Browsing by Author "Opio, Fina"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Adverse impact of Banana Xanthomonas Wilt on farmers’ livelihoods in Eastern and Central Africa
(2015-07) Opio, Fina; Nkuba, Jackson; Tinzaara, William; Night, Gertrude; Niko, Nicholas; Jogo, Wellington; Ndyetabula, Innocent; Mukandala, Leornard; Ndayihazamaso, Privat; Niyongere, Celestin; Gaidashova, Svetlana; Rwomushana, Ivan; Karamura, Eldad
Banana is a key crop in the livelihoods of many people in the Great Lakes region of East and Central Africa. For more than a decade now, the crop has been threatened by Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) which has spread throughout the region but at different rates. The disease attacks all banana cultivars and can cause up to 100% yield losses at farm level if effective control measures are not put in place. However, limited information on impact of BXW at regional level is available to guide interventions. Thus, this study assessed the impact of BXW on farmers’ livelihoods in Kagera basin of Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda. A total of 436 households (Tanzania 120, Burundi 208 and Rwanda 108) mostly from major banana-producing and BXW-affected districts were sampled and interviewed in a household survey. Thirty-three to seventy-five of the total banana mats per farm in the three countries were infected with BXW. Banana production losses caused by BXW were valued at US$ 10.2 million and US$ 2.95 million in Tanzania and Rwanda, respectively, banana sales by farmers dropped by 35% while bunch prices unpredictably doubled. Since banana is a key component of these farming communities, the banana production losses resulted in significant reduction in household food security and incomes. To cope with these challenges, most households are diversifying into other food crops such as maize, cassava and sweet potatoes. This poses a number of socio-economic and biological implications that require further investigation.
Current Status And Progress Of Research On The Management of Bean Root Rot Complex In South Western Uganda
(NARO, 2000) Opio, Fina; Kyamaywa, S.; Kayizzi, K.; Katwijukye, A.
Bean root rot is the most important disease affecting beans in South Western Uganda. The disease has resulted incomplete loss of t he crop in some areas. At the moment there is urgent need to look for means of reducing the disease and revitalizing bean prod uctiou. Them a in ohj ective of this study was to identify control measures that can reduce the disease on farmers field s. A rapid rural appraisal was carried out to determine the incidence of the disease and identify the disease causing organisms. Experiments set up included (i) integrated disease management, (ii) varietal resistance and (iii) combination of (i) and (ii). The experimental design in (i) and (iii) was a split plot while in (ii) the design was a randomized block design. The disease incidence in the district ranged between 80-100% on farmers fields. It was noted that 75% of the attacked crops were attached by Pytltium spp atone. The other 25% was a combination of Pytlriwn spp with one or both of the following: Fu.mrium so/ani and R!Jizoctonia spp. The use of soil organic amendments such as farm yard manure, green manure and earthing up was only effective where the disease was not very severe when a susceptible variety was used. Where the incidence was high, then these treatments were not effective. The most tolerant varieties identified were RWR 179, MLB 49/89A, G2333, Flora and Vuninkingi. A combination offarm yard manure, earthing up and tolerant varieties \\'ith seed dressing with fungicide and insecticide gave the highest yield of 2 tons per hactare as com pared to tolerant va ric ties and green manure that gave a yield of 0. 7 tons per ha only. It was therefore concluded that an integrated disease management st~IWO~Ierant varieties, farm yard manure and earthing up be adopted in order to reduce the disease in South Western Uganda.
Effectiveness of Chia Seed Plant Powder in Comparison with Malathion in the Control of Bean Weevils
(East African Journal of Agriculture and Biotechnology, 2023) Kamugisha, Francis; Opio, Fina; Osiru, David; Aharinta, Kenneth Faith
The primary objective of the research was to contribute to the control of storage pests in beans through the use of chia seed plant powder—an organic control method. The study adopted both descriptive and correlational research designs for data collection and analysis. It comprised: a survey of the chia seed farmers in Kyabugimbi sub-county, Uganda, for the purpose of assessing their perception concerning control of storage pests in beans through the use of chia seed plant powder; and an experiment for assessing the susceptibility of a variety of beans and pesticide application. The experiment had three bean varieties: NAROBEAN3, NABE16, and KAHURA. The type of pesticide had two treatments and control, that is, chia seed plant powder and malathion, and each had three levels. A control consisted of dishes with bean varieties infested with weevils without any pesticide added. Each set was comprised of control without any treatment. A total of 54 samples were used. These were laid out in a completely randomised Block design (CRBD) and replicated three times. Pesticides were applied at 0%, 50%, and 100% rates of application. Data were collected on the following measurements: Number of infested seeds, number of adult bruchids that emerged, and weight of seeds at the end of the experiment. The ANOVA test results found that the effect of pesticide application on the number of infested seeds, number of weevils that emerged, and weight of bean seeds was significant (P< 0.01), while the variety of beans was not significant. Although malathion had the lowest bean weevil figures and is therefore more effective in controlling bean weevils, it is a synthetic product, and chia seed would be promoted because it is an organic product because of being more friendly to the human body and the environment than malathion, a synthetic pesticide
The role of mixed cropping systems on bean root rot epidemics in south western Uganda
(National Agricultural Laboratories Institute, 2006) Opio, Fina; Gichuru, Virginia; Okori, P.; Buruchara, R.
In south western Uganda, beans are largely grown as intercrops with sorghum, maize, sweet potato and potato . Continuous cropping of beans, has increased bean root rot epidemics. Since some of the root rot causing organisms are known to affect other crops, there was need to investigate the role they may be playing in the current root rot epidemics. Surveys were carried out in Kabale district in order to establish the incidence of root rot on other crops grown in association with beans. Plant samples for isolation of Pythium, the main causative agent of root rot were also collected. Results indicated that potato had a high root rot incidence while maize had a low root rot incidence. Also, sorghum and peas had root rot symptoms. Out of the 142 Pythium isolates collected, 21 different Pythium species were identified by ITS-DNA sequencing. Fifteen new Pythium species not previously identified in the region were found. This study finds evidence that diverse crop species associated with beans may be playing a role in bean root rot epidemics