Characteristics of farmers’ selection criteria for cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) varieties differ between north and south regions of Burkina Faso (original) (raw)
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Japan Agricultural Research Quarterly: JARQ, 2019
A comparative analysis of farmers' preferences on improved cowpea varieties was carried out based on the data obtained from farmers' participatory varietal selection and questionnaire survey undertaken in southeastern Niger and north-central Burkina Faso. The grain yield was consistently the most important and common selection criterion for farmers in both countries, with a significant influence of other traits, including balance between grain and fodder yields, earliness, seed characteristics, and resistance to Striga gesnerioides in their variety selection process. In other words, if the variety had enough yield, the farmers' selection of the variety was separated from the second criterion reflecting farmers' demand specific to their social and environmental conditions, such as tradition, marketing, assets, rainfall, and biotic and abiotic stresses in the region. Key criteria for farmers' variety selection were obtained as well as an understanding of the potential of participatory activities to improve strategies in cowpea breeding and dissemination targeting these regions.
2016
Cowpea is one of the most important crops of dryland farmers with wide geneticdiversity for growth habit; biomass and bean seed yield, resistance/ tolerance to bioticand abiotic stresses, and responsiveness to inputs. In the present study, farmers’participatory forage cowpea variety evaluation and selection was carried out (using ahierarchical decision making Multi Criteria Analysis model) at three districts (Adama,Boset and Mieso) in the mid Rift Valley areas of Ethiopia. Farmers compared and ratedsix selection criteria and four candidate forage type cowpea varieties pairwise. Theresults showed that, on average, farmers rated resistance / tolerance to drought as mostimportant selection criterion followed by higher bean seed and biomass yields. Amongthe candidate varieties, farmers rated variety ILRI-9334 as better in terms of resistance/tolerance to diseases, insects and droughts. On the other hand, variety ILRI-11110 wasrated as early maturing, whereas variety ILRI-9352 was descri...
International Journal of Biosciences, 2024
Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) is an important legume serving multiple roles for many low-income farmers. However, its productivity remains low and discrepancies exist in selection and acceptability criteria. Including farmer-preferences could help develop adoptable varieties. This study surveyed present production practices among 64 representative smallholders to inform breeding objectives. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data analysed using SPSS Software version 23. Education, land, drought, seed sources, improved variety, seed availability, and pests significantly (P<0.001) affected cowpea production. Most respondents were married, aged 31-40 years, and had primary, secondary or tertiary education. About 60.9% practiced mixed cropping, while 60.9% grew cowpea with multiple crop cycles. Whereas majority relied on rain, 32.8% strongly agreed that drought determined cowpea variety adopted. Acreage cultivated was <1 acre by 84.4% respondents. Farmers named 7 insect-pests as major threats, with aphids leading (67.2%). Five diseases were major constraints, with cowpea mosaic virus leading (64.1%). Majority (68.8%) grew cowpea for dual usage as grains and leafy vegetables. Farmer-preference revealed that leaf texture, seed colour and availability traits determine variety choice. Households totalling 46.9% preferred medium leaf texture with delicious (28.1%), sweet (26.6%) or bitter (12.5%) taste. There was a significant association between region and drought (χ 2 =15.57, df=4, P=0.004), region and production purpose (χ 2 =16.49, df=2, P=0.004), as well as region and utilisation (χ 2 =8.44, df=1, P=0.004). In Western 38.2% and Eastern 63.3% respondents strongly agreed that drought was a constraint. A total of 70% and 52.9% respondents in Eastern and Western, respectively, grew cowpea as a mixed crop. Most respondents (47.1%) in Western grew cowpea for leafy vegetables, while 86.7% in Eastern grew for dual-usage. This study recommends use of present baseline information on key selection criteria in generating demand-led variety design during breeding.
Farmers’ selection cues in cowpea for vegetable use in eastern Uganda
African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
A participatory cowpea varietal selection was carried out in Eastern Uganda in Kumi district among farmers (n=30) in the sub-Counties of: Ongino, Kumi and Kanyum. A range of opinions were collected to identify farmers’ selection criteria based on different sensory attributes and their most preferred genotypes for vegetable use. A preference analysis was carried out to obtain quantitative preference scores of each plot. This was followed by organoleptic tests which included attributes like taste, aroma and texture of the genotypes at the vegetative and immature R4 stages. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were also held to find consensus of the independent evaluations made by individual farmers. Data for sixteen (16) cowpea genotypes were collected at the different above mentioned stages. Quantitative data were analyzed based on farmers’ scores made on the different evaluated attributes and ANOVA was used to provide mean differences between location, gender and genotype at a significant...
Farmer participation in selection within segregating populations of cowpea in Volta Region, Ghana
Agriculture & Food Security, 2015
Background: Participatory plant breeding leads to early adoption of a newly released variety as farmers would be aware of whatever advantage it might have over prior existing ones as early as possible. Cowpea farmers around Ohawu in the Volta Region of Ghana where the crop is one of the most important cash crops had no variety specifically developed for their environment. This research followed farmers' interest identified earlier for the development of varieties with preferred consumer traits. Methods: Farmers were chosen from 25 communities within the cowpea growing area by the help of agricultural extension officers. Fifty farmers including 25 males and females each, 7 scientists and 15 other persons with different backgrounds were involved in the selection exercise. The final plants selected were based on the total number of participants' endorsement and analysis of variance for their seed size. Results: Selections were made from six F 3 populations with parents of various unique traits obtained from Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, or United States of America. Four most liked cowpea plants from each of the six populations were selected to be advanced and tried in multi-locations towards probable release. Conclusions: Participants were very enthused with the selection exercise hoping of seeing some of their selections resulting into varieties. Farmers were interested in selecting plants with long multiple pods and early maturing. The exercise was educative for all participants.
Yield Stability and Farmer Preference of Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata) Lines in Semi-Arid Eastern Kenya
Afrika Focus
Stability in yields of agronomically acceptable cultivars is generally regarded as the ultimate goal in cowpea improvement. Nine advanced cowpea lines and 3 local checks were evaluated for grain yield in eastern Kenya with the aim of identifying stable genotypes and integrating farmer preferences. The study was conducted in 3 locations over 2 years under a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Stability was estimated using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and genotype by environment (GGE) models. There was variation among genotypes, locations and their interactions for grain yield. Genotype G5, G9 and G2 were found to be stable and high yielding. Environments Kit16 and Kit15 were considered as the most suitable for selecting superior genotypes for adaptability and stability. Farmers’ criteria for selecting genotypes included early maturing, pod length, disease tolerant and high yielding varieties. Cowpea performance for grain yield was grea...
Determinants of seed variety selection among cowpea farmers in Osun state, Nigeria
Horticulture International Journal
Appropriate seed selection enhances farm productivity, profitable production system and optimizes the cost of cultivation. The study analysed the socioeconomic factors influencing farmers' choices of cowpea seed for cultivation in Osun State. Cross-sectional survey data of four local government areas of Osun State was obtained. Evidence from Multinomial Logit showed that years of farmer's education, experience in cowpea farming methods, and were statistically significant associated with farmers' choices relative to the reference group. The finding indicates a need to consider farmers economic climate in seed technology development process.
Yield Stability and Farmer Preference of Cowpea (Vigna Uncuilata) Lines in semi-arid Eastern Kenya
Afrika Focus
Stability in yields of agronomically acceptable cultivars is generally regarded as the ultimate goal in cowpea improvement. Nine advanced cowpea lines and 3 local checks were evaluated for grain yield in eastern Kenya with the aim of identifying stable genotypes and integrating farmer preferences. The study was conducted in 3 locations over 2 years under a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Stability was estimated using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and genotype by environment (GGE) models. There was variation among genotypes, locations and their interactions for grain yield. Genotype G5, G9 and G2 were found to be stable and high yielding. Environments Kit16 and Kit15 were considered as the most suitable for selecting superior genotypes for adaptability and stability. Farmers’ criteria for selecting genotypes included early maturing, pod length, disease tolerant and high yielding varieties. Cowpea performance for grain yield was grea...
Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 2010
A number of improved varieties have been developed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), combining diverse plant type with resistance or tolerance to several diseases, insect pests, and parasitic weeds and possessing other good agronomic traits. Trials were established with farmers to evaluate several new IITA-bred cowpea varieties on-farm in a process of participatory varietal selection. Central to this has been a ‘mother-daughter’ approach with researcher-managed ‘mother’ trials and farmer-managed ‘daughter’ trials in order to combine researchers' and farmers' criteria in evaluation of new varieties. In both set of trials, new varieties IT89KD-391, IT97K-499-35, and IT89KD-288 were favoured by farmers because of their high grain and fodder yields. Farmers have also shown interest in the continuous use of a local variety Kanannado Brown. It is suitable for relay intercropping; having a creeping habit, and the ability to smother weeds. The brown seeds fetch higher market prices. The implications are that improved cowpea varieties should be suitable for relay-intercropping and controlling weeds, be brown in colour, have large grain size, be pest resistant as well as give high yields of grain and fodder. At the same time, it is important that the farmer's criteria should be considered in breeding and varietal selection programmes.
Participatory varietal selection among elite cowpea genotypes in northern Namibia
The objective of this study was to select cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] varieties that meet farmers' needs in Namibia, from a set of newly developed and elite cowpea varieties developed through gamma irradiation. Thirty four candidate mutant cowpea varieties derived from three local varieties, (Shindimba, Bira and Nakare), were evaluated for nine agronomic traits. The new genotypes descended from Bira were favourably selected by all participants for their best plant cover. The genotype L1P12 (Bi450) was preferred by 81 percent percent of farmers for its higher pod setting ability. The genotype R4P5 (Nk150) with longer pod size and R3P1 (Bi600) with early maturity were ideal candidates preferred by nearly all farmers. The present study has identified farmers' most-preferred cowpea varieties selected for their best agronomic performances and drought tolerance. These selected cowpea genotype lines will further be subjected to distinct, uniformity and stability trials for varietal registration and release.