Groundnut production constraints and farmers’ trait preferences: a pre-breeding study in Togo
Abstract Background Groundnut is an important legume crop in Togo. However, groundnut yield has been steadily decreasing for decades as a result of lack of organized breeding program to address production constraints. Though, low yielding varieties and late leaf spot have been often reported as the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13002-018-0275-y |
| _version_ | 1828155986805784576 |
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| author | Essohouna Modom Banla Daniel Kwadjo Dzidzienyo Ifie Elohor Beatrice Samuel Kwame Offei Pangirayi Tongoona Haile Desmae |
| author_facet | Essohouna Modom Banla Daniel Kwadjo Dzidzienyo Ifie Elohor Beatrice Samuel Kwame Offei Pangirayi Tongoona Haile Desmae |
| author_sort | Essohouna Modom Banla |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Groundnut is an important legume crop in Togo. However, groundnut yield has been steadily decreasing for decades as a result of lack of organized breeding program to address production constraints. Though, low yielding varieties and late leaf spot have been often reported as the most important constraints, there is no documented evidence. Identifying and documenting the major production constraints is a prerequisite for establishing a good breeding program with clearly defined priority objectives and breeding strategies. Thus, the objectives of this study were to identify groundnut production constraints and assess farmers’ preferred traits. Methods A participatory rural appraisal approach was used to collect data on agronomic practices, farmers’ preferences, and possible threats to production through individual and group interviews. Three regions and three villages per region were selected based on the representativeness of groundnut production systems. In each village, 20 farmers were randomly selected and interviewed; thus, a total of 180 farmers were interviewed. Content analysis was carried out for qualitative data and for quantitative data generated within and across regions, comparative descriptive statistics were carried out. Differences in perception and preferences were assessed using chi-square tests. Results The study has revealed that, though there were some variation across the regions, traits pertaining to yield such as pod yield (66.66%) and pod size (12.12%) were the most important. Leaf spot diseases, rosette and peanut bud necrosis (37.77%) and insects such as pod sucking bug and bruchid (27.77%) were considered to be the most important constraints limiting groundnut production. Among diseases, farmers in all the three regions indicated that late leaf spot is of economic importance which they associated to various causes such as maturity, drought, or insects. No gender differences were observed for the perception of constraints and groundnut traits preferences. Land size is significantly influenced by age and gender. Besides, farmers have pointed the lack of improved varieties and the unavailability of groundnut seeds highlighting the necessity of a sustainable groundnut seed system linked with a strong breeding program. Conclusion This study has enabled understanding of the farming practices, constraints, and farmers preferred characteristics, thus providing the basis for a participatory breeding program in Togo which should consider that farmers perceive low yielding varieties and diseases as major constraints to production. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:02:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8024a78178b14192889f8f089d42b92f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1746-4269 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:02:44Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-8024a78178b14192889f8f089d42b92f2022-12-22T03:58:05ZengBMCJournal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine1746-42692018-11-0114111410.1186/s13002-018-0275-yGroundnut production constraints and farmers’ trait preferences: a pre-breeding study in TogoEssohouna Modom Banla0Daniel Kwadjo Dzidzienyo1Ifie Elohor Beatrice2Samuel Kwame Offei3Pangirayi Tongoona4Haile Desmae5Togolese Research Institute of Agriculture (ITRA)West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana (UG)West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana (UG)West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana (UG)West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana (UG)International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid tropic (ICRISAT-WCA)Abstract Background Groundnut is an important legume crop in Togo. However, groundnut yield has been steadily decreasing for decades as a result of lack of organized breeding program to address production constraints. Though, low yielding varieties and late leaf spot have been often reported as the most important constraints, there is no documented evidence. Identifying and documenting the major production constraints is a prerequisite for establishing a good breeding program with clearly defined priority objectives and breeding strategies. Thus, the objectives of this study were to identify groundnut production constraints and assess farmers’ preferred traits. Methods A participatory rural appraisal approach was used to collect data on agronomic practices, farmers’ preferences, and possible threats to production through individual and group interviews. Three regions and three villages per region were selected based on the representativeness of groundnut production systems. In each village, 20 farmers were randomly selected and interviewed; thus, a total of 180 farmers were interviewed. Content analysis was carried out for qualitative data and for quantitative data generated within and across regions, comparative descriptive statistics were carried out. Differences in perception and preferences were assessed using chi-square tests. Results The study has revealed that, though there were some variation across the regions, traits pertaining to yield such as pod yield (66.66%) and pod size (12.12%) were the most important. Leaf spot diseases, rosette and peanut bud necrosis (37.77%) and insects such as pod sucking bug and bruchid (27.77%) were considered to be the most important constraints limiting groundnut production. Among diseases, farmers in all the three regions indicated that late leaf spot is of economic importance which they associated to various causes such as maturity, drought, or insects. No gender differences were observed for the perception of constraints and groundnut traits preferences. Land size is significantly influenced by age and gender. Besides, farmers have pointed the lack of improved varieties and the unavailability of groundnut seeds highlighting the necessity of a sustainable groundnut seed system linked with a strong breeding program. Conclusion This study has enabled understanding of the farming practices, constraints, and farmers preferred characteristics, thus providing the basis for a participatory breeding program in Togo which should consider that farmers perceive low yielding varieties and diseases as major constraints to production.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13002-018-0275-yGroundnutParticipatory rural appraisalSurveyBreedingVarietiesLate leaf spot |
| spellingShingle | Essohouna Modom Banla Daniel Kwadjo Dzidzienyo Ifie Elohor Beatrice Samuel Kwame Offei Pangirayi Tongoona Haile Desmae Groundnut production constraints and farmers’ trait preferences: a pre-breeding study in Togo Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine Groundnut Participatory rural appraisal Survey Breeding Varieties Late leaf spot |
| title | Groundnut production constraints and farmers’ trait preferences: a pre-breeding study in Togo |
| title_full | Groundnut production constraints and farmers’ trait preferences: a pre-breeding study in Togo |
| title_fullStr | Groundnut production constraints and farmers’ trait preferences: a pre-breeding study in Togo |
| title_full_unstemmed | Groundnut production constraints and farmers’ trait preferences: a pre-breeding study in Togo |
| title_short | Groundnut production constraints and farmers’ trait preferences: a pre-breeding study in Togo |
| title_sort | groundnut production constraints and farmers trait preferences a pre breeding study in togo |
| topic | Groundnut Participatory rural appraisal Survey Breeding Varieties Late leaf spot |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13002-018-0275-y |
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