Browsing by Author "Andiku, Charles"

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    Evaluation of the American Yam Bean (Pachyrhizus spp.) for Storage Root Yield Across Varying Eco-geographic Conditions in Uganda
    (Journal of Agricultural Science, 2019) Andiku, Charles; Tukamuhabwa, Phinehas; Mukasa Ssebuliba, James; Talwana, Hebert; Tumwegamire, Silver; Grüneberg, Wolfgang J.
    The American yam bean (Pachyrhizus spp.) is a legume crop that is exclusively used for its storage roots. The seeds are inedible due to presence of toxic rotenone. It produces high storage root yields comparable of major root crops like cassava or sweetpotato. And flower pruning more than doubles its root yield performance. Using twenty five yam bean accessions, the current study aimed to determine root yield stability and adaptability, and presence of yam bean production mega environments in Uganda. Trials were planted at three stations, Namulonge, Serere, and Kachwekano during two consecutive seasons of 2011. Fresh storage root yields were significantly different (p < 0.05) across locations with the ideal location being Namulonge (fresh storage root yield of 10.1 t ha-1), followed by Serere (8.0 t ha-1), and Kachwekano (3.1 t ha-1). Results of AMMI analysis indicated the presence of genotype-by-environment interaction for fresh storage root yield. Through AMMI estimates and GGE visual assessment, genotype 209017 was the highest yielding with mean yield of 20.7 t ha-1. Genotype 209018 with mean yield of 15.5 t ha-1 was the most stable and adapted accession in the entire discriminating environment in Uganda. From the environmental focusing plot, the six environments were grouped into two putative mega environments for yam bean production.
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    Registration of ‘NAROSORG1 and NAROSORG3’ Sorghum Varieties with High Grain Yield and Superior Grain Qualities from Uganda
    (International Journal of Applied Agricultural Sciences, 2020) Andiku, Charles; Lubadde, Geofrey; Aru, Charles John; Emanio, John; Adrogu Ugen, Michael; Ebiyau, Johnie
    Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is the third most important cereals after maize and rice in Uganda. It is mainly grown by the resource-poor rural farmers in Uganda as a staple food, but this trend has changed recently due to the gradual transition of the crop from traditional food crops to a cash crop. National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI) therefore developed and released NAROSORG1 and NAROSORG3 in 2017 with high yields and superior grain qualities for food and commercial beer production in the country. NAROSORG1 and NAROSORG3 are a selection from the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) advanced breeding lines ICSR160 and IESV92043DL respectively. Sorghum line, IESV92043DL (NAROSORG3) was bred by ICRISAT Nairobi from a cross between KARI Mtama 1 x Seredo and developed into an open-pollinated pure line variety through pedigree selection. However, the sorghum line, ICSR160 (NAROSORG1) was introduced as a Restorer or Male Parent (R-Line) for hybrid development from ICRISAT India but adapted well as a variety with very good brewing qualities for lager beer (no tannin and high extracts) production and its white-seeded variety. Performance evaluation was conducted in Uganda for two consecutive seasons of 2017 and the results showed that NAROSORG1 and NAROSORG3 had significantly higher grain yields (13.8% and 12.2%) and 1000-seed weight percentages (30.2% and 28.9%) respectively than commercial check variety, SESO1. NAROSORG1 has a good grain quality with 100% free tannin levels which is good for commercial lager beer production while NAROSORG3 had sweet juicy stalk with stay-green trait suitable for forage production in addition to good grain quality.
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    Registration of ‘NAROSORG2’ Sorghum Variety with Desirable Farmer Attributes for Uganda
    (International Journal of Applied Agricultural Sciences, 2020) Andiku, Charles; Lubadde, Geofrey; Aru, Charles John; Emanio, John; Adrogu Ugen, Michael; Ebiyau, Johnie
    Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is the major cereal in Uganda that has recently evolved from being a food crop to a cash crop. However, low farm yields of less than 500 kg ha-1 have been recorded due to both abiotic and biotic stresses. Consequently, NaSARRI developed NAROSORG2, released in 2017, that can withstand some of the abiotic and biotic stresses. NAROSORG2 is a derived red seeded local landrace selection (IS8193) from East Africa, advanced by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) through repeated bulk selections for tolerance against abiotic and biotic stresses. The agronomic evaluation was carried out in Uganda for the first and second rainy seasons of 2017 and the findings indicated that NAROSORG2, out-performed the check commercial variety, SESO3 with mean grain yield of 2740 kg ha-1 across the entire environment. It also recorded early days to 50% flowering of 65.23 days (early maturity variety) like the commercial check variety, SESO3 with a medium height of 165.35 cm. NAROSORG2 has superior agronomic traits of stay-green trait, resistant to bird damage due to high levels of tannins, drought, midge, and Striga tolerant, good for food, and local brew. Therefore, it will supplement other released varieties in contributing to food security and poverty alleviation among the rural communities in Uganda.
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    Sorghum production handbook for Uganda
    (NaSARRI-NARO, 2019) Lubadde, Geofrey; Ebiyau, John; Aru, John C.; Andiku, Charles; Wandulu, Joseph A.; Ugen, Michael A.
    Sorghum is an important income and food security crop for those living in drought-prone regions of Uganda. Many races of the cereal are grown in almost all zones but the northern region is the highest producer followed by eastern, western and lastly the central. Much as the northern region is the highest producer of sorghum, the region experiences the lowest productivity indicating that production is due to increased area in cultivation. The increased area is due to wide scale cultivation of improved sorghum such as Epurpur and now SESO1 which is cultivated for income generation due to its use for making larger beer. The increased production of specialty improved varieties in the last ten years has made sorghum the second most important cereal after maize. However, productivity is generally still low due to a number of factors. Farmers hardly follow the recommended agronomic practices which normally lead to high productivity. Broadcasting is the common practice of sowing sorghum yet row planting at spacing of 60x20cm or 60x30 cm would result in high productivity. Farmers weed only once and do not apply any fertliser or spray to control diseases and insect pests such as shoot flies or stem borers which are problematic especially for late planted sorghum. The most important diseases are ergot, covered kernel smut and anthracnose while insect pests are shoot fly, stem borers and midge. This is cofounded by the low fertility of the sandy-loam soils and high striga infestation which are common in most of sorghum growing regions in addition to poor postharvest handling. After harvesting farmers dry the sorghum on bare ground which leads to contamination with debris. The best practice would be to dry the sorghum on tarpaulin or cemented ground or well swept bare ground for those who cannot afford improved materials. The sorghum should be dried to about 12% moisture content before threshing or storage. Farmers store unthreshed sorghum for use as seed in the following season above the fire place in the kitchen while grain sorghum is stored in granaries either as threshed or unthreshed. The granaries are constructed on raised platforms with rat guards. The stored sorghum should be checked regularly to make sure it is not affected by moulds.