Browsing by Author "Maerere, A.P."
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Item Banana (Musa spp. Colla) cropping systems, production constraints and cultivar preferences in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo(2009-09-15) Dowiya, N .B.; Rweyemamu, C . l.; Maerere, A.P.Banana and plantain (Musa spp.) are important crops in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for food security and household income. However, yield has been decreasing to an average of 4.6 tons/ha currently, and the factors leading to the decline have not been fully determined. In the present study a diagnostic survey was conducted in the South Kivu (SK) and North Kivu (NK) regions of the country to determine the existing banana production constraints. Soil was sampled for analysis from 240 fields (30 samples/site) from 8 sites. The results indicated that apart from one site (Maboya, NK), soil fertility is not a limiting factor for banana production in the area. Planting materials used by farmers are exclusively suckers from existing crops and there is no institution producing clean planting materials in the area. Tillage using hand hoes for the purpose of growing common bean causes destruction of banana roots leading to poor nutrient uptake which contribute to low yield (3kg/bunch). Weed control is done by hand using hoes. Inadequate weeding and inappropriate desuckering practices increases competition between plants, leading to production of small bunches. In order of importance, the most important criteria for cultivar selection were flavour/taste, juice quality, resistance to disease and bunch size. Diseases including black Sigatoka, Fusarium wilt, Xanthomonas wilt, bunchy top virus, nematodes and weevils were identified as among the main causes of cultivar disappearance in eastern DRC. Although farmers have generally little knowledge on banana plantation management, they have good understanding on value addition through beer brewing. Hence farmers allocate an average of 50% of banana fields to wine producing cultivars. Cultivars from subgroup like AAA-Cavendish, AAA-Gros Michel, AAA-Ibota, AB-Ney poovan, AABKamaramasengi and ABB are well adopted for wine making. A total of twenty nine and thirty two banana accessions were found to be grown by farmers in SK and in NK, respectively. Based on similarity among these accessions using farmers’ criteria two clusters were identified consisting of wine/beer banana, and a combination of cooking, roasting and dessert types. The good market demand for plantains have motivated farmers in North-Kivu to allocate the largest part of their farms (25%) to French plantain Nguma (AAB) while in South Kivu the largest area (64.5%) is allocated to Nshikazi (AAA-EAHB) for beer production. Farmers’ mixed cropping system includes legumes, cereals, and multipurpose trees in the banana plantation or as hedgerows. Banana production can be improved in the study area using participatory research and development approach where smallholder farmers could evaluate appropriate technology introduced in the form of research. The key intervention measures are introduction of improved varieties with high yield and/or resistant to disease and sensitization on integrated pest management which could contribute into food security and poverty reduction.Item Deriving appropriate pest management technologies for smallholder tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) growers: A case study of Morogoro, Tanzania(Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 2010) Maerere, A.P.; Sibuga, K.P.; Bulali, J.E.M.; Mwatawala, M.W.; Kovach, J.; Kyamanywa, S.; Mtui, H.D.; Erbaugh, MThe current standard farmer practice for insect pests and disease control in tomatoes is routine weekly pesticide sprays which are not always required. Field experiments were conducted at Morogoro, Tanzania to evaluate the effect of seven management practices (sub plots) on pest incidence and yields during May-September 2007 (normal production season) and October 2007 - February 2008 (off-season) using two determinate varieties CALJ and Tanya (main plots) in a RCBD with five replications. Practices involving intercropping with Vigna unguiculata or Cleome gynandra, application of fertilizer or mulch were severely infested by insects particularly thrips (Frankinlla occidentalis) which averaged 30 insects/plant at 64 days after transplanting. The standard and integrated pest management (IPM) practices led to similar low levels of insect pest and disease control though in the IPM only 3 pesticide sprays were applied compared to 10 for the standard practice. In the normal season, disease incidences of early blight (Phytophthrora infestans), late blight (Altenaria solani), leaf spot (Septoria lycopersici) and leaf curl were low (<10%) except for fertilizer and mulch treatment where incidences were close to 50%. The greatest fruit damage (>50%) was ascribed to Helicoverpa armigera. Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), the most dominant weed, was initially controlled by pre-transplanting application of Round-up® and mulch suppressed the growth of the dominant broadleaf weeds Digera muricata (false amaranth); Amaranthus spp (pigweeds) and Commelina benghalensis (wondering jew). In the normal season, tomato yields with current farmer practice were highest averaging 18.5 t/ha which was not significantly different (P=0.05) from mulch application (14 t/ha) followed by IPM (12.1 t/ha). Similarly, in the off-season crop, yields were highest and similar for mulch and standard practice (4.8 t/ha) followed by IPM (3.4 t/ha). Farmers selected mulch application and IPM for on-farm demonstration to verify production costs and benefits.Item Effects of local storage practices on deterioration of African eggplant (solanum aethiopicum l.) fruits(2015) Majubwa, R.O.; Msogoya, T.J.; Maerere, A.P.The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of postharvest storage practices on shelf life of African eggplant fruits based on decay and water losses. A laboratory experiment was laid out in a split plot arrangement following a complete randomized block design with three replications. Three African eggplant cultivars (Tengeru white, Manyire green and AB2) and four post-harvest storage practices (perforated polyethylene bags, woven polypropene bags, closed paper boxes and on-bench storage) were used as main plot and sub-plot factors, respectively. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means separation was conducted based on Student- Newman Keuls at P<0.05 using MSTAT-C statistical software. Results indicated that fruits stored in perforated polyethylene bags had significantly (p=0.001) the lowest water loss and longest shelf life though they suffered the highest incidence of decays. The decay and shelf life varied with African eggplant cultivars where cv. AB2 had significantly (P=0.001) the lowest decay incidence and longest shelf compared with cv. Tengeru white and Manyire green. Further studies are required to evaluate the effect of fruit disinfection prior to storage in perforated polyethylene bags on the shelf life of eggplant fruits.Item Host range and distribution of fruit-infesting pestiferous fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae) in selected areas of Central Tanzania(Cambridge University Pres, 2009) Mwatawala, M.W.; Meyer, M. De; Makundi, Rhodes H.; Maerere, A.P.The host range of major fruit fly pests in Central Tanzania was evaluated from October 2004 to October 2006. Samples of 48 potential hosts were collected and incubated for fruit fly emergence. Bactrocera invadens was the dominant species in incidence expressed as the ratio of infested to total number samples collected, as well as infestation rate, expressed as number of flies emerging per unit weight. Eight new host fruits are reported. Infestation by native pests, such as Ceratitis capitata and C. cosyra, was minor compared to B. invadens. Ceratitis rosa was the dominant species in temperate fruits, and Cucurbitaceae were mainly infested by Bactrocera cucurbitae, a specialized cucurbit feeder. Among commercial fruits, high infestation incidences were observed in mango and guava, but they decreased throughout the fruiting season. Low infestation rates were observed in all Citrus species and in avocado, indicating these fruits as poor hosts for the studied fruit fly pests in this region. Widespread availability and abundance of fruit species studied here ensures year-round breeding of B. invadens. Seasonal infestation dif- fers, with mango being the most important host in October to January, while guava being important from February to August. Tropical almond showed very high incidence and infestation rate for B. invadens and might act as an important reservoir host, bridging the fruiting seasons of mango and guava. Soursop acts as an important host for C. cosyra after the mango season. Ceratitis capitata is a pest of minor importance of the commercial fruits studied in this region