Using translational research to enhance farmers’ voice: a case study of the potential introduction of GM cassava in Kenya’s coast     

Corinne Valdivia  M. Kengo Danda  Dekha Sheikh  Harvey S. James Jr.  Violet Gathaara  Grace Mbure  Festus Murithi  William Folk 《Agriculture and Human Values》2014,31(4):673-681

Genetically modified (GM) cassava is currently being developed to address problems of diseases that threaten the food security of farmers in developing countries. The technologies are aimed at smallholder farmers, in hopes of reducing the vulnerability of cassava production to these diseases. In this paper we examine barriers to farmers’ voice in the development of GM cassava. We also examine the role of a translational research process to enhance farmers’ voice, to understand the sources of vulnerability farmers in a group in Kenya’s Coast face, and to determine if their concerns are consistent with those of the scientists in agriculture addressing farmers’ needs. A two-way communication participatory process provided insights into the complex vulnerability context of farmers, their primary concerns with processing and markets of cassava in order to improve livelihoods, the lack of networks with two way communication flows, and the lack of information on GM technologies. The translational research engaged farmers and scientists in an iterative process where scientists are learning what farmers need, and farmers are learning about the potential benefits and risks from GM technologies, while at the same time expressing their concerns.  相似文献   

Evaluation of soybean genotypes for resistance against the rust-causing fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi in East Africa     

Harun Muthuri Murithi  Mercy Namara  Mussa Tamba  Phinehas Tukamuhabwa  George Mahuku  H. Peter van Esse  Bart P. H. J. Thomma  Matthieu H. A. J. Joosten 《Plant pathology》2021,70(4):841-852

Soybean rust, caused by the biotrophic fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi, is the most important foliar disease of soybean (Glycine max) worldwide. Deployment of resistant soybean cultivars is the best option for managing this disease. Genes conferring resistance to P. pachyrhizi have been identified, but pathotypes of the rust fungus overcoming these resistance genes have also been found. To identify novel resistance genes, soybean genotypes from both local and international sources were screened at multiple locations in Tanzania and Uganda in 2016 and 2017. The results from this screening revealed that infection types, disease severities, and sporulation levels varied among the genotypes and locations. The majority of the genotypes had tan-coloured (TAN) lesions and developed moderate sporulation, implying susceptibility, while only seven of the 71 lines had reddish-brown (RB) lesions and showed low disease severities in all of the screening environments. We identified seven genotypes that were the most resistant to rust in the most locations over the two years. These genotypes will be useful for further studies and, ultimately, for rust management, as they show broad resistance to various pathotypes of the rust fungus.  相似文献   

Occurrence of rift valley fever in cattle in Ijara district,Kenya     

Nelson O. Owange  William O. Ogara  Hippolyte Affognon  Gathura B. Peter  Jacqueline Kasiiti  Sam Okuthe  W. Onyango-Ouma  Tobias Landmann  Rosemary Sang  Murithi Mbabu 《Preventive veterinary medicine》2014

Ijara district in Kenya was one of the hotspots of rift valley fever (RVF) during the 2006/2007 outbreak which led to human and animal deaths causing huge economic and public health losses. The main constraint in the control and prevention of RVF is inadequate knowledge on its occurrence during the interepidemic period. This study was aimed at understanding the occurrence of RVF in cattle in Ijara to enable the development of improved community-based disease surveillance, prediction, control and prevention.  相似文献   

Diversity and distribution of pathotypes of the soybean rust fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi in East Africa     

Harun M. Murithi  Rafael M. Soares  George Mahuku  H. Peter van Esse  Matthieu H. A. J. Joosten 《Plant pathology》2021,70(3):655-666

Phakopsora pachyrhizi is a biotrophic fungus that causes rust on soybean, leading to devastating yield losses. Development of resistant cultivars for deployment in different geographic regions requires a comprehensive understanding of the prevalent P. pachyrhizi pathotypes. To determine the pathotypes existing in four East African countries, 65 isolates were tested on 11 soybean host differentials. In addition, the virulence spectrum of isolates collected from the same region over multiple years was compared. The majority of the isolates (54%) belonged to pathotype 1000, which was found in all countries. The pathotypes with the most complex virulence spectrum, which comprised isolates from Kenya and Malawi, were virulent on four differentials. All pathotypes were virulent on soybean genotypes carrying the Rpp1 resistance gene to P. pachyrhizi, but they were avirulent on cultivars carrying the Rpp1b, Rpp2, or Rpp3 gene, as well as on cultivar No6-12-1 that carries Rpp2, Rpp4, and Rpp5. Two of the pathotypes were virulent on cultivar UG 5 that carries Rpp1 and Rpp3 and on Hyuuga that carries Rpp3 and Rpp5. The isolates collected from different countries differed in their virulence spectrum across the years. Shannon's index (H) and Simpson's index (S) of diversity indicated that the isolates from Malawi were more diverse (H = 1.55, S = 0.90) while those from Uganda had lower diversity (H = 0.78, S = 0.46 ). The Rpp genes that were found to provide resistance to all pathotypes of P. pachyrhizi can be employed for soybean breeding aimed at durable rust resistance.  相似文献   

Soybean production in eastern and southern Africa and threat of yield loss due to soybean rust caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi          下载免费PDF全文

H. M. Murithi  F. Beed  P. Tukamuhabwa  B. P. H. J. Thomma  M. H. A. J. Joosten 《Plant pathology》2016,65(2):176-188

Soybean is a major source of oil and proteins worldwide. The demand for soybean has increased in Africa, driven by the growing feed industry for poultry, aquaculture and home consumption in the form of processed milk, baked beans and for blending with maize and wheat flour. Soybean, in addition to being a major source of cooking oil, is also used in other industrial processes such as in the production of paints and candle wax. The demand for soybean in Africa so far outweighs the supply, hence the deficit is mainly covered through imports of soybean products such as soybean meal. The area under soybean production has increased in response to the growing demand, a trend that is expected to continue in the coming years. As the production area increases, diseases and insect pests, declining soil fertility and other abiotic factors pose a major challenge. Soybean rust disease, caused by the fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi, presents one of the major threats to soybean production in Africa due to its rapid spread as a result of the ease by which its spores are dispersed by the wind. Disease control by introducing resistant soybean varieties has been difficult due to the presence of different populations of the fungus that vary in pathogenicity, virulence and genetic composition. Improved understanding of the dynamics of rust ecology, epidemiology and population genetics will enhance the effectiveness of targeted interventions that, in turn, will safeguard soybean productivity.  相似文献