Cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) is a major threat to smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where cassava is a staple crop. Caused by cassava brown streak ipomoviruses (CBSIs), CBSD has spread extensively since its detection in Uganda in 2004, raising concerns about ongoing spread through Southern and Central Africa and potential expansion to West Africa, home to the world’s largest cassava producer, Nigeria. Building on a stochastic epidemiological model that predicts CBSD spread at the scale of Uganda, we incorporate extensive field surveillance records to extend the model to all thirty-two major cassava-producing countries in SSA. We then deploy the model to address key strategic questions such as estimating the present day CBSD distribution and predicting rates of ongoing spread towards West Africa. We also evaluate the risk of direct introductions resulting from extreme cases of long-range movement of infected planting material by air, sea or land, which could trigger outbreaks far beyond normal dispersal limits. Our model predicts the likely arrival of CBSD in Nigeria via cross-continental spread within 25 years, and if directly introduced anywhere in West Africa, spreading to most West African nations within 10 years of introduction. The risks of ongoing and future CBSD spread highlighted in this study underscore the need for proactive phytosanitation measures, including clean seed programs, vector control, and quarantine policies to curb CBSD spread. Moreover, the model described in this study not only provides estimates for arrival times across SSA, but also lays the foundations for a continental-scale quantitative framework wherein both surveillance and management options can be explored and optimised.
Sorghum is a crucial crop for sustainable agriculture due to its drought resistance, low carbon footprint, and diverse applications in food, feed, and bioenergy. However, understanding the impact of climate change on sorghum production is essential for ensuring its future sustainability. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of scientific publications related to sorghum and climate change using the Web of Science (WoS) database, covering the period from 1984 to 2024. A total of 1053 relevant papers were analyzed, revealing an average annual growth rate of 12.73% and an average citation count of 32.02 per document. Most of the publications (83.5%) were research articles, while 9.7% were review papers. Among the contributing researchers, Prasad PVV emerged as the most productive author based on an h ‐index of 13, whereas the United States was identified as the most influential country, contributing 235 documents and 13,750 citations. Keyword clustering analysis identified five major research themes, including sustainable energy and environmental impacts, climate resilience, socioeconomic effects of climate change, and key crops. The findings of this study offer valuable scientific insights to guide future research and policymaking on climate change and sorghum sustainability.
The study was conducted in the Lake Zone of Tanzania to investigate strategies used to diversify paddy markets while increasing profits. A survey was conducted in Mwanza (Misungwi and Sengerema districts) and Shinyanga regions (Kahama and Shinyanga rural districts), where 265 respondents (231 male and 34 female) were involved. The results showed that most farmers are food insecure due to the fact that they sell their rice beyond threshold. Marketed surplus for paddy farmers was 66.40% where marketable surplus was 60.31% of the total production. Moreover, farmers market rice expanded profit margin by gaining extra profit of 19364.73 TZS equivalent to 27.60% of the paddy traders. Furthermore, 94.90 % of paddy farmers in the study area do not employ chemical inputs i.e. pesticide where 5.10 %. In conclusion, due to low purchasing power of farmers and high cost of chemical fertilizers in their areas paddy farmers may use organic sources of fertilizers such as farm yard manures (FYM) to intensify and improve their production in order to increase productivity, profitability and welfare.
Objective: A field study was undertaken to examine the effect of reduced Mepiquat chloride (MC) dosage applied at different times to enhance the yield and quality attributes of cotton at the Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute, Adana, Türkiye, during the 2022 cropping season. Material and Methods: A split-split plot experiment following a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was employed.Varieties (Sezener and Selin) were assigned to the main plots, application times (before and after flowering) to the sub-plots, and MC concentrations (0, 40, 40+40 and 80 cc/da) to the sub-sub-plots. Results: Results shown that Sezener outperformed Selin across metrics: higher fiber yield (490.6 vs 447.5 kg/ha), reflectance (69.8 vs 63.5), and yellowness (11.9 vs 10.8). Under Sezener, the 80 cc/da dosage at 60 days after sowing maximized yield (530.2 kg/ha). Selin showed poorest yield (360.3 kg/ha) and highest trash (2.60%), while Sezener had lowest (0.57%). Mepiquat chloride doses effected quality parameters differently for both varieties. The effect changed within application time. It has been determined that the application of Mepiquat chloride has different effects on the quality parameters in two varieties, and the effect varied according to the time of application. As a matter of fact, in the yellowness parameter, unlike other quality parameters, Selin variety had the lowest, while Sezener had the highest value. Conclusion: Although most effects were not statistically significant, certain variety-application time interactions revealed practical differences that may inform future studies. Therefore, to maximize monetary returns, further research is needed to enhance yield and quality parameters in the Mediterranean region of Türkiye. In addition, more comprehensive studies should be carried out to understand the change in the effect of Mepiquat chloride application on the basis of varieties.
African eggplant ( Solanum aethiopicum ) is one of the most popular traditional African vegetables in Tanzania and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa, but there is very limited information about production practices and constraints in the literature. The objective of this study was to quantify the adoption of improved African eggplant varieties and related agricultural practices, and to describe challenges associated with the production of this crop in Tanzania. To do this, we conducted interviews on a random sample of 404 farm households producing African eggplant in Tanzania. Three commonly grown African eggplant varieties identified in this study were “DB3” (adopted by 73% of households), “Tengeru White” (25%), and “Manyire Green” (8%), all of which were developed by the World Vegetable Center in Tanzania. Farmers had a preference for varieties with high yield, good market demand and good taste. Farmers earned a profit of USD 6.13 for each dollar invested in the production of African eggplant. Production of the crop is mainly constrained by pests and diseases, and low market price. Development and promotion of varieties tolerant to pests and diseases, coupled with good agronomic practices are likely to improve productivity. Promoting consumer demand for the crop could also create a more reliable market for farmers, thus increasing their income and diversifying the diets of consumers.
