March 2017

Role of endomycorrhizae and Pseudomonas fluorescens on the acclimatization of micropropagated Stevia rebaudiana Bert. plantlets

Stevia rebaudiana Bert. is a non-caloric sweetener plant of medicinal and commercial values. This study was performed to micropropagate Stevia and improve its ability to withstand the sudden shocks of the environmental changes during acclimatization by using endomycorrhizae and/or Pseudomonas fluorescens. In vitro establishment of Stevia was superior by culturing shoot tips and nodal segments of mature plants on...

Author(s): Mona S. Zayed, Ghada Abd El-Moneim Hegazi, Hanaa Mohammed Salem and Walaa Mohammed Ibrahim Ali Adas

March 2017

Participatory varietal selection of intermediate altitude sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) genotypes in Western Part of Ethiopia

Seven sorghum genotypes obtained from Melkassa Agricultural Research Center and local check collected from Assosa district were evaluated in randomized complete block design with three replications under farmers’ participatory selection scheme in western part of Ethiopia during 2013 main cropping season. The objectives of this experiment were to select superior intermediate sorghum varieties in the study area and...

Author(s): Yalemtesfa Firew Guade and Asfaw Adugna Ageru

March 2017

Assessment of genotype x environment interaction and pod yield evaluation of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) genotypes in Zimbabwe

Groundnut is an important component of the diet of both rural and urban populations in the Sub-Saharan Africa. The national average pod yield is 0.25 t/ha which is far less than the global average. The diverse environmental conditions of Zimbabwe make selection and release of stable groundnut genotypes a challenge, mainly due to genotype x environment interaction (GEI). Twenty-five groundnut genotypes were evaluated to...

Author(s): Ngirazi N. Savemore, Manjeru P. and Ncube B.

March 2017

Effect of thermotherapy duration, virus type and cultivar interactions on elimination of potato viruses X and S in infected seed stocks

Virus infection in potato reduces yield through seed degeneration. This can be reduced by use of virus-free seed tubers. However, novel approaches are required to ensure availability of virus-free stocks, especially in developing countries where the seed potato system are evolving. Consequently, a laboratory experiment was conducted at Kachwekano ZARDI in Uganda to evaluate and determine appropriate procedures for...

Author(s): Moses Waswa, Rogers Kakuhenzire and Mildred Ochwo-Ssemakula