Browsing by Author "Komurembe, M."

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    A study on the management and quality of farmers’ home-saved bean seeds in Lira and Masindi Districts
    (Uganda Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2003-01-01) Kabeere, F.; Mutyaba,, C.J.; Agona,J.A.; Komurembe, M.; Muyinza, H.
    A baseline study was conducted in Lira and Masindi districts to determine farmers’ practices of harvesting, processing, storage and protection of home-saved bean seeds. Two parishes from two counties in each district were selected as sampling sites. Farmers’ seed source; seed preparation and planting practices; bean harvest and harvesting techniques; primary processing, storage and seed protection methods were investigated. Representative seed samples were obtained from farmers in March and in August 1999, the months preceding the first and second planting seasons, for quality analysis in the laboratory. The blotter method was used to determine seed health status. The results showed the predominant reliance on home- saved seeds as source of planting materials by farmers. Seeds were salvaged from grains, only at the time of planting. The quality of farmers’ home-saved seeds was poor and this was compensated for during planting by high seeding rate. The main constraint to bean storage were bruchids and they adversely affected the germination capacity of seeds. Improved grain processing, storage and protection technologies that are “seed friendly” have been recommended for application on home-saved seeds.
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    Effect of Grain Splitting on Biology and Development of Callosobruchus Maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) in Storage
    (Uganda Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2013) Muyinza, H.; Komurembe, M.; Lugoloobi, A.; Musitalla, G.; Aguti, G.
    Bruchids belonging to Callosobruchus spp. Order Coleoptera are the main storage loss causative pests on cowpea grains in East Africa. Losses have been estimated to be as high as 5-15 % within a few months of storage at farmers’ level. In this study the effect of grain splitting on the biology of C. maculatus was investigated. The cowpea grain treatments compared included split grains + no testa, split grains with testa, compared with whole un-split cowpea grains. Gravid female 4-day old C. maculatus were allowed to oviposit on the cowpea grain which had been pre-conditioned to 12% moisture content, then removed. Data on oviposition, adult eclosion and weights of emergent adults were collected over 3 weevil development generations. Mean separations were done using Analysis of Variance. There was significant reduction (P< 0.05) in oviposition and emergent adults for C. maculatus at F1, F2 and F3 generations on spilt compared to whole grains. Mean oviposition levels on split grain without testa was with only 1.3 ± 1 eggs compared to 258 ± 14 eggs in the controls at F3. Oviposition levels reduced with generation time in all the treatments. The control had the highest adult weevil emergence and mean adult weevil weights (78.8 ± 6.9) with no emergent adults from completely split grains at F3. Mean weevils were highest in the controls and reduced with generation time with least adult weights from the split grain. In this study we conclude that grain splitting reduces development of C. maculatus spp. and could be a viable option in the integrated management of this bruchid pest during storage at farmer level.