chloris gayana Panicum maximum cv Tanzania  Brachiaria cv Xaraes  Brachiaria cv Piata Brachiaria hybrid - Cayman  Brachiaria cv MG4 Brachiaria hybrid -Mulato II  Brachiaria cv Basilisk  Panicum maximum cv Mombasa Brachiaria hybrid - Cobra  Panicum maximum cv Maasai  Pennisetum purpureum local accession           Results Kenya  Across the eight sites located in western Kenya, neither pests nor the diseases obtained a score of more than one. Therefore, the overall scores attained represented only few plants affected in all cases. For the period in question, we did not therefore observe serious pest or disease attack for all the forages under investigation.  Figure 2. Mean scores (Scale 0-5) for pests and diseases across eight farmer group sites (Joy, Nateo, Nasietike, Nasira, IsongoA, IsongoB, Mowar Jorit Kiye and Pionare) in western Kenya. The data are pooled for four harvests obtained in 2019. 0.01.02.03.04.05.0BasiliskCaymanCobraMaasaiMG4MombasaMulato IINapierPiataTanzaniaXareasBasiliskCaymanCobraMaasaiMG4MombasaMulato IINapierPiataTanzaniaXareasJoy group Nateo groupBungomaScore (0-5)(a)  Disease score (0-5) Pests Score (0-5)0.01.02.03.04.05.0BasiliskCaymanCobraMaasaiMG4MombasaMulato IINapierPiataTanzaniaXareasBasiliskCaymanCobraMaasaiMG4MombasaMulato IINapierPiataTanzaniaXareasNasietike NasiraBusia(b) Disease score (0-5) Pests Score (0-5)0.01.02.03.04.05.0BasiliskCaymanCobraMaasaiMG4MombasaMulato IINapierPiataTanzaniaXareasBasiliskCaymanCobraMaasaiMG4MombasaMulato IINapierPiataTanzaniaXareasIsongoA IsongoBKakamegaScore (0-5)(c) Disease score (0-5) Pests Score (0-5)0.01.02.03.04.05.0BasiliskCaymanCobraMaasaiMG4MombasaMulato IINapierPiataTanzaniaXareasBasiliskCaymanCobraMaasaiMG4MombasaMulato IINapierPiataTanzaniaXareasMowar Jorit kiye PionareSiaya(d)  Disease score (0-5) Pests Score (0-5)In Bungoma, there were different pests seen and some diseases in both sites (Joy Group and Nateo farmers groups). What appeared were fungal lesions like rust, usually predisposed by wet conditions. Fungal attacks are favored by humid environment. In Busia there was presence of rust that affected most of the Panicums though it was cutting across almost all the sites in western Kenya including, Siaya, Kakamega and Bungoma. Spider mite were also seen in Busia and Bungoma mostly affecting Mulato II and Basilisk. In Siaya (Mowar Group) during the 4th harvest we had a great damage by termites and rodents that destroyed most of the lines especially the Panicums. Possibly Panicums because they produced more stems compared to leaves and termites look for fibrous material. In Kakamega, most grasses were affected by pests, but low on the scoring scale. Comparatively, we observed yellowish leaves in Panicum most likely because of high of N demand compared to Brachiaria. Napier stunting disease affected the Napier grass in Kakamega, Busia and Bungoma except Siaya. Tanzania Observes pests across the sites in Tanzania included ants, shoot flies larvae and grasshoppers. Grasshoppers appeared to feed on the leaves especially Lablab. We equally observed black and sunken spots on lablab leaves possibly also related for fungal attack. We observed diseases largely fungal related and possibly rust characterized by brownish lesions on the leaves of Napier grass and the Brachiaria. For either diseases or pests, the pooled scores observed over the five growth cycles were largely less than one on the 0-5 scale thus posing no serious nor deleterious risk to our assessment.      Figure 3. Diseases and pests scores on forages in six sites (Igowole, Mtwango, Ikuna, Kichiwa, Kiwira, Lufingo) in Tanzania, located in three southern districts (Mufindi, Njombe, Rugwe).      01234516835 + lablab16835 napierCayman + desmodiumCayman + styloCayman BrachiariaCobra  + desmodiumCobra + styloCobra brachiariaControl (Guetamala)Ouma + lablabOuma napierRhodes grassRhodes grass + desmodiumRhodes grass + stylo16835 + lablab16835 napierCayman + desmodiumCayman + styloCayman BrachiariaCobra  + desmodiumCobra + styloCobra brachiariaControl (Guetamala)Ouma + lablabOuma napierRhodes grassRhodes grass + desmodiumRhodes grass + styloIgowole MtwangoMufindiScores (0-5)(a) Mufindi Disease score (0-5) Pests Score (0-5)Igowole Mtwango01234516835 + lablab16835 napierCayman + desmodiumCayman + styloCayman BrachiariaCobra  + desmodiumCobra + styloCobra brachiariaControl (Guetamala)Ouma + lablabOuma napierRhodes grassRhodes grass + desmodiumRhodes grass + stylo16835 + lablab16835 napierCayman + desmodiumCayman + styloCayman BrachiariaCobra  + desmodiumCobra + styloCobra brachiariaControl (Guetamala)Ouma + lablabOuma napierRhodes grassRhodes grass + desmodiumRhodes grass + styloIkuna KichiwaNjombeScores (0-5)(b) Njombe Disease score (0-5) Pests Score (0-5)Ikuna Kichiwa01234516835 + lablab16835 napierCayman + desmodiumCayman + styloCayman BrachiariaCobra  + desmodiumCobra + styloCobra brachiariaControl (Guetamala)Ouma + lablabOuma napierRhodes grassRhodes grass + desmodiumRhodes grass + stylo16835 + lablab16835 napierCayman + desmodiumCayman + styloCayman BrachiariaCobra  + desmodiumCobra + styloCobra brachiariaControl (Guetamala)Ouma + lablabOuma napierRhodes grassRhodes grass + desmodiumRhodes grass + styloKiwira LufingoRungweScores (0-5)(c) Rungwe Disease score (0-5) Pests Score (0-5)Photos Photos from Kenyan sites          (a) (b) (e) (f) (c) (d)     Figure 3. (a) Brachiaria hybrid Cayman during disease and pest assessment (b) Some yellowing on Mullato II on close scrutiny on the abaxial leaf surface spider mites were visible (c) Brachiaria  tiller tunneled by shoot fly larvae (d) a destroyed shoot by shoot fly larvae. Dried stool of Panicum (e) following termite attack and (f) whitish brown spots on Brachiaria -Cobra leaves. Brownish lesions on Panicum leaves (g), and when we take a photo of the same closely (h). Looking at the demo (i) in perspective there are visible plots that are less green we consistently observed to be those of Panicums signifying Panicums require more N compared to Brachiaria or Napier grass. Napier stunting disease (j) attacked Napier grass only.         (g) (h) (i) (j)    Photos Tanzania    Perforations on Lablab leaves by grasshoppers Brachairia Cobra two tillers (yellowing) affected by shoofly larvae   Brachiaria Cobra tiller tunneled by Shoot fly larvae       Conclusion Although we observed various pests and diseases symptoms, the average scores did not show grave situation of the forages affected. Shoot fly larvae appeared to affect young tillers especially of the soft materials like Brachiaria hybrids, but upon progression on growth, the stools were recovering. Fungal attack usually promoted by moist conditions, were affecting mostly the Panicums and spraying forages that are not take as high value crops is not advisable. Even if fungicide were to be applied there are chances of the chemicals entering the food chain as livestock ingest forages directly. It is noteworthy, Napier stunt that has been endemic in western Kenya was observed in Napier grass only, and we did not observe the signs of the same in Panicums or Brachiaria.  References FAO and IGAD (2019). East Africa Animal Feed Action Plan. Rome. FAO (2017). Africa Sustainable Livestock 2050. Country brief Kenya. Rome Sattari SZ, Bouwman AF, Martinez Rodríguez R, Beusen AHW, van Ittersum MK. 2016. Negative global phosphorus budgets challenge sustainable intensification of grasslands. Nature Communications 7: 10696.  Mutimura, Mupenzi, Cyprian Ebong, Idupulapati Madhusudana Rao, and Ignatius Verla Nsahlai. (2016). “Change in Growth Performance of Crossbred (Ankole × Jersey) Dairy Heifers Fed on Forage Grass Diets Supplemented with Commercial Concentrates.” Trop Anim Health Prod 48 (4):741–46.  

Important biotic challenges for forage development in east Africa- A report

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Important biotic challenges for forage development in east Africa- A report

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