Working Document Series Open Access Potential of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) to improve soil physical properties of sandy soils in central Zimbabwe D. Chinamo · F Mapanda · G. Nyamadzawo · M. Wuta Most farmers in the smallholder areas practice conventional tillage which results in soil loss of between 10-34 t ha-1 yr-1. Tillage also results in breakdown of macroaggregates into smaller aggregates as well as primary particles. Close p… RUF-34374 2010 CC BY 4.0 20 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Response of sorghum genotypes to indigenous and exotic stem borers in Kenya P. Gibson · S. Kyamanywa · M. Mgonja · P.W. Muturi +1 more Field trials are being conduced in Kenya to identify sources of resistance, especially multiple resistance to Buseola fusca and Chilo partellus, two devastating pests of maize in sub-Saharan Africa. Genotypes ICSB 464, ICSB 467, Macia, IES… RUF-34367 2010 CC BY 4.0 20 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Participatory management of Striga in cereal-based cropping systems in eastern Uganda J. Bisikwa · I. Kapting · M. B. Karuhanga · M. Otim +2 more Striga hermonthica is a parasitic weed that infects cereal crops often causing 30-100% crop losses on farmers’ fields. Past research has developed several effective Striga control strategies, most of which have not been adopted by farmers,… RUF-34365 2010 CC BY 4.0 20 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Assessment of groundnut yield loss due to the groundnut leaf miner, Aproaerema modicella infestation in Mozambique M. Botao · D. Cugala · L. Santos · A. Sidumo +1 more The groundnut leaf miner, Aproaerema modicella Deventer (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is an invasive alien Asian species in Mozambique. A. modicella was reported for the first time in 1998 in Uganda. In Mozambique, Groundnut leaf miner was f… RUF-34364 2010 CC BY 4.0 20 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Distribution and potential invasion of Opuntia spp. on selected Namibian sites L.R. Brown · P.J. Du Preez · I.U. Kavirindi The distribution, density and size attributes of an alien invasive species, Opuntia spp., were assessed on each of north, west, south and eastern communal and commercial farming sites in Namibia. A chemical control trial on this species wa… RUF-34363 2010 CC BY 4.0 20 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Collection and documentation of Papaya germplasm in Kenya. G. O. Asudi · E. M. Ateka · A. B. Nyende · F. K. Ombwara +2 more Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is one of the major fruit crops of Kenya and the tropics in general. It shows considerable phenotypic variation in morphological and horticultural traits that can be utilized in genetic improvement. The objective … RUF-34358 2010 CC BY 4.0 20 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access The effects of water stress on yield and water productivity of two newly released wheat varieties H. Sirelkhatim Ahmed · A. Amel Ali This experiment was conducted under Gezira condition,Wad Medani, latitude 14º 242 N, longitude 33º 292 E and with an elevation of 405 m above the sea level, during season (2008/2009). A split plot design with four replications and nine irr… RUF-34350 2010 CC BY 4.0 20 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Effects of chicken and cattle manure on wheat production and soil properties in the high terrace and Karu soils in River Nile State in the Sudan Hassan Khalid Ali · Ali Alkhazin Ali Yousif This study was conducted at Hudeiba Research farm on karu and high terrace soils for two consecutive seasons (2008/09 and 2009/10). Organic manures are traditionally used for supplying plant nutrients. Eight different fertilizer combinatio… RUF-34343 2010 CC BY 4.0 20 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Assessment of the fruit fly, Batrocera invadens, pest status and the establishment of the parasitoid, Fopius arisanus in Mozambique G. Albano · D. Cugala · L. Santos Asian fruit flies in the genus Bactrocera (Diptera: Tephritidae) are regarded as some of the most destructive pests of fruits and vegetables worldwide and rank high on quarantine lists worldwide. Losses result from direct feeding damage, d… RUF-34342 2010 CC BY 4.0 20 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Diversity and colonization of permanent and semi-permanent breeding habitats by Anopheles mosquitoes in a semi-arid ecosystem of Baringo district in Kenya S.O. Arum · E.D. Kokwaro · F. Mulwa Diversity, occurrence and utilization of mosquito breeding habitats is an essential component of vector ecology and important in designing and implementation of vector management programs. A one year larval survey was conducted to determin… RUF-34341 2010 CC BY 4.0 20 Aug 2015
Policy Briefs Open Access Research briefs for the Fourth Graduate Research Grants Call RUF-34334 2015 CC BY 4.0 19 Aug 2015
Policy Briefs Open Access Research Briefs for the Fifth Graduate Research Grants Call RUF-34333 2015 CC BY 4.0 19 Aug 2015
Policy Briefs Open Access Research briefs for the Third Graduate Research Grants Call RUF-34332 2015 CC BY 4.0 18 Aug 2015
Policy Briefs Open Access Research briefs for the Sixth Graduate Research Grants Call RUF-34331 2015 CC BY 4.0 18 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access A study to assess agricultural E-resource use and its impacts within the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture consortium F. Njogu · D. Onyango Electronic resources (E-resources) enable students, lecturers, librarians and researchers, to conduct multiple searches, print citations and full text and access publications remotely through hyperlinks to related content. These processes … RUF-34330 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Strengthening research capacity for agricultural development in post-conflict and protracted crisis countries in africa: A FARA perspective I. Annor-Frempong · N.K. Ojijo, Olang’o Conflicts or crises are prevalent in a number of African countries and invariably cause disruption of economic and livelihood support systems. The agricultural sector, a major contributor to economies of these countries, is often the most … RUF-34327 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Delivering value chain based extension services through innovative ICT: Role of tertiary education institutions and development partners P. Mbukwa · C. Mkondya · N. Nhantumbo · Q. Noordin Value chain based extension and advisory services are critical in enhancing the knowledge and skills of smallholder farmers in Africa as they engage in transformative agriculture. In many countries, these services are constrained mainly du… RUF-34326 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Human resource capacity in conservation and use of plant genetic resources in the SADC region: A review M.P. Munyenyembe · L.L. Qhobela This review presents the main achievements made by the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) – Plant Genetic Resources Centre (SPGRC) in training and building capacity in conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources s… RUF-34322 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access A ‘Trojan Horse’ approach to change: The case of GO4IT1 Willem Heemskerk · Washington Ochola · Mariana Wongtschowski Go4IT was based on the realisation that universities in Africa could improve their student training programmes, to bring change to these countries’ rural realities. To do this, the universities needed to improve the quality and content of … RUF-34317 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Creating an innovation platform for research impact: Lessons from the smallholder soyabean program in Zimbabwe S. Mpepereki This paper outlines the establishment of a broad innovation platform on to which more players were invited in efforts to meet the demands of participating farmers. We share this experience to encourage others to undertake impact-oriented p… RUF-34316 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Harnessing agricultural science for the people: Are African Universities doing enough? S. Mpepereki Agricultural research in many African universities has been project-based and piece-meal, failing to focus on understanding the socio-cultural context of African agricultural systems and their interaction with the physical environment, and… RUF-34315 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Strengthening capacity in tertiary agricultural education and training Institutions: The case of iAGRI I. Minde The Innovative Agricultural Research Initiative (iAGRI) aims to strengthen training and collaborative research capacities of Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and the Tanzanian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives … RUF-34313 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Establishment of LMD-Aligned Master programme in post-conflicts countries of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa E. Adipala · L. D’Haese · Freedom. King · C.L. Kizza +4 more Food insecurity and poor health are recognized as key drivers of emergence of conflicts in low income countries. Sustainable peace building strategy should therefore consider investing in increased access to food and nutrition while simult… RUF-34312 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Non-timber forest products and local ecological knowledge on livelihoods in Mocuba district, Mozambique Ananias Hofiço Noé dos Santos The dependency of many african rural households on natural resources for sustenance is widely acknowledged. Local ecological Knowledge is developed from the continuous relationship between humans and their environment, mainly through the d… RUF-34311 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015
Working Document Series Open Access Effectiveness of information and communication technologies in dissemination of agricultural information to smallholder farmers in Kilosa District, Tanzania B.F. Kyazze · C. Levi · H. Sseguya Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) have the potential to act as effective information dissemination channel that facilitates sustainable relationships between farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture sector. Past and on-goi… RUF-34308 2014 CC BY 4.0 17 Aug 2015