Browsing by Author "Otim, Godfrey A."
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Item Conservation Farming and Changing Climate: More Beneficial than Conventional Methods for Degraded Ugandan Soils(Sustainability, 2017) Mubiru, Drake N.; Namakula, Jalia; Lwasa, James; Otim, Godfrey A.; Kashagama, Joselyn; Nakafeero, Milly; Nanyeenya, William; Coyne, Mark S.The extent of land affected by degradation in Uganda ranges from 20% in relatively flat and vegetation-covered areas to 90% in the eastern and southwestern highlands. Land degradation has adversely affected smallholder agro-ecosystems including direct damage and loss of critical ecosystem services such as agricultural land/soil and biodiversity. This study evaluated the extent of bare grounds in Nakasongola, one of the districts in the Cattle Corridor of Uganda and the yield responses of maize (Zea mays) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to different tillage methods in the district. Bare ground was determined by a supervised multi-band satellite image classification using the Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC). Field trials on maize and bean grain yield responses to tillage practices used a randomized complete block design with three replications, evaluating conventional farmer practice (CFP); permanent planting basins (PPB); and rip lines, with or without fertilizer in maize and bean rotations. Bare ground coverage in the Nakasongola District was 187 km2 (11%) of the 1741 km2 of arable land due to extreme cases of soil compaction. All practices, whether conventional or the newly introduced conservation farming practices in combination with fertilizer increased bean and maize grain yields, albeit with minimal statistical significance in some cases. The newly introduced conservation farming tillage practices increased the bean grain yield relative to conventional practices by 41% in PPBs and 43% in rip lines. In maize, the newly introduced conservation farming tillage practices increased the grain yield by 78% on average, relative to conventional practices. Apparently, conservation farming tillage methods proved beneficial relative to conventional methods on degraded soils, with the short-term benefit of increasing land productivity leading to better harvests and food security.Item Effects of Improved Cassava Varieties on Farmers’ Income in Northern Agro-ecological Zone, Uganda(Sustainable Agriculture Research, 2021) Akongo, Graceline O.; Otim, Godfrey A.; Turyagyenda, Laban F.; Bua, Anton; Komakech, Alfred; Obong, S.This paper examines the extent to which improved cassava varieties contribute to improvement in income of smallholder farmers in the Northern agro-ecological zone of Uganda. In order to achieve the objective, data was collected from PRELNOR supported farmers’ fields, other farmers’ fields and baseline cassava fields. Consequently, descriptive statistics, gross margin and stochastic frontier analysis were adopted during analysis. Results from the analysis revealed that higher yields per hectare were registered within PRELNOR supported farmers’ fields and yield from NAROCAS1 surpassed all the varieties (37.3 tons per hectare). Location specific results revealed that Gulu had better yields (34.5 tons per hectare) while Kitgum registered the lowest average yield (24.1 tons per hectare). Gross margin indicated that every Shilling invested in improved variety earned profit 1.3 to 1.8 times above the local variety and each shillings invested in PRELNOR supported fields generated 5.6 times above the baseline fields. The parameter estimate for profit function revealed that planting material, other production related costs, NAROCAS1, NASE14 and NASE19 were positively correlated with profit but labour and baseline field had negative correlations. Conversely, profit efficiency grew by 40% under improved varieties against local varieties. This study suggests that the difference in yields and profit between locations was caused by biophysical characteristic; disease tolerant varieties can tremendously improve profitability and income; meanwhile the profit gaps were partly attributed to inefficiency. This study recommends fast tracking adoption of pest and disease tolerant varieties and integrated research and development approach throughout the cassava value chain.Item Yield and Disease Responses of Improved Groundnut Genotypes Under Natural Disease Infection in Northern Uganda: Implication for Groundnut Disease Management(Journal of Agricultural Science, 2022) Kumakech, Alfred; Otim, Godfrey A.; Opio, Tonny; Komakech, Alfred; Turyagyenda, Laban F.Groundnut production in Uganda is constrained by groundnut rosette disease (GRD), the main cause of yield loss experienced by farmers. We conducted the current study to assess the responses of improved groundnuts to diseases (rosette and late leaf spot) and yield under local conditions. Four released groundnut genotypes (Serenut 5R, Serenut 8R, Serenut 9T and Serenut 14R) were evaluated in four locations in northern Uganda for two seasons in 2019. We established the experiment following randomised complete block design with three replications. GRD severity (harvest) and late leaf spot (LLS) severity (harvest) on the four genotypes were not significantly (P > 0.05) different but positively correlated with the Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC). Genotype-by-location interaction for LLS AUDPC, GRD AUDPC and dry pod yield were significant (P < .001). Season-by-genotype interaction was not significant (P = 0.367). Days to 50% flowering were also not significant (P > 0.05). Highest and lowest yields were recorded for Serenut 9T in the Omoro district (1,291 kg/acre) and the Amuru district (609 kg/acre), respectively. Dry pod yield was significantly (P < 0.001) negatively correlated with GRD severity and GRD AUDPC. Yield performance of the four genotypes was not significantly (P < 0.05) different in the districts, except for Kitgum, where yields of Serenut 9T and Serenut 8R were significantly (P < 0.05) higher. These genotypes could be used to manage GRD by smallholder farmers in Northern Uganda. Special consideration should therefore be given to these four groundnut genotypes for GRD management in the Acholi sub-region.