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DSpace is a digital service that collects, preserves, and distributes digital material. Repositories are important tools for preserving an organization's legacy; they facilitate digital preservation and scholarly communication.

Recent Submissions

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    Adoption of improved wheat technology in the Sudan: survey results
    Author(s): Faki, Hamid; Aw-Hassan, Aden A.; Ahmed, Abdelmoneim; Elahmadi, Abdalla B; Solh, Mahmoud (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), 1998-09-01)
    Date: 1998-09-01
    Type: Internal Report
    Status: Open access
    It is predicted that the domestic consumption of wheat in the Sudan will rise rapid­ly, particularly in urban areas. The contribution of local production has been low, resulting in an increasing dependency on imports and a high demand for foreign exchange. A strategy for domestic self-sufficiency has been pursued since the mid- 1980s, through area expansion, reduction of price subsidies and promotion of the use of improved high-yield technology. Recently, policy reforms have incorporated the provision of incentives to boost wheat production. Research on wheat has been intensified in order to develop and verify yield-improving and stabilizing technolo­gy. This intensification has relied on cooperation between researchers, farmers, and extension and administrative institutions. Wheat-production packages have been developed, the main components of which are improved cultivars, adequate land preparation, timely sowing, efficient sowing methods, sufficient fertilizer applica­tion and judicious water application. These technologies have revealed a high potential for boosting wheat yields as well as financial returns to producers. Their adoption has been instrumental in increasing domestic wheat production.
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    Targeted metabolomics and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry imaging revealed the spatial accumulation of anthocyanins in colored wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in response to nitrogen application
    Author(s): Li, Zhiyuan; Li, HuiHui; Liu, Jianli; Wang, Yiran; Gao, Lichuang; Nangia, Vinay; Liu, Yang (Elsevier Ltd)
    Date: 2026-04-08
    Type: Journal Article
    Status: Timeless limited access
    Colored wheat is valued for its high antioxidant and anthocyanin levels, yet the spatial distribution of grain quality under nitrogen (N) application remains unclear. This study analyzed purple (QH2) and blue (QL1) wheat using targeted metabolomics and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS) imaging under two N levels (0 and 240 kg ha−1). Nitrogen increased grain yield and protein content in both varieties but differentially affected anthocyanins, enhancing their accumulation in QH2 while reducing them in QL1. Anthocyanins were mainly localized in the episperm of QH2, dominated by cyanidin-3-O-(6-O-malonyl-β-D-glucoside), whereas in QL1 they were concentrated in the aleurone with delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside as the major component. MALDI-MS imaging showed metabolic up-regulated in the episperm of QH2 and widespread down-regulated across tissues in QL1. These metabolites were enriched in pathways related to secondary metabolism. The findings reveal spatial metabolic responses of colored wheat to N supply and support targeted nutritional improvement.
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    Technical validation of the Predictive Optimal Water and Energy Irrigation (POWEIr) controller for solar-powered drip irrigation
    Author(s): Sheline, Carolyn; Grant, Fiona; van de Zande, Georgia; Pratt, Shane; Talozi, Samer; Namarneh, Ammar; Mansouri, Anas; Wifaya, Ahmed; Nangia, Vinay; Amrose, Susan; Winter, Amos . (Elsevier (12 months))
    Date: 2026-04-22
    Type: Journal Article
    Status: Open access
    To feed the growing population, agriculture production must be intensified using existing resources. Sustainable agriculture intensification is particularly important in low and middle income countries (LMICs), which disproportionately experience food insecurity. This study evaluates the performance of a precision irrigation controller for solar-powered drip irrigation (SPDI) under real-world operating conditions. SPDI has the potential to increase water use efficiency and reduce fossil fuel use for irrigation. Precision irrigation technology could lower SPDI operating costs and enable sustainable irrigation practices among farmers with varied expertise. Despite these benefits, the adoption of SPDI and precision irrigation is limited in LMICs due to high investment costs and system complexity. Previous work proposed the Predictive Optimal Water and Energy Irrigation (POWEIr) controller as a precision irrigation solution that could meet the needs of farmers in resource-constrained contexts. This study quantifies the POWEIr controller performance in terms of water and energy savings, irrigation reliability, and system cost. The controller reduced water and energy use compared to typical farmer practice by up to 44% and 43%, respectively, while maintaining crop yield over three growing seasons. The controller used solar power for irrigation, but relied on a buffer battery to execute irrigation schedules. A yield loss sensitivity analysis found that increasing the controller’s use of solar energy by about 40% would have been sufficient to reliably irrigate with solar alone. These results suggest that the POWEIr controller could enable reliable, low-cost SPDI systems, and if adopted, could make sustainable irrigation practices more accessible to farmers in LMICs.
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    New and Emerging Diseases of Temperate Grain Legumes in the Nile Valley and Red Sea Region: Faba Bean Gall and Virus Diseases: A Review
    Author(s): Kemal, Seid Ahmed; Kumari, Safaa; Kumar, Lava; Pei You, Ming; Van Leur, Joop; J. Barbetti, Martin (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2026-02-20)
    Date: 2026-02-20
    Type: Journal Article
    Status: Open access
    Temperate grain legumes, including faba bean, field pea, chickpea, lentil, and grass pea, are important food and forage crops in the cereal-based cropping system in the Nile Valley and Red Sea region countries. Despite their importance, local production remains insufficient, and the countries are forced to import to narrow the demand gaps. Emerging diseases, such as faba bean gall disease and several viruses (Chickpea chlorotic dwarf virus, Chickpea chlorotic stunt virus, Faba bean necrotic yellows virus, and Pea seed-borne mosaic virus), are on the rise due to climate variability, changes in farming systems such as monocropping, reduced crop rotations, limited knowledge about the pathogens, and absence of varieties with good levels of resistance. This review synthesizes research achievements in the region and identifies focus areas, primarily resistance breeding, characterization of pathogen populations, developing efficient screening techniques, investigations of mixed virus infections, advancement of pathogen diagnostic techniques, and developing agroecologically based disease management strategies to reduce economic impacts of new and re-emerging diseases. Moreover, research collaboration and information exchange among countries in the region are essential to mitigate the growing threat of emerging legume diseases.
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    Systematic review on the impacts of community-based sheep breeding programs on animal productivity, food security, women’s empowerment, and identification of interventions for climate-smart systems under the extensive production system in Ethiopia
    Author(s): Belayneh, Tesfa; Taye, Mengistie; Haile, Aynalem; Nigussie, Zerihun; Najjar, Dina; Mekuriaw, Shigdaf; Van Dijk, Suzanne; E. Wassie, Shimels; Wilkes, Andreas; Solomon, Dawit (Elsevier (12 months), 2025-12-01)
    Date: 2025-10-01
    Type: Journal Article
    Status: Timeless limited access
    This systematic review was conducted to appraise the impact of community-based sheep breeding programs in Ethiopia on animal genetic improvement, household food security, women’s empowerment, and to identify integrative climate-smart interventions. The review includes 51 documents from databases such as PubMed, AJOL, CAB Direct, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, together with grey literature and institutional reports. Community-based breeding programs (CBBP) in Ethiopia provide a participatory approach that empowers farmers by addressing the limitations of crossbreeding and nucleus breeding programs. CBBP have brought significant improvements in growth and reproductive traits, food security, and women empowerment. Compared to baseline values, the intervention resulted in a 3.63 %, 5.6 %, 7.58 %, and 7.25 % improvement in birth weight, weaning weight, six-month weight, and yearling weight, respectively. Besides, litter size was improved by 0.09, and lambing intervals and age at first lambing were reduced by 21.31 days and 75.68 days, respectively. These gains has got translated into improved household livelihoods and food security through increased income from the sale of improved animals. Since 2019, seven women-led CBBPs comprising 486 members have been established, enhancing women’s participation in small ruminant breeding. For the implementation of small ruminant breeding, including CBBPs, 16 stakeholders with 34 linkages were identified. However, apart from research centers, kebele experts, and projects such as the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), most institutions have contributed little, largely due to unclear institutional frameworks. This gap has resulted in the malfunctioning of several CBBP villages. Despite notable achievements, the program continuous to face technical, financial, and institutional challenges persist. Strengthening CBBPs through the integration of climate-smart strategies remains critical for ensuring long-term sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.