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Recent Submissions
Performance of Kinnow (Citrus reticulata Blanco) based Agri-horticultural Systems during Intermediate Stage of Fruiting in Light Textured Soil of Arid Rajasthan
Author(s): Soni, Moti Lal; Bal, Bir; Nangia, Vinay; Saxena, Anurag; Yadava, Narendra Dev; Vadivelu, Subbulakshmi (The Arid Zone Research Association of India)
Date: 2024-08-14
Type: Journal Article
Status: Open access
Kinnow (Citrus reticulata Blanco) cultivation is increasing in IGNP area due to its profitability and good market value. It is cultivated as sole crop and the interspaces are left unutilized. Growing suitable intercrops in the leftover spaces of kinnow may generate extra income to the farmers. Hence, an experiment was conducted to study the productivity and profitability of kinnow-based intercropping systems in hyper-arid partially irrigated zone of western Rajasthan. The study was conducted during rabi and kharif seasons of 2015-16 and 2016-17, respectively in seven years old plantations of kinnow with five treatments viz (i) kinnow + wheat - groundnut, (ii) kinnow + fenugreek - clusterbean, (iii) sole wheat -groundnut, (iv) sole fenugreek - clusterbean and (v) sole kinnow. Intercropping showed positive effect on growth and yield of kinnow with highest yield in kinnow + wheat -groundnut followed by kinnow + fenugreek - clusterbean. However, the yield of intercrops decreased by 37-42% when grown in association with kinnow as compared to their sole cropping. The annual system productivity in terms of clusterbean equivalent yield (CEY) was minimum in sole kinnow (1.15 t ha-1) and increased when kinnow was intercropped with fenugreek-cluster bean (2.95 t ha-1) and wheat-groundnut (4.97 t ha-1). There were 2.56 and 4.33 times higher annual system productivity of kinnow + fenugreek-clusterbean and kinnow + wheat - groundnut intercropping system as compared to sole kinnow. The share of kinnow in system productivity was 42.0 and 24.4% and in net return was 43.5 and 18.0% in kinnow + fenugreek-clusterbean and kinnow + wheat - groundnut intercropping system, respectively. Intercropping systems of kinnow + fenugreek - clusterbean and kinnow + wheat - groundnut showed higher physical as well as economic water productivity as compared to sole kinnow. The water productivity in terms of gross return (WPGR) increased from Rs. 4.99 m-3 in sole kinnow to Rs. 7.94 and 9.89 m-3 in kinnow + fenugreek - clusterbean and kinnow + wheat -groundnut intercropping systems, respectively. Net return and BCR of intercropping systems were more as compared to sole kinnow which indicated that the intercropping systems of kinnow provides higher economic benefits through additional return from crop produce.
Report on Farmer-to-Farmer exchange visit in the Agroecological Living Landscape (ALL)
Author(s): Rudiger, Udo
Date: 2024-05-23
Type: Internal Report
Status: Open access
The report describes the different technologies farmers have seen and exchanged about with other farmers of different organizations. It has a summary chapter on lessons learned and opportunities of collaboration between farmer organizations
Enhancing Mediterranean rainfed dryland productivity and resilience through legume cereal relay intercropping
Author(s): Devkota Wasti, Mina
Date: 2024-08-01
Type: Internal Report
Status: Open access
In Morocco's semi-arid rainfed regions, cereal monocropping dominates, facing threats from frequent droughts, extreme temperatures, and declining soil health. This initiative explores the integration of legumes into cereal rotations, specifically by relay-intercropping chickpeas into lentil fields. Conducted in Merchouch over three years, this innovation demonstrated improved productivity, income, and resilience. Farmers achieved dual harvests without yield losses, benefiting from drought-resistant crops and improved soil fertility. The system extended soil coverage, reduced erosion, and enhanced nitrogen fixation, promoting sustainable agriculture. Challenges include increased management complexity and the potential need for supplementary irrigation.
2024 ICARDA global barley breeding program International Nurseries
Author(s): Sanchez-Garcia, Miguel; Bishaw, Zewdie; Kumari, Safaa; Niane, Abdoul Aziz (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), 2024-06-01)
Date: 2024-06-01
Type: Internal Report
Status: Open access
ICARDA has the CGIAR global mandate to breed barley varieties for the developing World. As
such, more than 250 spring and winter 2-row, 6-row and naked barley varieties of ICARDA
origin have been released in 46 countries, 51 of them in the last 10 years. Besides direct releases,
there is large evidence of the impact of ICARDA germplasm in both developed and the
developing World’s breeding programs.
For the 2023/24 cropping season, the ICARDA Global Barley Breeding Program assembled 3
new nurseries, two yield trials and one observation nursery, that represent the best elite
germplasm of all four MegaProduct Lines the program works on: Feed Barley for Arid and
Semi-Arid regions, Food and Fodder Barley, Feed and Forage Barley for Favorable
Environments and Malt and Fodder Barley.
A total of 142 sets of the nurseries have been distributed upon demand to 28 countries in North
America, South America, Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, East, West and South Africa and
West, Central and South Asia.
Anthropogenic events and responses to environmental stress are shaping the genomes of Ethiopian indigenous goats
Author(s): Belay, Shumuye; Belay, Gurja; Nigussie, Helen; Ahbara, Abulgasim; Tijjani, Abdulfatai; Dessie, Tadelle; Tarekegn, Getinet; Jianlin, Han; Mor, Siobhan; Woldekiros, Helina S.; Dobney, Keith; Lebrasseur, Ophelie; Hanotte, Olivier; Mwacharo, Joram (Nature Research (part of Springer Nature) (Fully open access journals))
Date: 2024-06-28
Type: Journal Article
Status: Open access
Anthropological and biophysical processes have shaped livestock genomes over Millenia and can explain their current geographic distribution and genetic divergence. We analyzed 57 Ethiopian indigenous domestic goat genomes alongside 67 equivalents of east, west, and north-west African, European, South Asian, Middle East, and wild Bezoar goats. Cluster, ADMIXTURE (K = 4) and phylogenetic analysis revealed four genetic groups comprising African, European, South Asian, and wild Bezoar goats. The Middle Eastern goats had an admixed genome of these four genetic groups. At K = 5, the West African Dwarf and Moroccan goats were separated from East African goats demonstrating a likely historical legacy of goat arrival and dispersal into Africa via the coastal Mediterranean Sea and the Horn of Africa. FST, XP-EHH, and Hp analysis revealed signatures of selection in Ethiopian goats overlaying genes for thermo-sensitivity, oxidative stress response, high-altitude hypoxic adaptation, reproductive fitness, pathogen defence, immunity, pigmentation, DNA repair, modulation of renal function and integrated fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Notable examples include TRPV1 (a nociception gene); PTPMT1 (a critical hypoxia survival gene); RETREG (a regulator of reticulophagy during starvation), and WNK4 (a molecular switch for osmoregulation). These results suggest that human-mediated translocations and adaptation to contrasting environments are shaping indigenous African goat genomes.