scholarly journals Assessing production constraints, management and use of pearl millet in the Guinea Savanna Agro-ecology of Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 288-298
Author(s):  
Anabire Asungre Peter ◽  
Akromah Richard ◽  
Wiredo Kena Alexander ◽  
Gangashetty Prakash
1970 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-420
Author(s):  
G. Kanfany ◽  
O. Diack ◽  
N.A. Kane ◽  
P. I. Gangashetty ◽  
O. Sy ◽  
...  

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) plays a critical role in smallholder food security in sub-Saharan Africa. The production of pearl millet has, however, stagnated or even declined due to several factors. The objective of this study was to assess farmer perceptions on production constraints and varietal preferences in Senegal. A survey was conducted involving 150 randomly selected farmers from 15 villages, in five representative rural communities of Senegal. A semi-structured questionnaire was used, supplemented by focus group discussions. Results revealed that parasitic Striga weed was the most constraining factor to pearl millet production across the rural communes. This was followed by low soil fertility and insect pests in that order. Other constraints included lack of machinery for sowing, plant diseases, drought, seed-eating birds, limited access to land for pearl millet cultivation and limited seed availability. Among the traits for varietal preference, farmers unanimously considered grain yield as the most important trait. Other important traits mentioned were adaptation to drought, adaptation to low soil fertility and earliness. These production constraints and varietal preference should be integrated in the profile of the national pearl millet breeding programmes in order to improve the productivity and adoption of bred-cultivars.


2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 765-775
Author(s):  
INOUSSA DRABO ◽  
ROGER G. ZANGRE ◽  
ERIC Y. DANQUAH ◽  
KWADWO OFORI ◽  
JOHN R. WITCOMBE ◽  
...  

SUMMARYThe low yield of pearl millet largely due to the low adoption of improved varieties substantiates the application of client-oriented plant breeding for pearl millet. Hence to enhance adoption, new varieties must correspond to farmers’ preferences and respond to the constraints prevailing in the production environments, participatory rural appraisals were conducted in two agro-ecological zones (Sahel and North-Sudan) to determine farmers’ preferences in the choice of varieties and to identify constraints to pearl millet production. The study revealed that the major production constraints are hierarchically drought, Striga, head miner, bird and downy mildew. Compact panicle, large grain size and non-bristle panicle were the most preferred traits in pearl millet across agro-ecological zones. Very long panicle and early maturity crop cycle were more preferred in the Sahel zone whereas, in the North-Sudan zone medium panicle length and medium maturity cycle were more preferred by farmers. Traits largely rejected by farmers were small grain size, narrow, loose and bristled panicle. Very few investigations were done to understand the raison of the low adoption of improved technologies in pearl millet. This study identified the major criteria of new pearl millet variety adoption by farmers. It is expected that breeding program must integrate these criteria in new pearl millet variety profiling to enhance adoption.


2004 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-163
Author(s):  
C. U. Egbo ◽  
M. A. Adagba ◽  
D. K. Adedzwa

Field trials were conducted in the wet seasons of 1997 and 1998 at Makurdi, Otukpo and Yandev in the Southern Guinea Savanna ecological zone of Nigeria to study the responses of ten soybean genotypes to intercropping. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design. The genotypes TGX 1807-19F, NCRI-Soy2, Cameroon Late and TGX 1485-1D had the highest grain yield. All the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) values were higher than unity, indicating that there is great advantage in intercropping maize with soybean. The yield of soybean was positively correlated with the days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, pods/plant and leaf area, indicating that an improvement in any of these traits will be reflected in an increase in seed yield. There was a significant genotype × yield × location interaction for all traits. This suggests that none of these factors acted independently. Similarly, the genotype × location interaction was more important than the genotype × year interaction for seed yield, indicating that the yield response of the ten soybean genotypes varied across locations rather than across years. Therefore, using more testing sites for evaluation may be more important than the number of years.


The present study was carried out in three districts viz; Rewari, Sirsa and Hisar of Haryana state. A survey of 60 sampled farms was conducted to extract information pertaining to various expenses incurred in cultivation of castor and output attained as well as to ascertain the perception of farmers for various problems encountered in production and marketing of castor seed. The descriptive analysis was employed to draw valid inferences from the study. The results revealed that net profit accrued from cultivation of castor seed was ₹ 46331 ha -1 in the study area. The value of B: C ratio of castor cultivation was more than one and also higher as compared to prevalent cropping systems indicated that cultivation of castor seed is economical viable entity. However, production constraints like retention of F2 seed in the field over year, grain scattering, shortage of irrigation water, frost effect on crop yield and marketing constraints like absence of MSP, higher transportation cost sale of castor seed in distant markets, frequent fluctuation in market price, non-availability of processing units were observed.


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