Agricultural Research Knowledge
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11766/187
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- AMMI and GGE biplot analysis for barley genotype yield performance and stability under multi environment condition in southern EthiopiaAuthor(s): Derbew, Shegaw; Firew, Mekbib; Lakew, Berhane; Bekele, Agdew; Bishaw, Zewdie (Wiley (24 months - No Online Open), 2024-09-10)Date: 2024-09-10Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessBarley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a major grain crop farmed in Ethiopia throughout the long rainy season (Meher) and the short rainy season (Belg) of the year. Barley genotypes were subjected to multi-environment experiments in six different settings to identify stable genotypes and estimate the impact of genotype × environment interaction (GEI) on grain production. In each area, the field experiment was conducted from mid-July to January during the primary cropping season of 2021. Three replications of a randomized complete block design were used to set up the trials. According to the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) study, genotype (18.19%), GEI (22.98%), and environment (58.83%) all had an impact on the major treatment sum of squares. The more variance attributed to the environments is a sign of environmental diversity. Given that the two interaction principal component analysis (IPCAs) accounted for 76.94% of the interaction sum of squares, they were sufficient for cross-validation of the grain yield variance explained by GEI. In contrast to the GGE biplot approaches, which indicated genotypes G12, G3, and G9 as stable and high-yielding genotypes throughout the environments, the AMMI stability value identified genotypes G3, G12, and G9 as high yielding with stable performance across environments. In general, the GGE biplot and AMMI analysis models demonstrated that genotypes G12, G3, and G9 were stable and yielded well, making G3 acceptable for cultivation in a wider range of environments and G12 and G9 suitable for release.
- Assessment of genetic structure and trait associations of Watkins wheat landraces under Egyptian field conditionsAuthor(s): Elkot, Ahmed Fawzy; Nassar, Ahmed E.; Elmassry, Elsayed L.; Forner-Martínez, Macarena; Awal, Rajani; Wingen, Luzie U.; Griffiths, Simon; Alsamman, Alsamman M.; Kehel, Zakaria (Frontiers, 2024-12-01)Date: 2024-12-01Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessBackground: Wheat landraces represent a reservoir of genetic diversity that can support wheat improvement through breeding. A core panel of 300 Watkins wheat landraces, as well as 16 non-Watkins landraces and elite wheat cultivars, was grown during the 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 seasons at four Agricultural Research Stations in Egypt, Gemmiza, Nubaria, Sakha, and Sids, to evaluate the core panel for agromorphological and yield-related traits. The genetic population structure within these genotypes were assessed using 35,143 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Results: Cluster analyses using Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components (DAPC) and k-means revealed three clusters with moderate genetic differentiation and population structure, possibly due to wheat breeding systems and geographical isolation. The best ancestry was k = 4, but k = 2 and k = 3 were also significant. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) identified clustered marker trait associations (MTAs) linked to thousand kernel weight on chromosome 5A, plant height on chromosomes 3B and 1D, days to heading on chromosomes 2A, 4B, 5B and 1D, and plant maturity on chromosomes 3A, 2B, and 6B. In the future, these MTAs can be used to accelerate the incorporation of beneficial alleles into locally adapted germplasm through marker-assisted selection. Gene enrichment analysis identified key genes within these loci, including Reduced height-1 (Rht-A1) and stress-related genes. Conclusion: These findings underscore significant genetic connections and the involvement of crucial biological pathways.
- Genomic analysis association of tolerance to heat stress in subtropical Egyptian goats Raised in hot dry environmentAuthor(s): Aboul Naga, Adel Mahmoud; Alsamman, Alsamman M.; Melak, Sherif Awad Aziz; Nassar, Ahmed E.; Abdelsabour, Taha H; Mohamed, Layaly G.; Adly, Monica; Elshafie, M.H. (BioMed Central)Date: 2025-06-11Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessThe study investigated subtropical Egyptian goat populations (382 does) from different hot dry ecological zones (Upper Egypt, Coastal Zone of Western Desert, and New Valley Desert Oasis) to identify genes associated with tolerance to heat stress. Animals were encouraged to walk for 7 km under direct solar radiation from 12:00 to 14:00 pm in July and August (imitating summer grazing on poor pasture under hot dry conditions). Temperature Humidity Index (THI) ranged from 98.6 to 109.3, indicating that the animals were under severe heat stress. Physiological parameters were measured at rest (7:00 am) and after exposure to heat stress (14.00 pm). Animal heat tolerant index (AHTI) was estimated from their response in the four main physiological parameters ranged from (0: high tolerant to 4: low tolerant). The GWAS analysis revealed 90 marker SNPs associated with heat stress in 108 genotypes of Egyptian goat. Ninety markers are found in forty-seven distinct genes distributed across the genome. In terms of the markers (SNPs) that have direct effect on these traits via homozygous alleles, twenty-eight SNPs are connected to heat stress. The snpeff approach revealed that KDM6A, TRPM3, USP54, GLTSCR2, NAALADL2, GATAD2A, CTNNA2, LOC102175876, ZBTB8A, ETNPPL, LRRC43, SNTB1, RPS6KA5, and ARHGAP26 genes influence tolerance to heat stress. These genes offer crucial insights into the biological mechanisms that enhance resilience to elevated temperature conditions. The studied subtropical Egyptian goat breeds showed a high ability to tolerate heat stress and identifying these genomic loci can be utilized to monitor and control tolerance of subtropical goat to heat stress, while maintaining their production performance.
- Towards the establishment of genetic reserves for key crop wild relatives in Lebanon: Analysis of strategies across diverse ecogeographical landscapesAuthor(s): Sayde, Eliane; Yazbek, Mariana; Zucchini, Cecilia; Chalak, Lamis; Negri, Valeria; Raggi, Lorenzo (Elsevier (12 months), 2025-04-01)Date: 2025-01-09Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessThis study aims to identify best areas for the establishment of a genetic reserves network in Lebanon to achieve the in situ conservation of 35 targeted CWR taxa belonging to Aegilops L., Triticum L., Avena L., Hordeum L., Cicer L., Lens Mill. and Pisum L. CWR occurrence were analysed taking advantage of the CAPFITOGEN3 toolbox. A generalist Ecogeographical Land Characterization map (ELC-map) was generated the combination of CWR taxon populations with each defined ELC category (namely “CWR-Eco unit”) was then identified and considered as main conservation target. Two different complementarity analyses were performed to identify the minimum number of sites required to conserve the maximum number of CWR-Eco units inside and outside protected areas. The gap existing in ex situ conservation of the target CWR diversity was estimated by comparing the unique CWR-Eco units conserved in genebanks with those occurring in the wild. A total of 24 ELC categories were defined for Lebanon harboring 253 different CWR-Eco units from a total of 1460 CWR populations. According to complementary analysis results, 22.2 % of the considered protected areas harbor populations of 18 target CWR taxa (51.4 % of the total). A network of 79 cells (5 × 5 km each) is required for the conservation of the whole predicted diversity of taxa not included in the 6 identified protected areas. A total of 215 CWR-Eco units (85.0 % of the total) are covered by ex situ conserved material.
- Genome-wide identification, characterization, and expression analysis of the MADS-box gene family in grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) under salt stress conditionsAuthor(s): Abdelsattar, Mohamed; Nassar, Ahmed E.; Mousa, Khaled H.; Ahmed, Ahmed; El-Baghdady, Manal M. S.; Radwan, Khaled; Ibrahim, Manar S.; El Allali, Achraf; Hamwieh, Aladdin; Alsamman, Alsamman M.; Kehel, Zakaria (BioMed Central)Date: 2025-05-21Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessBackground The MADS-box gene family possesses significant potential to improve crop production under harsh conditions by regulating growth, development, and the expression of floral organs. The grass pea (Lathyrus sativus), a crop grown predominantly in arid and semi-arid regions, could benefit greatly from the functions of MADS-box genes, which are not yet well characterized in this promising plant. Results In this study, a comprehensive analysis of all MADS-box genes in grass pea was performed at both the genomic and transcriptomic levels. A total of 46 genes were identified and classified based on their MADS-box domains. A comparative phylogenetic analysis with apple, Arabidopsis, and rice categorized the grass pea genes into 31 type I genes (M , M , M ) and 15 type II genes (MIKCc, MIKC*). Annotation analysis revealed variations in the intron-exon structures of the genes, with most type I genes being intronless. Ten distinct conserved motifs were identified across the genes. Structural analysis revealed the presence of MEF2-like and SRF-TF domains in the grass pea proteins. Protein-protein interaction analysis revealed extensive interactions among type II MADS-box genes, while enrichment analysis showed their involvement in various aspects of plant life, particularly floral organ development. Examination of the cis-elements in the promoter regions of the genes revealed up to 76 potential cis-elements, which were categorized into four groups based on their putative role in transcriptional regulation. RNA-seq was used to profile gene expression under different conditions to gain insights into their potential functional significance. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis validated the expression levels of eight selected genes (LSMADS_D1, LSMADS_R5, LSMADS_R7, LSMADS_R9, LSMADS_D11, LSMADS_D13, LSMADS_R13, and LSMADS_D29) under salt stress conditions and confirmed their involvement in stress responses. Conclusion This study represents the first genome-wide exploration of the MADS-box gene family in grass pea. Our results provide valuable insights that could improve our understanding of the plant’s genomics, contribute to strengthening its resilience to challenging conditions, and help position it as an important crop in arid regions.
- Gene expression and genome-wide association analyses identify suitable targets for salinity tolerance in chickpeaAuthor(s): Awaly, Sara; Abdellatif, Randa; Radwan, Khaled; Abdelsattar, Mohamed; Alsamman, Alsamman M.; H. Osman, Neama (Elsevier (12 months), 2025-05-01)Date: 2025-03-22Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Timeless limited accessChickpea is an important source of protein for developing countries, but it is highly susceptible to salt stress, which significantly affects its growth and yield. This study investigates the genetic and molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance in chickpea by integrating genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and gene expression analyses. Gene expression data were analyzed from three chickpea datasets to identify genes associated with salt stress. A total of 97 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified (FDR < 0.05), including key genes involved in abscisic acid signaling, the dehydration response and cell wall modification, such as TPS2, NCED1, CDF1, DHN3 and NAC7. A GWAS analysis utilizing SNP genotyping data from 679 chickpea accessions and 11 agronomic traits revealed significant associations (p < 0.001) between SNPs within the DEGs identified in the previous analysis and key agronomic traits, including days to maturity, plant height, and seed weight. Among them, 13 DEGs were specifically associated with traits such as yield and flowering time. Finally, qPCR analysis confirmed the differential expression of eight genes in root tissues under different salinity conditions. Patatin-1-Kuras 2-like had the highest expression levels, with a 20–24-fold increase in response to salinity. Other genes such as NCED1 and CDF1 were upregulated at lower salt concentrations (50 mM NaCl), while TPS3 and drKD showed reduced expression at higher concentrations (150 mM NaCl). In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of salt tolerance in chickpea and highlights key genes and pathways that may serve as valuable targets for the development of salt-resistant cultivars and ultimately contribute to improved crop productivity and food security in salt-stressed regions.
- Identification of novel proteomic biomarkers for hypertension: a targeted approach for precision medicineAuthor(s): Aldisi, Rana S.; Alsamman, Alsamman M.; Krawitz, Peter; Maj, Carlo; Zayed, Hatem (BioMed Central)Date: 2025-02-12Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessBackground Hypertension is a critical public health issue worldwide. The identification of specific proteomic biomarkers in the Qatari population aims to advance personalized treatment strategies. Methods We conducted proteomic profiling on 778 Qatari individuals using an aptamer-based SOMAscan platform to analyze 1,305 biomarkers. Statistical analysis involved two-way ANOVA and association analyses with FDR correction, alongside pathway and gene-set enrichment analyses using Reactome and DisGeNET databases. Results The study identified 26 significant protein biomarkers associated with hypertension. Notably, QORL1 and BMP1 were identified as novel protein biomarkers. Enrichment analysis linked these biomarkers to critical pathways involved in vascular biology, immune system responses, and pathologies like arteriosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Correlation analyses highlighted robust interactions, particularly between QORL1 and various Apolipoprotein E isoforms, suggesting these biomarkers play pivotal roles in the molecular mechanisms underlying hypertension.
- Leveraging Synergies from Integrative Land-Biodiversity-Climate Action through Ecosystem Restoration in Central AsiaAuthor(s): (ELD), The Economics of Land Degradation (Economics of Land Degradation Initiative (ELD))Date: 2025-07-07Type: BriefStatus: Open accessA concise policy brief summarizing the Central Asia case study. It outlines regional investment needs, projected benefits (2.1:1 return), and identifies land restoration targets per country. The brief emphasizes the necessity of overcoming fragmentation through integrated action and provides tabulated LDN, NDC, and NBSAP targets for each Central Asian country.
- The status of gender and development programming in Jordan: still “adding women and stirring?”Author(s): Ragetlie, Rosalind; Najjar, Dina; Baruah, Bipasha (Taylor and Francis Group)Date: 2025-04-28Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessIn this article, we evaluate the contemporary status of gender anddeveloping programming in Jordan by analyzing data collectedfrom interviews with 23 organizations. Gender programming isoften fragmented and ad hoc in nature taking a “gender equalswomen” with a focus on anti-poverty and efficiency-basedapproaches, rather than considering gender as a relational socialconstruct. The blurred line between the state and NGOs alsoundermines the potential to engage with the roots of genderinequality. We conclude by stressing the important role of bothstate feminism and grassroots mobilization efforts in advancinggender mainstreaming in the MENA region
- Transforming land rights, improving rural livelihoods, andcarving just responses to the climate crisisAuthor(s): Najjar, Dina; Shadrack, Naomi; Ahmed, Sara (Taylor and Francis Group)Date: 2025-05-08Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessThe intersection of gender, land rights, climate change, and governance remains a focal point of contemporary discussions on justice, sustainability, and development. Women, despite their extensive contributions to agriculture, water management, and environmental conservation, continue to face systemic exclusion from control and decision-making around land tenure and climate adaptation policies and practices. Indigenous, Black, and Dalit women face further exclusion, dispossessions, and displacements in the context of commodification of land and water resources. Despite the presence of international laws that guarantee the rights of Indigenous peoples to self-determination, territories, and resources, governments, along with extractive industries such as mining, energy, oil, and housing corporations, have been seizing community-held land and forests across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Africa, and Asia (Smith and Allen Citation2023; United Nations (UN) Citation2022; Veit Citation2018). This systemic dispossession, driven by land grabs orchestrated by states and corporations, particularly targeting Indigenous communities, exacerbates their vulnerability by rendering them landless and destitute. In this context, women face additional layers of marginalisation, as historical injustices, legal discrimination, and climate-induced pressures further restrict their access to land and resources. Women’s struggles over land and water rights are also deeply embedded in the aforementioned contexts. While many countries have enacted gender-progressive policies regarding land and water rights, a significant implementation gap persists, particularly for rural and Indigenous women (Remteng et al. Citation2021). Moreover, gender disparities in access to finance, agricultural training, irrigation, and climate adaptation resources continue to exacerbate rural poverty, food, and water insecurity (Doss Citation2017; Lecoutere et al. Citation2023). Current research highlights the urgent need to examine how land and water rights, rural livelihoods, and climate justice intersect (Acevedo-Guerrero et al. Citation2025; Acosta et al. Citation2025), which is the focus of this special issue titled, ‘Transforming land and water rights, improving rural livelihoods and carving just responses to the climate crisis’. The critical link between women’s land tenure security and efforts towards climate change mitigation, adaptation, and resilience (Tantoh et al. Citation2021), as well as its role in enhancing rural livelihoods and improving farming practices, is increasingly recognised by policymakers, development organisations, and scholars (Acevedo-Guerrero et al. Citation2025; Goli et al. Citation2025; Han, Zhang, and Zhang Citation2019; McLain et al. Citation2021). Additionally, women’s access to land often determines their access to water for irrigation (Acevedo-Guerrero et al. Citation2025). Despite this critical connection, women’s rights to land are highly uneven and fragmented. Women make up nearly 40 per cent of the agricultural workforce globally, yet own less than 15 per cent of all land on average, with stark disparities across regions (FAO Citation2022). These inequities, deeply embedded in patriarchal, colonial, and neoliberal governance structures, restrict women’s access to livestock, credit, water resources, irrigation programmes, and agricultural training (FAO and CGIAR Citation2018). Furthermore, climate change intensifies these disparities, as it reduces land access, increases food insecurity, and forces women to take on additional unpaid labour burdens while being excluded from decision-making related to adaptation strategies (Huyer Citation2021; Landesa Citation2023). This special issue of Gender & Development includes contributions from Benin, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Laos PDR, Malawi, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Thailand, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. The 15 articles and essays by scholars and practitioners collectively examine the intersection of gender, land rights, water rights, climate change, and governance. They highlight the structural inequalities that persist in land tenure, access to water, resource governance, and climate adaptation, while also demonstrating how women and marginalised groups actively resist these challenges through policy, advocacy, sustainable land management practices, and collective organising. Marginalised communities are thus not passive recipients of development; rather, they are active agents leading collective struggles for climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and rights to resources in the face of violence, often death (Shadrack and Chakma Citation2023; Tandon et al. Citation2023). The studies included in this special issue provide a comparative lens on how these dynamics play out across diverse geographical and political contexts. This introduction synthesises and contrasts key themes from various contributions in this special issue, identifying four central areas of analysis: (1) structural exclusion from land and resource rights, (2) challenging neoliberal approaches to land and water by valuing community-generated knowledge and action, (3) gendered vulnerabilities and the invisibility of care work in climate adaptation, and (4) women’s resistance, collective action, and gender transformative climate policies that centre women’s land rights and agency in shaping sustainable futures. Such collective action and policies will enable transformative leadership that would address power relations and structures, provide an environment to promote social accountability, respect rural and Indigenous women’s knowledge, and support collective action.
- Trait preferences and lentil varietal adoption in central Ethiopia: A multistakeholder approachAuthor(s): Najjar, Dina; Nomunume Baada, Jemima; Amoak, Daniel; Ouesalti, Dorsaf; Agrawal, Shiv Kumar (Public Library of Science)Date: 2025-04-02Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessAgricultural technologies, including modern/improved crop varieties, are a critical measure for improving productivity, meeting food security needs, and bridging inequalities. This notwithstanding, adoption of some improved crop varieties in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) tends to be low, with factors such as limited information, poor access to inputs, and risk averseness cited as reasons for low adoption. Few studies in SSA, and Ethiopia particularly, examine the influence of lentil trait preferences on adoption, and the ones that do only look at farmers’ perspectives who are often treated as a homogenous group. This is despite the importance of lentils as a subsistence and growing market crop, and the fact that diverse factors may determine adoption among farmers. To address these knowledge gaps, this study used a mixed methods approach involving multiple stakeholders (n = 808) to understand gendered patterns in lentil varietal adoption and trait preferences, using an intersectional lens. The findings revealed low adoption rates for improved varieties for women and men alike due to poor disease resistance, and insufficient attention from the breeding programs to preferred processing and consumer traits, as well as the differentiated needs of farmers. Paying attention to these trait needs serves to inform gender-intentional breeding and improve the income generation potential of lentil varieties for diverse farmer groups. As such, we recommend sex-disaggregated data collection from socially differentiated groups and market representatives in order to inform breeding priorities along with the development of multiple varieties that suit different needs.
- She Inherits, She Sells: community-based theatre to strengthen women’s land rights and entrepreneurshipAuthor(s): Najjar, Dina; Ouesalti, Dorsaf; Benrais, Brahim; Nidkazza, Zakaria (Taylor and Francis Group)Date: 2025-05-08Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessWomen in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have the lowest rates of land ownership and workforce participation despite increased educational attainment. Sociocultural norms are often cited as the cause. Using the Theatre of the Oppressed methodology, we conducted action research to address harmful norms around women’s inheritance, mobility, sexual harassment, and control over income. Participants were asked to resolve these issues during performances. The plays were performed between February and April 2024, and phone evaluations were collected between February and June 2024. Our play, She Inherits, She Sells, with the motto ‘anyone can act’, was showcased in two Moroccan regions: Fes-Meknes (four villages) and Souss-Massa (five villages). We analysed transcripts of the nine plays and discussions along with hour-long phone interviews (with 189 women and 53 men) to assess whether the plays led to new learnings, changes in thinking, and if participants felt their voices were heard. Findings reveal young women had the most positive experiences: they expressed their opinions more freely, felt entitled to their inheritance, demanded control over their income, and felt confident about reporting sexual harassment. Young men were proactive in addressing violence against women but less so regarding land rights. Conversely, older women felt that asking for inheritance from their brothers and moving without male protection were taboo, and they were less comfortable expressing their opinions during the plays. We recommend increasing the use of such arts-based awareness-raising interventions, especially with youth, as a promising route for social change. Les femmes de la région MENA (Moyen-Orient et Afrique du Nord) affichent les taux les plus faibles de propriété foncière et de participation à la vie active, malgré un niveau d'éducation accru. Les normes socioculturelles sont souvent citées comme en étant la cause. En utilisant la méthodologie du théâtre de l'opprimé, nous avons mené un travail de recherche-action pour aborder les normes néfastes concernant l'héritage, la mobilité, le harcèlement sexuel et le contrôle des revenus des femmes. Les participants ont été invités à résoudre ces problèmes pendant les représentations. Les pièces ont été présentées entre février et avril 2024, et des évaluations téléphoniques ont été recueillies entre février et juin 2024. Notre pièce « She Inherits, She Sells » (Elle hérite, elle vend), dont la devise est « tout le monde peut jouer », a été présentée dans deux régions du Maroc : Fès-Meknès (quatre villages) et Souss-Massa (cinq villages). Nous avons analysé les transcriptions des neuf pièces et des discussions, ainsi que des entretiens téléphoniques d'une heure (avec 189 femmes et 53 hommes), afin de déterminer si ces représentations avaient donné lieu à de nouveaux apprentissages ou à des changements dans la façon de penser, et si les participants avaient eu le sentiment d'être entendus. Les résultats indiquent que ce sont les jeunes femmes qui ont eu les expériences les plus positives : elles ont pu exprimer leurs opinions plus librement, se sont senties autorisées à recevoir leur héritage, ont exigé le contrôle de leurs revenus et se sont senties sûres d'elles au moment de dénoncer les harcèlements sexuels. Les jeunes hommes se sont montrés proactifs dans la lutte contre la violence à l'égard des femmes, mais moins en ce qui concerne les droits fonciers. À l'inverse, les femmes plus âgées estimaient que demander leur héritage à leurs frères et se déplacer sans la protection d'un homme étaient tabous, et elles se sentaient moins à l'aise au moment d'exprimer leurs opinions pendant les pièces de théâtre. Nous recommandons une utilisation accrue de ces interventions de sensibilisation basées sur les arts, en particulier auprès des jeunes, car il s'agit d'une piste prometteuse en vue de changements sociaux. En la región de Oriente Medio y Norte de África (MENA), las mujeres, a pesar de su mayor nivel educativo, exhiben las tasas más bajas de propiedad de la tierra y de participación en el mercado laboral. En este sentido, las normas socioculturales prevalentes son comúnmente citadas como la causa principal de esta disparidad. Con el propósito de abordar las normas perjudiciales que afectan temas como la herencia, la movilidad, el acoso sexual y el control de los ingresos de las mujeres, se implementó un enfoque metodológico basado en la metodología del teatro del oprimido. Durante las representaciones, se solicitó a los participantes que propusieran soluciones a los problemas planteados. Las obras se presentaron entre los meses de febrero y abril de 2024, y las evaluaciones telefónicas se llevaron a cabo entre febrero y junio del mismo año. Nuestra obra, “Ella hereda, ella vende”, cuyo lema es “cualquiera puede actuar”, se exhibió en dos regiones marroquíes: Fez-Meknes (cuatro pueblos) y Souss-Massa (cinco pueblos). Posteriormente, se realizó el análisis de las transcripciones de las nueve representaciones y de las conversaciones ulteriores, al que se sumaron entrevistas telefónicas de una hora (con 189 mujeres y 53 hombres), cuyo objetivo fue evaluar si las representaciones generaron nuevos aprendizajes, cambios de mentalidad y si los participantes percibían que se les escuchaba. Los resultados obtenidos revelan que las mujeres jóvenes experimentaron las vivencias más positivas, pudiendo manifestar sus opiniones con mayor libertad, reclamar el derecho a su herencia, exigir el control de sus ingresos y sintiéndose seguras al denunciar el acoso sexual. Por su parte, los hombres jóvenes demostraron proactividad al abordar la violencia contra las mujeres, aunque no dieron cuenta de un compromiso equivalente en lo concerniente a los derechos sobre la tierra. Por otro lado, las mujeres mayores percibían ciertos tabúes a la hora de exigir una herencia a sus hermanos y de desplazarse sin protección masculina, así como más incomodidad al expresar sus opiniones durante las representaciones. En conclusión, se recomienda el uso de intervenciones de sensibilización basadas en las artes, sobre todo entre los jóvenes, como una vía prometedora para fomentar el cambio social.
- Strengthening women’s resilience and participation in climate governance in the agrifood sector through public policies: a strategic review of literatureAuthor(s): Mohammed, Kamaldeen; Najjar, Dina; Bryan, Elizabeth (Taylor & Francis (Routledge))Date: 2025-07-14Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessWomen are uniquely vulnerable to climate change but play a critical role in enhancing the climate resilience of the agrifood sector. Based on a rapid review of academic and grey literature, this paper synthesizes the state of knowledge on the level of integration of gender aspects in climate change policies and women’s involvement in policy processes in the Global South. It examines women’s participation in climate change governance, strategies for enhancing this participation, and policy approaches to strengthen women’s resilience while addressing gender inequalities. Findings show that public policies often employ quotas, incentives, and capacity building initiatives to boost women’s participation in governance. However, meaningful engagement in higher-level decision-making remains limited, with quotas sometimes resulting in superficial involvement. Facilitating women’s access to agrifood resources, human capital, and economic opportunities, as well as addressing harmful gender norms, are identified as effective strategies to build resilience. Despite these promising approaches, gaps remain in the implementation and evaluation of policies aimed at enhancing women’s resilience and participation. The paper concludes by recommending outcome-oriented research and robust evaluations of public policy effectiveness in improving women’s climate resilience and governance roles.
- The Capacity of a Household Farming System with Women’s Decision and Action-Making Power: Rural Marginal Areas in MoroccoAuthor(s): Alary, Veronique; Romagny, Bruno; Najjar, Dina; Aderghal, Mohammed; Moisseron, Jean-Yves (MDPI)Date: 2025-01-31Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessNowadays, women’s contribution to society through their social and human involvement at the household level in terms of education, care, and nutrition, as well as their added value to economic functioning, is increasingly recognized. However, most of the related research highlights the relative contributions of women and men. This paper proposes to analyze the link between women’s contribution to social, economic, and financial activities and the rural livelihood of the whole household farm. Based on a household survey that included a respondent section for women from over 285 families in the least rurally developed regions of Morocco, descriptive statistics and systemic analysis successively based on multiple factorial and clustering analyses were used to analyze the links between household adaptative capacity and women’s material and immaterial contributions. The results revealed that women play a crucial role in intergenerational knowledge transfer, which constitutes a critical factor in household capacities and reproduction, especially in the least endowed households. However, the women’s farm or off-farm activities did not guarantee their autonomy. So, the contribution of women to household farm livelihood through their know-how opens alternative pathways to reconsider their contribution to the overall goal of livelihood improvement
- Genomic prediction for heat and herbicide tolerance in faba beanAuthor(s): Abou-Khater, Lynn; Joukhadar, Reem; Maalouf, Fouad; Alsamman, Alsamman M.; Ahmed, Zayed Babiker Mahgoub; Balech, Rind; Hu, Jinguo; Ma, Yu; Dunham, Andrew; Sanchez-Garcia, Miguel; Jighly, Abdul-Qader; Agrawal, Shiv Kumar (Crop Science Society of America)Date: 2025-07-17Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessGenomic selection (GS) has potential to accelerate the genetic gain in crop plants. This study was undertaken to assess the accuracy and potential of GS in faba bean [Vicia faba (L.)] and to enhance its application in breeding programs. A set of 118 diverse faba bean accessions were phenotyped for key agronomic traits under herbicide and heat stress across 16 environments in Morocco, Lebanon, Sudan, and the United States. These accessions were genotyped, revealing 170 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly associated with target traits. kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers were subsequently designed and validated on 4512 diverse breeding lines. Prediction accuracy (PA) was assessed using the reproducing kernel Hilbert space model, with and without genotype-by-environment interactions and taking into consideration two cross-validation (CV) strategies: CV1 (predicting new lines) and CV2 (predicting complete records from unbalanced data). Additionally, 75 KASP markers with known association with heat tolerance traits were prioritized to estimate the PA of the models. The results showed a comparable PA between the two models, with CV1 outperforming CV2. This highlighted the difficulty in predicting the performance of untested lines in tested environments compared to lines evaluated in some environments but not others. Moreover, SNP subset size and composition significantly impacted PA, especially under heat stress. The highest accuracies were observed for days to flowering and plant height under heat stress and for plant height and grain yield under herbicide environments, indicating that these traits are ideal for training population selection. Optimizing the size and composition of the training population will enhance the effectiveness of GS in faba bean breeding.
- Surveying and collecting Poaceae and Fabaceae crop wild relatives diversity in LebanonAuthor(s): Sayde, Eliane; Yazbek, Mariana; Chalak, Lamis; Al awar, Bashir; Braidy, Joelle; Sayde, Celine; Dokmak, Hiba; Negri, Valeria; Raggi, Lorenzo (Springer (part of Springer Nature) (Springer Open Choice Hybrid Journals), 2025-02-21)Date: 2024-08-21Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessCrop Wild Relatives (CWR) are wild plants that are genetically related to cultivated crops. Conserving the genetic diversity of CWR is essential for maintaining the sustainability of agriculture and food production in the face of various anthropogenic and environmental pressures. In this study we aim to contribute to the conservation planning of CWR taxa in Lebanon, in particular, to document ecogeographic survey and collection missions, carried out in 2022 and 2023, to assess the presence and conservation status of CWR taxa populations belonging to Poaceae and Fabaceae families and eventually propose sites for in situ conservation based on collected data. Ecogeographic and botanical surveys were carried out using the transect method and targeting priority CWR taxa. Agrobiodiversity trends, based on distribution data available in public databases, were compared with the current occurrence of the priority CWR taxa. Preliminary observations of disturbances (e.g. grazing, urbanization) were also documented to serve as a baseline for future monitoring of agrobiodiversity. Additional survey and collection missions were specifically targeted on wild Triticum populations. Forty-seven sites were surveyed, in which 500 new records for target CWR taxa (Aegilops L., Triticum L., Avena L., Hordeum L., Cicer L., Lens Mill. and Pisum L. genera) were documented. A total of 17 new collections were performed and the material stored in ICARDA genebank. Two sites (Yanta/Kfarqouq and Ham) were recommended for the in situ conservation of wild Triticum as well as two other sites for conservation of wild Lens culinaris Medik. Several concerns were raised, mainly the declining distribution of Triticum boeoticum and Triticum urartu over the last 30 years, as well the absence of Cicer taxa in the two years of surveys. The collection of 500 CWR occurrence data points for the target taxa provides a solid ground for future analyses, including ecogeographic and predictive characterization approaches, to identify the best areas for establishing genetic reserves for active in situ protection of these crucial taxa in Lebanon, which is urgently needed.
- Report on other project’s “good practices” #4Author(s): Folloni, Silvia; Mazzoli, IlariaDate: 2025-06-25Type: Internal ReportStatus: Open accessThis report explains the performed activity for the identification of interesting projects and cases, regarding good practices in the fields where the MountainHER project is active. It also offers a summary of the contents of the database that has been generated for an easier browsing of the findings by partners, and a summary of the key takeaways. All these results have been, of course, presented to partners on the occasion of project meetings.
- Project technical 9 months report cover imageAuthor(s): Mazzoli, IlariaDate: 2022-10-15Type: ImageStatus: Open accessThe project technical 9-month cover image
- Consumers' appreciation reportAuthor(s): Mazzoli, IlariaDate: 2025-06-20Type: Internal ReportStatus: Open accessThis report shows the results of the 3 waves survey on consumers' appreciation, the first one focused on emotions, the second one also with nutritional tables, willingness to purchase and willingness to pay. This report is associated to a detailed report on the second wave survey and to a report containing a summary of takeaways.
- Defining Soilborne Pathogen Complexes Provides a New Foundation for the Effective Management of Faba Bean Root Diseases in EthiopiaAuthor(s): Yilma, Solomon; Bekele, Berhanu; Van Leur, Joop; Pei You, Ming; Kemal, Seid Ahmed; Giblot-Ducray, Danièle; Hill, Kelly; Selvaraji, Thangavel; Driba, Lemma; J. Barbetti, Martin (MDPI, 2025-07-14)Date: 2025-07-14Type: Journal ArticleStatus: Open accessSoilborne diseases cause losses of 45–70% in faba bean in Ethiopia. Studies were undertaken to define soilborne pathogens and their complexes in Ethiopia. First, the severity of root rot was assessed in 150 field sites across seven Ethiopian regions. Soil samples were collected, and the DNA of 29 pests and pathogens was quantified using a commercial quantitative PCR (qPCR) soil testing service. There was a very high incidence rate of Macrophomina phaseolina, as well as Pythium clades F and I. The other detected species in order of incidence included Fusarium redolens, Rhizoctonia solani, Aphanomyces euteiches, Phytophthora megasperma, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and S. minor, and Verticillium dahliae, as well as low levels of Thielaviopsis basicola. Five anastomosis groups (AG) of R. solani, namely AG2.1, AG2.2, AG3, AG4, and AG5, were detected, of which AG2.2 and AG4 were most prevalent. We believe this is the first report of occurrence for Ethiopia of A. euteiches, Ph. megasperma, T. basicola, and the five AGs for R. solani. There were very high incidence rates of the foliar pathogens Botrytis cinerea, B. fabae, Didymella pinodes, and Phoma pinodella and of the nematode Pratylenchus thornei, followed by P. neglectus and P. penetrans. The root rot severity and distribution varied significantly across regions, as well as with soil types, soil pH, and soil drainage. Subsequently, metabarcoding of the soil DNA was undertaken using three primer pairs targeting fungi (ITS2), Fusarium species (TEF1 α), and Oomycetes (ITS1Oo). The ITS2 and TEF1α primers emphasized F. oxysporum as the most abundant soilborne fungal pathogen and highlighted F. ananatum, F. brachygibbosum, F. brevicaudatum, F. clavum, F. flagelliforme, F. keratoplasticum, F. napiforme, F. nelsonii, F. neocosmosporiellum, F. torulosum, and F. vanettenii as first reports of occurrence for Ethiopia. The ITS1Oo primer confirmed Pythium spp. as the most prevalent of all Oomycetes.