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Fall armyworm (FAW) tolerant maize variety has lower FAW leaf damage under farmer management
No full textFall armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda) has become a major threat to maize production across Africa since its invasion in 2016. While chemical control remains the dominant response employed by farmers, concerns about pesticide resistance, environmental impacts, and costs have intensified interest in host plant resistance as a sustainable management strategy. This study evaluated the performance of a newly released FAW-tolerant (FAWTH) maize hybrid, under smallholder farmer management across three agroecological regions in Zambia during the 2024/2025 growing season. Farmers drawn from a larger randomized controlled trial were given the FAWTH variety and planted it alongside other non-FAWTH hybrids. Leaf damage was assessed on both the FAWTH and non-FAWTH plots from a random sample of 130 farmers, half from those who grew the FAWTH as a sole crop, and half from those intercropped it with a legume at about two months post planting using a standardized scoring approach. Results showed that the FAWTH variety has significantly lower FAW leaf damage compared to conventional varieties under farmer management conditions, with mean damage scores 28-33% lower depending on location and cropping system. The advantages of the FAWTH variety were more pronounced in the low-altitude, low-rainfall region I, moderately pronounced in medium rainfall (~800mm per annum) region II, and not observed in the high-altitude highrainfall (>1200mm/annum) region III. Intercropping with legumes provided additional but inconsistent benefits for FAW management. These findings demonstrate that host plant resistance can effectively reduce FAW damage under real farming conditions, though breeding programs should continue improving agronomic performance alongside pest tolerance to maximize farmer adoption and impact on food security.26 page
Teff (Eragrostis tef Zucc) yield response to NPSB blend and KCl fertilizer application on Planosols
No full textPlanosols cover extensive areas in the south-western highlands of Ethiopia. This study reports the effect of different rates of NPS and its potassium and boron blend on teff yield. Eight treatments: no application (T1), 100 NPS (T2), 200 NPS (T3), 300 NPS (T4), 100 NPS + 50 KCl (T5), 200 NPS + 100 KCl (T6), 300 NPS + 150 KCl (T7), and 100 NPSB kg/ha (T8) were arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated four times. The result revealed that the application of NPS fertilizer significantly improved both teff grain and straw yield , but the inclusion of K and B did not. While the inclusion of B significantly increased agronomic efficiency of S, economic analysis showed that all the treatments were with BCR greater than one. The highest NB(37,968.1 Birr/ha) was obtained from T7 and the highest MRR(14671.5%) was from T8. There was no significant yield advantage and the economic return from the inclusion of K in the blends. We recommend 100 kg/ha NPSB for teff production on Planosols. As there is no significant yield advantage and low economic incentive from the inclusion of KCl in the blend, K should be removed from the blend fertilizer formulation
Productivity and welfare impacts of sustainable intensification in rice-wheat crop rotations: Evidence from the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains
No full textSustainable intensification (SI) has been receiving policy attention for its potential to transform agri-food systems and improve rural livelihoods. However, little is known about how SI technology bundles influence system productivity, profitability and household welfare in the coupled rice-wheat crop rotations of the Indo-Gangetic Plains in South Asia. We investigate the combined impacts of direct seeded rice (mDSR) and zero-tillage (ZT) wheat on system productivity, profitability and household welfare in the rice-wheat system of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. Using a multinomial endogenous switching regression model to address selection bias, we find that the joint adoption of mDSR and ZT wheat significantly improves cropping system productivity by 19% (1148 kg per hectare), reduces production costs by 18% (US 502 per hectare) and raises household per capita income by 56%. However, these benefits are unevenly distributed, with poorer farms benefitting less from rice-wheat farming and more from off-farm income compared to richer farms. Our findings underscore the need for policy support to promote broader SI adoption and emphasise the importance of fostering off-farm jobs for equitable development.892-91
Climate change-induced northward shifts in double cropping system in China: implications for crop production potential and water use
No full textClimate change may shift double cropping system into new areas and increase cropping intensity in some regions, creating opportunities to boost crop production. However, these changes also reshape the land‒water‒food nexus, particularly by increasing irrigation demand and exacerbating tensions between crop production and water scarcity. In this study, we integrated multi-dimensional datasets during 1980–2019 to identify the traditional and potential expansion areas of double cropping system and empirically analyze how cropping intensity responds to climate change. We further assessed the resulting impacts on crop production and water use, and explored feasible strategies for promoting double cropping. Results reveal the potential northward expansion of the double cropping system driven by climate warming, covering 6.72 × 106 hm2 of cropland. The multiple cropping index in traditional double cropping areas exhibited a pronounced response to climate warming, whereas potential expansion areas showed a weak and insignificant response. In the latter, the mean multiple cropping index was 0.99 during 2014–2019, indicating considerable untapped potential for more efficient use of climate and land resources. Using the winter wheat–summer maize system as a representative double cropping pattern, we found its expansion during the study period increased crop production by 39.18 Mt and irrigation demand by 15.17 × 109 m3 in traditional double cropping areas, where the agricultural water resources stress index reached 3.47 in 2019. In potential expansion areas, under two hypothetical scenarios—converting spring maize to winter wheat–summer maize and fully utilizing idle arable land for the same rotation—national grain production could potentially increase by 2.16% and 0.88%, respectively, with irrigation demand rising by 10.85 × 109 m3 and 4.52 × 109 m3. The agricultural water stress index would rise to 2.04 and 1.87 under the two scenarios, yet compared with traditional double cropping areas, water pressure in these regions would remain manageable. The study highlights the importance of fully leveraging emerging climatic resources to boost crop production in double cropping regions as a climate adaptation strategy. It also provides a comprehensive assessment of the trade-offs between increased food production and water use, offering valuable insights for promoting sustainable agricultural development in double cropping regions
Enhancing climate resilience through tailored agro-climate advisory services in Ethiopia: Agro-climate advisory for Training of Trainers (ToT)
No full textThis training manual focuses on Training of Trainers (ToT). It aims to equip them with the basic knowledge, skills, and communication channels framework required to disseminate effective agro-climate advisory (AgCA) services to smallholder farmers. The manual begins with the definitions and descriptions of AgCA, followed by the purpose, key objectives, and other essential components. It covers the basics of climate, including weather, climate variability, and climate change, as well as their impact on agricultural productivity. Recognizing the importance of establishing the value chain of partners and farming communities, the manual highlights participatory approaches and integrating local knowledge into actionable AgCA services in a comprehensive end-to-end manner.iv, 32 page
Understanding genetic diversity and population structure of CIMMYT and IITA early maturing provitamin A maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines using phenotypic traits and SNP markers for variable tolerance to drought and heat stress
No full textUnderstanding genetic relationships of maize inbred lines before integrating them into a breeding program is crucial for optimizing heterosis. In this study we assessed the genetic diversity and population structure of 188 early maturing provitamin A maize inbred lines sourced from CIMMYT and IITA using 3.3 K SNPs markers and phenotypic traits data. The results showed highly significant statistical variability (p < 0.000) for key phenotypic traits such as, anthesis date (AD), anthesis-silking interval (ASI), senescence (SEN), ears per plant (EPP) and grain yield (GYD). Inbred lines DS19753, TZMI1989, DS197-206 and DS197-338 had high grain yield under drought and heat stress conditions whilst CML 486, DS197-308, DS197-185, and DS197-318 performed better under non-drought and heat stress conditions. The genetic diversity analysis revealed moderate genetic diversity (GD) of 0.24, and a polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.20. A minor allele frequency (MAF) of 18% suggested relatively low genetic variation amongst the inbred lines whilst observed heterozygosity (Ho) of 0.02 and Fixation Index (F) of 0.90 indicated fixation of most loci in the inbred lines. Delta K was highest at K = 2 suggesting presence of two distinct genetic sub-populations. Analysis of Molecular Variance indicated that the estimated variance amongst the two populations (0.001) was minimal whilst most of the genetic variance occurs within populations (0.499). The phenotypic diversity revealed supported by genotypic variations among the assessed genotypes suggests a possibility of successful selection of superior drought and heat tolerant provitamin A maize inbred lines that can be used for developing hybrids
Effects of information and price promotions on farmer experimentation with new maize hybrids
No full textVarietal turnover in maize seed systems in sub-Saharan Africa remains slower than expected, despite significant public and private investment in breeding and seed commercialization. Encouraging farmers to experiment with new hybrids could accelerate adoption and facilitate the replacement of outdated seed products. This study evaluates the impact of point-of-sale information and price promotions on farmer purchases of new maize hybrids in Kenya, using a randomized controlled trial with 1,790 farmers intercepted at agro-dealer shops. We tracked farmers' seed choices immediately after the intervention and again in the following season, eight months later. Informational messages that highlighted the benefits of new hybrids and recommended specific hybrids increased the likelihood that farmers purchased these seeds. Combining information with a price discount increased both the likelihood of purchase and the quantity of seed bought. Follow-up data show that discount-induced experimentation translated into continued use, suggesting that farmers were willing to pay full price after the initial trial. These findings underscore the potential of modest targeted retail interventions to overcome adoption frictions and accelerate varietal turnover
Achieving environmental stewardship through climate-smart agriculture practices in intensive cereal systems of North-western India: Effects on energy-water-carbon footprints
No full textIntensive rice-based systems in the Indo-Gangetic Plain of India face critical sustainability challenges, including high energy use, excessive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and unsustainable groundwater exploitation. This study evaluates productivity and environmental footprints (energy, water, and carbon) to foster environmental stewardship through conservation agriculture-based climate-smart agriculture practices (CSAPs). Six scenarios (Sc) were analyzed: conventional till (CT) rice-wheat (CT-RW, Sc 1); CT rice-zero till (ZT) wheat-ZT mungbean (CTR-ZTWM, Sc 2); ZT direct-seeded rice-ZTWM (ZTRWM, Sc 3); ZT maize-ZTWM (ZTMWM, Sc 4); Sc 3 with subsurface drip (SSD) irrigation (ZTRWM-SSD, Sc 5); and Sc 4 with SSD (ZTMWM-SSD, Sc 6). The CSAPs (Sc 3-Sc 6) outperformed Sc 1 with respect to key performance parameters. Sc 6 (ZTMWM-SSD) achieved the maximum rice equivalent yield (8.25 t ha-1), a 22.2 % increase over Sc 1. Wheat yield in Sc 6 reached to 6.34 t ha-1, corresponding to a 22.1 % enhancement compared to Sc 1, resulting in a total system yield of 16.73 t ha-1, representing a 35.6 % increase over Sc 1. For system-wide partial factor productivity of N, Sc 5 showed 51.4 % improvement, while Sc 6 achieved the highest increase of 69.7 %, reflecting significant gains in nitrogen use efficiency. The CSAPs scenarios markedly improved system water productivity, resulting in a decreased water footprint, which was lowest in Sc 6 (189 L kg-1) compared to Sc 1 (1642 L kg-1). Energy dynamics revealed that Sc 6 was the most efficient among all the scenarios. With an energy input of 30,360 MJ ha-1, it produced energy output of 471,633 MJ ha-1, and recorded the highest energy use efficiency (15.69). In terms of environmental sustainability, CSAPs (Sc 3, Sc 4, Sc 5 and Sc 6) exhibited lower system net global warming potential (GWPn), compared to CT-based scenarios (Sc 1 and Sc 2), reflecting a significantly reduced carbon footprint. These results highlight the potential of CSAPs to enhance productivity and profitability while minimizing environmental impacts, making CSAPs critical to the future of sustainable agriculture in North-western India
Navigating formal, informal, and integrated seed systems: Drivers of choice by sorghum grain producers in Tanzania and implications for seed access
No full textUnderstanding what drives farmers to choose one seed system over another is important in setting goals for crop improvement programs and designing an effective seed delivery system and marketing strategy. This study used survey data from 1492 households and a multinomial logit model to analyze seed systems choice by smallholder sorghum grain producers in Tanzania. Results showed that 84% of the farmers relied on the informal seed system, 11% on an integrated seed system (involving a combination of informal and formal systems), and only 5% exclusively accessed seed through the formal system. Farmers mainly accessed information on seed, agronomy, and markets from their peers. Proximity and participation in input and output markets, financial literacy, use of crop insurance, and access to financial and extension services were associated with a high likelihood of using formal seed systems. On the other hand, limited access to agronomic, and seed information from peers, as well as long distances to main markets, were associated with the use of informal seed systems. The integrated system was associated with intercropping and willingness to experiment with new ideas and technologies. Making sufficient quantities of quality seed available to farmers at the last mile through various channels, improving farmers' access to financial services, and developing multiple stress-tolerant varieties can enhance the use of improved varieties and formal channels of seed access. We recommend innovative ways of moving sufficient quantities of quality seeds of improved varieties through the informal seed system in the interim while further developing the formal system in the long run