Browsing by Author "Ekebu, James"

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    Agronomic Evaluation of Alternative Lowland Rice Varieties for Farmers in Uganda; A Case of Aromatic Rice
    (Journal of Food Security, 2022) Alibu, Simon; Obura, Morish; Ekebu, James; Nampamya, Doreen; Lamo, Jimmy; Asea, Godfrey; Tae-Seon, Park
    Rice has recently become an important crop for tackling food insecurity and poverty in Uganda. Over three-quarters of the country's local rice production occurs in irrigated and rain-fed lowlands in eastern and northern Uganda. However, breeding programs and seed systems have only partially met farmers' expectations for new lowland rice varieties and seeds recently, so farmers are sticking with old varieties. However, a new high-yielding, early-maturing, and most importantly, aromatic variety, NARORICE-1, released in 2019, seems to offer a new ray of hope for lowland rice farmers. This study compared the agronomic performance of NARORICE-1 and two promising KAFACI lines to a popular farmer's variety, WITA-9, in central, eastern, and northern Uganda. These varieties were evaluated for growth and yield response to higher seedling counts per hill when transplanted. Doho was the most productive location with an average rice yield of 6.1 t ha–1, significantly higher than NaCRRI and Olweny with 3.9 and 3.7 t ha–1, respectively. The yield performance of NARORICE-1 was comparable to that of the popular farmer's variety WITA-9. Increasing the number of seedlings per hill from three to seven during transplanting had no clear effect on the paddy yield of NARORICE-1. Besides higher yield potential, NARORICE-1's other additional beneficial traits such as aroma, shorter growing time, and higher milling efficiency have made it one of the growers' favorites.
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    Developing Lowland Rice Germplasm with Resistance to Multiple Biotic Stresses through Anther Culture in Uganda
    (The Korean Society of International Agriculture, 2015) Lamo, Jimmy; Gyoung-rae, Cho; Ininda, Jane; Kofi Ayirebi, Dartey Paul; Ekebu, James; Ekobu, Moses; Alibu, Simon; Okanya, Stephen; Oloka, Bonny; Otim, Michael; Asea, Godfrey; Kyung-Ho, Kang
    The lowland rice genotypes grown in Uganda were introduced in the 1970s. These genotypes (now landraces) are threatened by multiple biotic stresses namely; Rice Yellow Mottle Virus (RYMV) disease, Bacterial Leaf Streak(BLS). Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB), and Rice Blast (BL). There are currently no rice lines with multiple resistance to these stresses although attempts have been made to develop them through hybridization involving cultivated, local and introduced lines and four varieties with tolerance to RYMV have been released. The use of potential resistance donor such as the traditional African cultivated rice, Oryza glaberrima, could be an alternative approach to furnish multiple resistance to the cultivated rice. The rice germplasm developed from a cross of an Oryza glaberrima from Niger Delta and Milyang23, a high-yielding Korean rice variety were evaluated for multiple resistance in Uganda as a Korea-Africa Food & Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI)-Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) joint cooperative project, “Enhancement of High Yielding Rice Germplasm in African Countries through Anther Culture Breeding”. Milyang23 was back crossed 4 times with Oryza. glaberrima and fixed through anther culture in Korea. An evaluation of 50 lines generated showed that up to 98%, 92%, 88% and 88% of the test plants showed resistance to the RYMV, BLS, BLB and BL diseases, respectively. There was no symptoms of the four diseases in 74% of the genotypes tested. The plants that showed symptoms of the three diseases had scores of not more than 3 on a 1 to 9 scale. This preliminary finding demonstrates that these generations of rice lines could help solving the current problem of susceptibility to multiple diseases.
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    Modest Ag-Extension and Access to Seeds of Aromatic Rice Can Boost Returns of Smallholder Farmers in Uganda, A Case Study
    (Agriculture, 2022) Alibu, Simon; Obura, Morish; Ekebu, James; Nampamya, Doreen; Lamo, Jimmy; Asea, Godfrey; Tae-Seon, Park
    Limited farmer access to quality seeds of improved varieties and knowledge gaps in good agronomic practices are the major factors limiting rice productivity among smallholder farmers in Uganda. Promoting high yielding aromatic rice varieties alongside good agronomic practices can unlock commercial opportunities for smallholder farmers in rice cultivation, given that 80% of rice consumers in Uganda prefer aromatic rice, which is in short supply. This case study highlights a project’s achievements to accelerate the adoption of improved aromatic rice varieties among smallholder farmers in Uganda. This project supported a few selected farmers with the seed of a new aromatic rice variety, NARORICE-1, and equipped them with agronomic skills to raise their yields from an average of 3.1 to 4.1 t/ha. Line transplanting was identified as a crucial technology to increase rice yields among smallholders. Costly and inaccessible crop-enhancing inputs such as seeds and fertilizers, and an unfair distribution of irrigation water were the two main obstacles farmers face in rice production. Farmers valued NARORICE-1 for its aroma, high yield, and early maturity. The project’s training of a community seed producer improved farmers’ access to NARORICE- 1 seeds, increasing its adoption by 20% in two years. NARORICE-1 is much more in demand than any other variety and attracts a better price, making it an ideal innovation for increasing productivity and farmer’s incomes. An effective seed system and continuous farmer training are vital for accelerating impact.