Farmer-led seed enterprises can produce good quality seed and market it. However, for them to thrive, they need a conducive policy and regulatory framework that is inclusive and less stringent than ...existing regulatory frameworks. One way to provide a more enabling environment for farmer-led enterprises is through the Quality Declared Seed (QDS) production and marketing system. In Uganda, this seed class is specifically introduced for farmer-led enterprises to produce and market quality assured seed of crops and varieties not served by the private sector. The class is anchored in the Ugandan National Seed Policy and its seed regulations and its operationalization plan. We identified a combination of three strategies that enabled the QDS class to be incorporated into the National Seed Policy. These were: (i) to generate evidence to demonstrate that local seed businesses (farmer groups) can produce and market quality seed; (ii) to engage stakeholders towards an inclusive seed policy; and (iii) to develop a separate QDS regulatory framework. By 2021, institutionalization has reached a critical mass. Areas of attention for full institutionalization are the decentralization of inspection services, awareness and demand creation for quality seed, increasing the number of seed producers, and solving shortages of basic seed (starting material for producing seed).
Early leaf spot (ELS) is one of the major biotic constraints of groundnut production in West and Central Africa. A study using 6 × 6 F2 full diallel populations from six parents (NAMA, B188, PC79-79, ...QH243C, TS32-1, and CN94C) was conducted to assess the mode of inheritance of ELS resistance traits. The F2 and parents were grown in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data was collected on ELS disease severity, and an area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) was estimated. The results revealed that additive and non-additive gene actions were involved in the inheritance of the ELS resistance traits, but additive gene action was predominant. Significant reciprocal cross effect was observed, suggesting cytoplasmic effect on ELS resistance. Graphical analysis also revealed the predominance of additive gene action for ELS resistance. The results suggest that early generation selection should be effective for ELS resistance. Looking at the distribution of array points along with the regression line, parental lines NAMA, PC79-79, and B188 would be suitable as good donors in an ELS disease resistance breeding program.
The present experiment was conducted in Mali to study the genetic variability and correlation of early leaf spot (ELS) resistance parameters and agro-morphological traits in groundnut using two F3 ...populations from crosses QH243C X NAMA and TS32-1 X NAMA. Estimates of genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation revealed high value for pod yield, kernel yield, and ELS score at 60 and 80 days after sowing for the cross QH243C X NAMA. Low-to-moderate GCV and PCV were obtained for the remaining traits for both crosses. High heritability values coupled with high genetic advance as percentage of mean recorded for ELS_II, defoliation percent, pod yield in cross QH243C X NAMA; shelling percent for the cross TS32-1 X NAMA and ELS_III; and plant height, kernel yield in both crosses, indicate the significant role of additive gene action for inheritance of these traits. Correlation analysis indicated that pod and kernel yield were significant and positively correlated with 100 kernel weight and shelling percent. For cross QH243C X NAMA, kernel yield showed significant positive correlation with all ELS resistance components but the correlation was not significant for the cross TS32-1 X NAMA. Positive and significant correlation was observed between ELS resistance components themselves, suggesting that these components could be controlled by a similar polygenic system. The findings suggest that early generation selection should be effective for days to first flowering, days to 50% flowering, plant height, pod yield, kernel yield, 100 kernel weight and early leaf spot resistance which recorded the highest value of heritability in the two crosses.
•Marker trait association for ELS in groundnut.•Single marker analysis (SMA) and selective genotyping approaches identified markers associated with ELS resistance.•Four markers were found common ...between the two trait mapping methods.
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oilseed and food crop of the world. Breeding for disease resistance is one of major objectives in groundnut breeding. Early leaf spot (ELS) is one of the major destructive diseases worldwide and in West Africa, particularly in Burkina Faso causing significant yield losses. Conventional breeding approaches have been employed to develop improved varieties resistant to ELS. Molecular dissection of resistance traits using QTL analysis can improve the efficiency of resistance breeding. In the present study, an ELS susceptible genotype QH243C and an ELS resistant genotype NAMA were crossed and the F2 population genotypic and F3 progenies phenotypic data were used for marker-trait association analysis. Parents were surveyed with 179 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers out of which 103 SSR markers were found to be polymorphic between the parents. These polymorphic markers were utilized to genotype the F2 population followed by marker-trait analysis through single marker analysis (SMA) and selective genotyping of the population using 23 resistant and 23 susceptible genotypes. The SMA revealed 13 markers while the selective genotyping method identified 8 markers associated with ELS resistance. Four markers (GM1911, GM1883, GM1000 and Seq13E09) were found common between the two trait mapping methods. These four markers could be employed in genomics-assisted breeding for selection of ELS resistant genotypes in groundnut breeding.
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is the most important grain legume in Ghana. However, its production is constrained by a myriad of biotic and abiotic stresses which necessitate the development and ...use of superior varieties for increased yield. Germplasm characterisation both at the phenotypic and molecular level is important in all plant breeding programs. The aim of this study was to characterise selected advanced breeding groundnut lines with different phenotypic attributes at the molecular level using simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers in Ghana. A total of 53 SSR markers were screened and 25 were found to be polymorphic with an average polymorphic information content (PIC) value of 0.57. Of the 48 groundnut genotypes studied, 67% showed very close relationship (~100% similarity) with one or more genotypes among themselves. In fact, there were 14 instances where two to three genotypes within the same sub-cluster exhibited 100% similarity even though they displayed different phenotypic attributes. The remaining 33% of the groundnut genotypes were distant from each other and could therefore serve as effective parental material for future work. In this study, the SSR-based markers were found to be quite discriminatory in discerning variations between and among groundnut lines even where the level of variation was low. Microsatellite-based markers therefore represent a useful tool for dissecting genetic variations in cultivated crops, especially groundnut.
Rapid assessments of the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on the seed sector were conducted by a coalition of partners in Ethiopia, Myanmar, Nigeria, and Uganda in May and June 2020. The method was ...rapid, iterative, inclusive and valuable in revealing threats to the availability and timely access of farmers to quality seed and to food, nutrition and income security, and in advocating for remedial and preventative action. Via mobile application and web survey, and focus group discussions on virtual conferencing platforms a panel of 36 or more local experts operating particularly in formal seed systems in each country identified potential disruptions to activities in the seed sector and recommended immediate practical action to ensure continuity in performance. Recommendations, and the stakeholders best positioned to propel their action, were proposed to and approved by senior leadership in the sector. The entire process from survey to publication of a seed alert in each iteration was completed within two weeks. Due to the highly seasonal nature of agriculture, and recognition that activities are time-bound, quick turnaround on assessments was essential. Dashboards indicated where impact was felt the hardest, also showing how dynamic the situation was. Countries were at different stages in their agricultural seasons, which made the data highly contextual, but also interesting for getting a glimpse into the future. Lessons were offered from one country to another. Reduced mobility was the root cause of many disruptions in supplying seed to farmers. Disruptions caused seed and related industry to operate at reduced capacity. The cost of transactions and doing business during these times may have increased the scarcity and price of inputs beyond what farmers can recover. Sales of quality seed in formal markets were perceived to decline due to delays in distribution, weakened promotion efforts and fewer farmers present. Farmers are less likely to benefit from investments in crop improvement for more seasons to come due to delays in the development and release of new varieties. Social distancing prevents stakeholders from meeting to exchange goods, services and information, but the sector is gradually getting up to speed with information technology. For all concerns, practical options were offered and often implemented. The pandemic has exacerbated structural weaknesses in the organization of the seed sector, for which reforms are not only justified, but overdue.
•Assessments were rapid, inclusive and effective in advocating immediate action.•Reduced mobility was the root cause of disruptions in the supply of quality seed.•Farmers are unlikely to benefit from crop improvement investments for time to come.•The COVID-19 crisis facilitated uptake of digital technologies in service provision.•The crisis exacerbated structural weaknesses in the formal seed sector.
Preferences for monetary and non-monetary plant traits influence modern crop variety adoption decisions of farmers. To enhance adoption probability of modern crop varieties, it is necessary to ...identify and focus research on traits that significantly contribute to utility while de-emphasizing insignificant plant attributes. This paper illustrates the potential for applying conjoint analysis to aid the design and targeting of client-responsive modern crop varieties. Farmers ranked eight orthogonally-derived plant trait combinations used in an illustrative example. Utilities were estimated using the choice-probability-based method of ordered probit. Results showed that conjoint analysis can differentiate significant and non-significant traits of modern crop varieties. The usefulness of applying conjoint analysis over identifiable disaggregated groups of a sample was also evident. Future application of conjoint analysis to the design and targeting of modern crop varieties should carefully consider sample composition and size to permit the estimation of relevant sub-models for desired farmer segments.
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