Farmers’ perceived constraints to groundnut production, their variety choice and preferred traits in eastern Ethiopia: implications for drought-tolerance breeding

Abady, S and Shimelis, H and Janila, P (2019) Farmers’ perceived constraints to groundnut production, their variety choice and preferred traits in eastern Ethiopia: implications for drought-tolerance breeding. Journal of Crop Improvement, 33 (4). pp. 505-521. ISSN 1542-7528

[img] PDF - Published Version
Restricted to ICRISAT users only

Download (1MB)

Abstract

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important food and cash crop globally. The eastern region of Ethiopia is known for its groundnut production despite the low productivity attributable to diverse biotic and abiotic stresses and socioeconomic constraints. The objective of this study was to assess farmers’ perceivedproductionconstraints,varietychoice,andpreferredtraits of groundnut in eastern Ethiopia to guide future groundnut variety development and release. Participatory rural appraisal studies were conducted in two major groundnut-producing districts (Babile and Fedis) in eastern Ethiopia. Data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire, transect walks, and focusgroupdiscussions.Allrespondentfarmerswidelycultivated localorobsolete,introducedvarietiesbecauseofalackofseedof modern groundnut cultivars. Ninety percent of respondents reported drought stress, mainly occurring during the flowering stage, as the leading constraint to groundnut production. Other groundnut production constraints included poor soil fertility (reported by 88% of respondents), lack of access to improved seed (67%), pre-harvest diseases (59.5%), use of low yielding varieties (52.5%), inadequate access to extension services (41.5%), limited access to credit (21.5%), and limited availability ofimprovedvarieties(18.5).Farmer-preferredtraitsincludedhigh shelled yield (reported by 27.67% of respondents), early maturity (16.84%), tolerance to drought stress (13.67%), market value (11.17%), good seed quality (10%), adaptability to local growing conditions (5.8%), and resistance to diseases (5.17%). Therefore, theaforementionedproduction constraintsandfarmer-preferred traits are key drivers that need to be integrated into groundnut breeding and variety release programs in eastern Ethiopia.

Item Type: Article
Divisions: Research Program : Asia
CRP: UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords: Arachis hypogaea, Participatory rural appraisal, Seed system, Soil fertility
Subjects: Others > Drought Tolerance
Others > Soil Fertility
Mandate crops > Groundnut
Others > Seed Systems
Depositing User: Mr Arun S
Date Deposited: 08 Apr 2020 11:05
Last Modified: 08 Apr 2020 11:08
URI: http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/11466
Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/15427528.2019.1625836
Projects: UNSPECIFIED
Funders: UNSPECIFIED
Acknowledgement: The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research is acknowledged for supporting this study and the Haramaya University for granting study leave to the first author.
Links:
View Statistics

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item