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Nutritional benefits and consumer acceptance of maize chips combined with alternative flours
No full textThis study evaluated the nutritional composition, techno-functional properties, and sensory acceptance of tortilla chips made from alternative flours derived from local ingredients, including maize, beet, flaxseed, bean, and chia. Three blends were assessed: maize with beans, maize with beet, and maize with chia–flaxseed. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed in the flours’ moisture, ash, protein, lipid, and mineral content. Flaxseed flour exhibited the highest protein content (40.03 g/100 g), while chia flour was notable for its lipid (32.25 g/100 g) and fiber (38.51 g/100 g) content. Bean and chia flour were rich in iron and zinc. Sensory evaluations, conducted with 300 consumers in Honduras, revealed general acceptance of all blends, with maize chips enriched with chia–flaxseed showing the highest preference (47.2%). Approximately 50% of participants reported consuming tortilla chips weekly, prioritizing taste, freshness, and price. Notably, over 40% expressed willingness to pay a premium for more nutritious, baked options. These results underscore the potential of alternative flours to enhance local diets and foster healthier eating habits. Moreover, the positive consumer response highlights a significant market opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), promoting awareness of nutrition and public health in Honduras
Characterizing highland maize-mixed farming systems of Lao PDR’s Xiengkhouang Province (Kham, Moke, Nonghet): statistical analysis and participatory validation
No full text54 page
Crop diversification and reduced tillage for improved grain and nutritional yields in rain-fed maize-based cropping systems of semi-arid Malawi
No full textConservation agriculture (CA), as a key component of sustainable intensification, has been widely promoted across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to address low crop productivity. However, the focus has mainly been on improving cereal grain yields, with less focus to its impact on nutritional outcomes. This study sought to assess the productivity potential of CA crop diversification systems and associated crop establishment techniques in terms of grain, protein, and energy yields. An on-station trial was implemented in Malawi for four cropping seasons (2014/15 to 2017/18). Four crop establishment techniques (ridge and furrow, jab planter, dibble sticks, and CA basins) were tested, while cropping systems included conventional cropping system (Conv), CA sole cropping (CaSole), CA intercropping (CA-intercropping), and CA rotations (CA-rotation). In 2014/15 and 2015/16 cropping seasons, characterised by medium and low rainfall, respectively, planting basins and ridge-furrow systems produced higher maize yields compared to jab planter and dibble stick systems. In 2015/16, big and small basins yielded 5061 and 3969 kg ha–1, while jab planter and dibble stick yielded 3476 and 3213 kg ha–1. When there was high and persistent rainfall (2016/17 and 2017/18), direct seeding (jab planter and dibble stick) outperformed basins and ridge-furrow systems. Therefore, the choice of planting basin sizes and whether or not to use dibble stick and jab planter needs to be guided by location or site-specific seasonal forecasts for best results. Grain yield in maize-legume rotation systems consistently outperformed other systems, with maize-groundnut rotations surpassing maize-cowpea intercrops by 987–2700 kg ha–1 over four cropping seasons. In intercropping systems, maize-pigeon pea outperformed maize-cowpea by 4–45% during the same period, while maize-cowpea rotation consistently out yielded maize-cowpea intercropping. Intercropping systems, however, provided substantial protein benefits, with maize-pigeon yielding +9.5% (2015/2016), +29.1% (2016/2017) over CA sole, and +2.2% (2017/2018) over cowpea intercropping. Sole systems (conventional and CA sole) yielded the highest caloric energy, while maize-cowpea rotation consistently reduced energy yield by 35% to 54% compared to the highest-yielding systems. Overall intercropping systems can outperform rotation systems in nutritional security but when focus is on maize grain yield alone, intercropping may reduce maize yield when compared to both cereal sole and maize-legume rotation systems
Dissecting the genetic basis of fruiting efficiency for genetic enhancement of harvest index, grain number, and yield in wheat
No full textBackground: Grain number (GN) is one of the key yield contributing factors in modern wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties. Fruiting efficiency (FE) is a key trait for increasing GN by making more spike assimilates available to reproductive structures. Thousand grain weight (TGW) is also an important component of grain yield. To understand the genetic architecture of FE and TGW, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in a panel of 236 US soft facultative wheats that were phenotyped in three experiments at two locations in Florida and genotyped with 20,706 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) generated from genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS). Results: FE showed significant positive associations with GN, grain yield (GY), and harvest index (HI). Likewise, TGW mostly had a positive correlation with GY and HI, but a negative correlation with GN. Eighteen marker-trait associations (MTAs) for FE and TGW were identified on 11 chromosomes, with nine MTAs within genes. Several MTAs associated with other traits were found within genes with different biological and metabolic functions including nuclear pore complex protein, F-box protein, oligopeptide transporter, and glycoside vacuolar protein. Two KASP markers showed significant mean differences for FE and TGW traits in a validation population. Conclusions: KASP marker development and validation demonstrated the utility of these markers for improving FE and TGW in breeding programs. The results suggest that optimizing intra-spike partitioning and utilizing marker-assisted selection (MAS) can enhance GY and HI
Smart surveillance and integrated response to maize lethal necrosis (MLN) in Eastern and Southern Africa
No full text7 slide
A weather-forecast driven early warning system for wheat blast disease: User-centered design, validation, and scaling in Bangladesh and Brazil
No full textWe describe the user-centered design (UCD) of a numerical weather-forecast-driven early warning system (EWS) as a climate service for managing wheat blast, a fungal disease capable of causing complete crop yield losses that is strongly dependent on weather conditions. Our mixed-methods process was guided by stakeholder input on the design, testing, and refinement of the EWS from agricultural extension organizations, meteorological departments, and farmers’ groups in Bangladesh and Brazil, where concerns about blast disease risks are high. The UCD process led to a wheat blast disease prediction model, server systems, and user-facing enhancements, including an open-source dashboard (https://beattheblastews.net/) that displays historical, real-time, and forecasted weather data, along with geographically explicit disease predictions, to support informed decision-making on wheat blast management. We describe the back- and front-end design of the dashboard, which supports disease risk forecasting, hindcasting, and the dissemination of early warning advisories co-designed with user organizations. We validated the EWS through comparisons with field observations in both countries. Model results generally agreed with disease incidence records, and model hindcasting confirmed alignment with disease outbreak patterns in Bangladesh and Brazil. Collaboration between agricultural research, meteorological and extension organizations in developing and supplying weather forecasts, disease management advisories, and early warning systems—along with presenting hindcast validation results to stakeholders—led to the formal endorsement of the EWS in both countries. This process also enabled the registration and training of over 14,500 extension officers, lead farmers, and farmers' cooperative members who now receive advisories via email, SMS, agro-meteorological bulletins, smartphone applications, WhatsApp and social media messages. These tools support them in interpreting and sharing wheat blast early warnings with farmers to improve disease preparadness and management actions in both countries
Can agrodealers be agents of sustainability transitions in agriculture? Reflections based on the expansion of biological inputs in Mexico
No full textAgrodealers are key players in providing technologies and support services to farmers. Nevertheless, they are generally perceived as reluctant, or at least inactive, in the transition to more sustainable practices. In this article, we examine their contribution to the expansion of biological inputs - biological control, biofertilizers, biostimulants - understood as a set of alternative technologies for reducing the consumption of chemical inputs. Based on a qualitative survey of agrodealers and various agricultural R&D stakeholders in Mexico's Bajio grainproduction region, we show that they play a proactive role in the expansion of these technologies. Faced with a highly competitive environment, including these products in their portfolio enables them to differentiate themselves from their competitors, while continuing to promote the productivity and profitability of their crops to their customers. In some cases, they not only distribute the products of upstream industries, but also become producers themselves of the microorganisms they offer for sale. They are also actively involved in encouraging farmers to acquire and use these technologies, while striving to minimize the disruption that this may cause to their practices. To this end, they provide advice and support, and develop formulas for integrating biological inputs into technical packages that facilitate their adoption. These results call for a reconsideration of the role these actors could play in initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable technologies and practices for the agricultural sector
The dawn of a legume revolution in Southern Africa: trends, drivers, and implications
No full textAfrican agriculture faces multiple challenges, dampening its contribution to economic development, food and nutrition security, poverty reduction and resilience. Legumes are a necessary component of diversified maize-based cropping systems that are more resilient against climate change and can better deliver food and nutrition security while building soil fertility. Despite this potential, the uptake of legumes by smallholders in southern Africa remains restricted to small areas compared to areas under maize, and the uptake of improved legume germplasm remains low. However, amid rising chemical fertilizer costs and the increasing need to restore soil fertility, there is anecdotal evidence suggesting that smallholders are increasingly cultivating more legumes. This paper assesses the extent of changes in legume cultivation, drivers, and consequences on food security and welfare using secondary data spanning a 10-year period (2012–2023) and household survey data collected in 2023 from 1,100 farmers randomly selected from 14 districts in Malawi and Zambia. The total area under maize and legume cultivation increased between 2012 and 2023 in both countries. However, the share of cultivated land under maize declined, while the share under legumes increased over the same period. Proportionately, the area cultivated under legumes increased by 5percentage points in Malawi and 14 percentage points in Zambia between 2012 and 2023. About half of the surveyed farmers (47% in Malawi and 50% in Zambia) indicated they were cultivating more legumes in 2023 than before. The main factors driving the expansion of legume cultivation included the perception that legumes have higher producer prices relative to those of other crops, and the perception of increasing fertilizer costs. Cultivating more legumes was associated with higher income, especially for the low-income households, and higher expenditure in the mid quantiles. We conclude that there is a dawn of a quiet “legume revolution” in southern Africa. Significant technological innovations, e.g., increasing availability of improved germplasm, accompanied by institutional and policy innovations are critical success factors. There is also an urgent need to address the underdeveloped and informal legume seed systems, improve market access and postharvest handling and storage, foster value addition and encourage the adoption of improved agronomic practices. Strengthening the inclusion of legumes in national subsidy programs can contribute to improved soil fertility and overall farm productivity and environmental sustainability, while increasing farm income
Stability of grain yield of pre-commercial maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids in rainfed ecosystems of South Asia
No full textA study was conducted to assess the yield stability of 45 single cross maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids across five locations in North India, namely Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Meerut, Kannauj, and Varanasi. Of the 45 hybrids tested, 21 displayed a higher-than-average yield (3.76 t/ha) across all environments. The analysis of variance showed that environment contributed to 88.4% of the total variation, followed by genotype x environment (7.9%) and genotype (3.7%). The first two significant interaction principal component axes accounted for about 81.54% of the total variation for grain yield. Hybrid 39 had the highest yield under diverse environments. Meerut and Muzaffarpur were identified as being more representative for grain yield compared to Kannauj, Samastipur, and Varanasi. Meerut was found to be the most discriminating environment. Hybrid 27, with an AMMI (Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction) stability value (ASV) of 0.00, was widely adapted. Hybrids specifically adapted to Samastipur (2), Muzaffarpur (2), Meerut (1), Kannauj (2), and Varanasi (2) were identified. With the least yield stability index (YSI), Hybrid 40, is recommended for cultivation during the monsoon in Northern India. Meerut and Muzaffarpur sites are recommended for evaluating early stages of maize test crosses
