African Journal of Agriculture

African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 7 (11), pp. 001-011, November, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Genetic diversity and characterization of African eggplant germplasm collection

¹F. Sunseri¹*, G. B. Polignano², V. Alba³, C. Lotti⁴, V. Bisignano², G. Mennella⁵, A. D’ Alessandro⁵, M. Bacchi¹, P. Riccardi¹, M. C. Fiore¹ and L. Ricciardi³

¹Department of Biotechnology for Food and Environmental Monitoring, University Mediterranea di Reggio Calabria, I-89122 Reggio Calabria, Italy.

²Institute of Plant Genetics, CNR, I-70126 Bari, Italy.

³Department of Agroforestry and Environmental Biology and Chemistry, University of Bari, I-70126 Bari, Italy.

⁴Department of Agro-environmental Sciences, Chemistry and Plant Protection, University of Foggia, I-71100 Foggia, Italy.

⁵CRA-Agency Research Centre for Horticulture, Pontecagnano I-84098, Italy.

Accepted 18 May, 2020

Abstract

Genetic diversity among 70 “scarlet eggplant” (Solanum aethiopicum L.) entries from different geographical origins was assessed. Entries were firstly evaluated for the main morphologic traits and chlorogenic acid content. Standard statistics and multivariate analyses were utilized to assess the phenotypic diversity and grouping the entries. In addition, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) analyses were used to evaluate genetic relationships among entries. Differences between entries are highly significant for all descriptors. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the first three components accounted for 74% of the total variance. Morphologic traits were associated with the first two components, while the third one was moderately correlated with the chlorogenic acid content. The observed similarity allowed to identify only three main groupings. The clusters obtained did not show any relationships with geographic origins and/or botanical groups. Matrices of genetic similarity from AFLP and SSR data were utilized in order to obtain a dendrogram. A large cluster included several entries from South America with limited rate of genetic variation was observed. On the contrary, higher amount of variation was observed in the cluster with entries from Africa, in which are also present in the accessions collected in Italy. These entries appeared always morphologically and genetically distinguishable from the others. These results provided additional information for the conservation, improvement and legal protection of the ecotype ‘melanzana rossa di Rotonda’, cultivated in Italy.

Key words: Solanum aethiopicum L., scarlet eggplant, amplified fragment length polymorphism, simple sequence repeat, multivariate analyses, ecotype ‘melanzana rossa di Rotonda’.

African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 7 (11), pp. 001-006, November, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessment of traditional medicinal plants in Endrta District, South-eastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Gidey Yirga

Biology Department, Mekelle University, P. O. Box 3072, Mekelle Ethiopia. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 22 November, 2020

Abstract

Ethnobotanical data was collected between September and December, 2009 on six field trips to investigate medicinal knowledge and application of medicinal plants in Endrta Wereda (the lowest administrative unit in Ethiopia) of Southeastern Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Semi-structured interviewees, observation and guided field walks with informants were employed to obtain ethnobotanical data. A total of 35 informants (24 males and 11 females) were selected purposefully with the help of local administrators and local elderly people. A total of 27 species of medicinal plants were collected and identified for treating 24 human ailments. Most (62.96%) of the traditional medicinal plants were wild and were mostly harvested for their leaves. Oral application was the highest and most commonly used route of application followed by dermal. Awareness creation among the traditional healers and community at large is important in order to preserve the indigenous medicinal plant species and for conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants in the area.

Key words: Documentation, ethnobotany, traditional medicinal plants, Tigray.

African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 7 (11), pp. 001-013, November, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A comparative study of morphological and molecular diversity in Ethiopian lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) landraces

Edossa Fikiru¹*, Kassahun Tesfaye² and Endashaw Bekele²

¹Mada Walabu University, P. O. Box 84, Bale-Robe, Ethiopia.

²Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Accepted 22 October, 2020

Abstract

Genetic diversity assessment with different methods and their comparison could provide complementary information for improvement and conservation programs. However, such information is not available for Ethiopian lentil landraces. To fill this gap, nine morphological traits and four ISSR primers were used on seventy Ethiopian lentil landrace accessions to study morphological and genetic diversity among the accessions, assess the correlation between phenotypic and genetic dissimilarities, and classify the accessions into groups based on both markers. Analysis of variance of morphological data showed significant (p < 0.01) differences among accessions for all traits. However, days to maturity and flowering, seed weight and plant height showed low phenotypic coefficient of variation. From principal component (PC) analysis number of seeds and pods, seed yield and number of secondary branch were included in PC1, whereas, days to maturity and flowering were dominant in PC2. Seed weight and number of primary branch were also dominant in PC3 and PC4, respectively. With regard to molecular analysis, accessions from Gonder, Shewa and Wello (with I = 0.203, 0.174 and 0.162, respectively) showed moderate level of diversity. The average and overall diversity index values, respectively, were 0.145 and 0.264. The overall morphological and genetic dissimilarities ranged from 0.825 - 11.018 and 0.000 - 0.340 with average value of 3.921 and 0.125, respectively. The correlation ( R ) between morphological and genetic dissimilarity matrices was 0.28 (p < 0.001) indicating that either of the markers could be used for genetic diversity study. Cluster analysis based on morphological and molecular markers, respectively, revealed two and three major groups of lentil landrace accessions. The result of the present study would be useful for further collection and conservation, and improvement programs.

Key words: Clustering, correlation, genetic diversity, ISSR, lentil landraces, morphological variation, principal component.

African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 7 (11), pp. 001-005, November, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of leaf harvest and season on the fruit yield of summer squash genotypes in Madagascar

M. A. Yeboah*, V. Katoch, R. Rakoto-Herimandimby, A. Rahantanirina and B. Rakotoarisoa

AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center, c/o Immeuble FOFIFA, P. O. Box 1690, Antananarivo, Madagascar.

Accepted 28 May, 2020

Abstract

Summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) is one of the most popular vegetables in Madagascar, where it is grown for both leaves and fruit. Previous breeding efforts concentrated solely on high fruit yield. In recent years the demand for varieties that can produce edible fresh leaves and high fruits yield has increased. Our objective in this study was to evaluate the effects of leaf harvest and season on fruit yields of summer squash genotypes in Madagascar to identify dual-purpose varieties for the hot-dry and rainy seasons. Two leaf harvest regimes (‘no leaf harvest’ and ‘leaf harvest’), five entries (four summer squash inbred lines S16, S17, S18 and S19, and one local variety ‘Vang’) and two seasons (hot-dry and rainy) were tested in a randomized complete block design with three replications in Madagascar. The results showed entry effect was significant on yield and fruit length but not on fruit size. Interactions of all the three factors (entry, leaf harvest, and season) were highly significant in all three traits. In the rainy season, significant differences in mean yield occurred between S16 and the local check ‘Vang’ when leaves were harvested. The percentage in fruit yield reductions between the ‘no leaf harvest’ and ‘leaf harvest’ treatments were 45% for S18, and 22% for ‘Vang’ in the hot-dry season trial, and 15 and 2% reduction in the rainy season for S18 and ‘Vang’, respectively. S16 gained 3 and 9% in yield when leaves were harvested in the hot-dry and rainy seasons, respectively. Any of the entries will produce good yield in the hot-dry season, while entries S16 and S19 are recommended for high yield in the rainy season for leaf harvests in Madagascar’s subhumid tropics.

Key words: Summer squash, Madagascar, leaf harvest, fruit yield.

African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 7 (10), pp. 001-007, October, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Determinants of small scale farmers’ decision to join farmer based organizations in Ghana

Bright Owusu Asante¹*, Victor Afari–Sefa² and Daniel Bruce Sarpong³

¹CSIR-Crops Research Institute, P. O. Box 3785, Kumasi, Ghana.

²AVDRC- The World Vegetable Center, Regional Center for Africa,  P. O. Box 10, Duluti, Arusha, Tanzania.

³Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.

Accepted 08 April, 2020

Abstract

In recent times, governments of most developing countries have been promoting the formation and development of farmer based organizations as one of the keys to more rapid diffusion and cost-effective extension delivery to farmers. This is premised on the assumption that small-scale farmers can have easy access to market information, credit and input for their production, processing, and marketing activities by joining farmer based organizations. However, this study found out that despite such observed benefits, some farmers were not members of farmer based organizations. This study uses the probit model to assess the factors influencing the decisions to join farmer based organizations in Ghana. The results revealed that farm size, farming as a major occupation, access to credit to loan and access to machinery services influenced farmers’ decisions to join farmer based organizations in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Key words: Farmer-based organizations, probit model, decision-making process.

African Journal of Agriculture ISSN 2375-1134 Vol. 7 (10), pp. 001-007, October, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of cohesion on loan repayment in farmers’ cooperative societies in Delta State, Nigeria

A. U. Ofuoku¹* and E. Urang²

¹Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Delta State University, Asaba Campus, Asaba Delta State, Nigeria.

²Department of Rural Sociology and Extension, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.

Accepted 10 September, 2020

Abstract

This study was carried out in Delta State to assess the effect of cohesion of farmers’ cooperative societies on loan repayment among members in Delta State. One hundred and twenty-one respondents were selected through multi-stage sampling procedure for the study. Data were collected with the use of structured interview schedule and were analyzed using descriptive statistics while the hypothesis was addressed with the application of inferential statistics (Spearman’s rank order correlation analysis). The members subscribed to their respective cooperative societies in order to easily access credit, extension service and inputs at cheap price. Other reasons were for direct marketing of produce; price determination and exchange of ideas/experiences. The members were generally highly satisfied with loan repayment rate of members. The various farmers’ cooperative societies were highly cohesive generally. The various cooperative societies were highly satisfied with their respective management. The members of the cooperative societies were committed, attracted to the cooperatives and involved in the groups’ activities. Their individual and group goals were being met and still want to be members of their respective cooperative society. An almost perfect positive relationship between rate of loan repayment perception and cohesion. It is therefore recommended that extension agents should take advantage of the effect of cohesion on loan repayment to promote cohesion in up coming cooperative societies; executives of cooperative societies should encourage cohesion; and extension training for cooperative societies’ executives should include group issues.

Key words: Effect, cohesion, loan repayment, farmers, cooperative societies, Delta State.