Forage seed production and trade as a pathway out of poverty in the smallholder sector: lessons from the Zimbabwe Crop Livestock Integration for Food Security (ZimCLIFS) project

The major challenge to adoption of improved forage technologies in the smallholder farming sector is poor accessibility to seed of improved cultivars. Since 2012, the Zimbabwe Crop Livestock Integration for Improved Food Security (ZimCLIFS) project set out to address such challenges through research-for-development initiatives. The main objective was to demonstrate the potential viability of a pasture seed business using a lead farmer approach, farmer-to-farmer technology dissemination, innovation platforms and field demonstrations. Snapshot surveys were used to map forage seed distribution pathways within and outside project areas. Total land area planted to forages from the 2012/13 to 2014/15 seasons increased by 147% from 14.6 ha. In 2013, Mucuna pruriens (mucuna), Lablab purpureus (lablab) and Vigna unguiculata (cowpea) seed produced was 2 250 kg, 120 kg and 4 450 kg, respectively, and by the third season, total yield increased by 163%. Seed diffusion was within and beyond project boundaries, with mucuna (67%) and lablab (43%) seed produced in the 2013/14 season being distributed outside the project area. Highest amounts received by some farmers were US$800 and US$750 for lablab and mucuna, respectively. It was concluded that there is scope to develop formal pasture seed businesses to increase rural industrialisation and provide a pathway out of poverty in the smallholder sector.     

Performance of growing cattle on poor‐quality rangelands supplemented with farm‐formulated protein supplements in Zimbabwe

Farmers use different non‐conventional protein supplements and different feeding strategies to aid their animals survive the dry season in Zimbabwe. The strategies can be giving supplements once a week or once every other day up to very little supplement daily. Supplements are either legume crop residues or forage legumes. However, the efficacy of the use of non‐conventional protein supplements in promoting growth and at the same time lowering the age at first calving is little understood. The study tested whether supplementing with farm‐formulated non‐conventional feeds could reduce live weight loss during the dry season and promote live weight gain as well as early development of sexual maturity in beef cattle. In a completely randomized design, thirty dams with calves on hooves were allocated to five different treatments which were repeated during the dry season for 3 years. The 3‐year study results show that weight loss can be controlled, resulting in positive growth in both the pre‐weaning and post‐weaning phases of growing cattle. Yearlings fed solely on natural pasture lost significant weight during the dry season as compared to supplemented groups. The period to puberty and first calving was achieved at 18 and 27 months, respectively. Using non‐conventional protein supplements could thus improve livestock productivity in resource‐poor farming communities. It was concluded that smallholder farmers can supplement cattle with a kilogram per day of low‐cost farm‐based non‐conventional legume meal to improve livestock productivity in semi‐arid regions of Zimbabwe.     

Benefits of the Symbiotic Association of Shrubby Legumes for the Rehabilitation of Degraded Soils under Mediterranean Climatic Conditions

Soil degradation limits the potential for the re‐establishment of native plants. Most land restoration practices typically concentrate on the recovery of soil physical properties and plant establishment, while neglecting the recovery of soil microbiota. Mediterranean wild leguminous shrubs are ideal candidates for use in land recovery projects, as they are drought tolerant, improve soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation and exhibit high stem net photosynthesis that increases their carbon gain. In this study, we used the legumes Cytisus balansae, Cytisus multiflorus, Cytisus striatus and Genista florida in a long‐term trial to recover a degraded soil in southwestern Spain. The main objective of this trial was to investigate to what extent the introduction of shrubby legumes inoculated with their own rhizobial symbionts can improve the properties and associated vegetation of a degraded soil. The results showed that the inoculation of legumes with nitrogen‐fixing bacteria enhanced plant performance in all four legumes. Whereas in the absence of legumes, soil fertility and plant community did not improve significantly, amelioration was observed in plots with non‐inoculated legumes, with maximum values in terms of the number of accompanying species, soil nitrogen content and organic matter recorded in soils with inoculated legumes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

不同豆科牧草对低缓冲土壤的酸化能力

在盆栽试验中,使用差的缓冲沙土比较Ｓｕｂｃｌｏｖｅｒ,Ｍｅｄｉｃｓ,Ｓｅｒｒａｄｅｌａ,Ｂｉｓｅｒｒｕｌａ和Ｗｏｏｌｙｃｌｏｖｅｒ固氮的酸化潜力,植物生长７、９、１１周后,这些豆科牧草的酸化率,地上部分４４～１４５ｃｍｏｌ／ｋｇ种间变化非常大．Ｓｕｂｃｌｏｖｅｒ和Ｓｅｒｒａｄｅｌａ比Ｗｏｏｌｙｃｌｏｖｅｒ和Ｍｅｄｉｃｓ表现较大的酸化能力,而Ｂｉｓｅｒｕｌａ酸化能力最低,酸化率在地上部不仅与过量阳离子和钙浓度有关,而且与灰碱有关．因此,地上部分总钙,过量阳离子和灰碱含量为土壤产生总的Ｈ＋提供了好的指示．     

Important ecological traits for selecting Biserrula pelecinus L. (biserrula) genotypes for their potential introduction into agricultural systems

An investigation of eleven genotypes and two cultivars of Biserrula pelecinus L. (biserrula) was conducted in Western Australia to study their ecological and agronomic traits. All biserrula genotypes were productive in the 2 years of testing, with dry‐matter production ranging from 3·5 to 4·9 t ha^?1 and seed yield ranging from 314 to 1381 kg ha^?1. Biserrula has high initial levels of hard seededness (95–100%) and a more gradual hard seed breakdown (68–92%) in summer. The high levels of hard seed decreased the seedling densities of biserrula in the second year, while were at highest levels in the third year after the plots were cropped to wheat. A further experiment was conducted to study the interaction between spray‐topping and seed set. This study showed subterranean clover seed yields were more tolerant to herbicides than a number of biserrula genotypes. There were significant responses to the herbicides within the biserrula genotypes, and 95GCN59 was less affected. The rhizobium experiment showed a strong host strain/interaction and has emphasized the importance of simultaneous breeding and selection of plant germplasm run in parallel with the selection of elite strains of rhizobia such as WSM1497 to optimize nitrogen fixation.     

豆科植物中异黄酮类化合物生物合成的研究进展

异黄酮是一类主要在豆科植物中合成的次级代谢产物,鉴于异黄酮类化合物在维持人类和植物健康的过程中发挥的重要作用,人们不约而同地把研究的重点集中于异黄酮的药理分析及其合成途径中来。异黄酮合成的前体为丙苯氨酸,通过苯丙氨酸途径合成最后以葡糖基化和丙二酰糖基化的衍生物形式贮存于液泡中,为方便在未来的研究,介绍了植物异黄酮及其相关衍生物合成途径的最新研究进展。     

EFFECTS OF CARBONIZED CHICKEN MANURE ON THE GROWTH,NODULATION, YIELD,NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS CONTENTS OF FOUR GRAIN LEGUMES

The effects of carbonized chicken manure (CCM) on the growth, nodulation, yield, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents of four grain legumes (soybean, cowpea, common bean and adzuki bean) were evaluated in a greenhouse experiment. Carbonized chicken manure produced from chicken manure dried in a furnace at 450°C was used in this experiment. The manure was incorporated into the sandy loam soil of each grain legume at two rates (0 kg N ha^?1 and 100 kg N ha^?1) three weeks before sowing. Growth, nodulation and total biomass N and P were evaluated at peak flowering stage of growth. The CCM showed positive effects on nodule number and weight of soybean and cowpea while it depressed nodule number in adzuki bean. Biomass total N content of soybean and cowpea increased with CCM supply while it decreased in adzuki bean. Biomass and seed total P content of soybean, cowpea and adzuki bean all increased in response to CCM application. Soybean and cowpea seed yields increased by 27% and 43% respectively in response to CCM supply. There was a strong positive correlation between seed P content and seed yield of soybean which indicates the importance of elemental P to soybean seed yield. No such phenomenon was observed in adzuki bean. A strong positive correlation was also observed between seed total N content and seed yield of the grain legumes. The results indicate that although common bean had the highest biomass total P content at peak flowering stage both vegetative and reproductive growth were poor due to the unsuitably high day/night temperatures in the greenhouse. Application of CCM slightly depressed yield of adzuki bean due to the reduction in the number of pods per pot and the 100 seed weight. This study shows that CCM is a good source of N and P for the growth, nodulation and yield of some grain legumes particularly soybean and cowpea.     

玉米根茬地杂豆垄作播种机的改进设计

在玉米根茬地,利用联合作业机起茬、破茬碎土、垄体深松、灭茬旋耕、起垄整形等多项作业,达到杂豆种植要求,采用大垄平台的栽培模式,改进设计气吸式播种机核心部件,使种子的间距、粒距(株距)及深度都达到精确分布,并在田间进行性能试验。研究结果表明,完全满足了杂豆"大垄平台"高产栽培技术要求,公顷保苗21~25万株·hm~(-2),株距合格率达到98%,且漏播率、重播率较低,播种质量高,满足播种质量的要求。     

A decade of Tropical Legumes projects: Development and adoption of improved varieties,creation of market‐demand to benefit smallholder farmers and empowerment of national programmes in sub‐Saharan Africa and South Asia

This article highlights 12 years (2007–2019) of research, achievements, lessons learned, challenges and gaps in discovery‐to‐delivery research in legumes emanating from three projects, collectively called Tropical Legumes (TL) with a total investment of about US$ 67 million funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These projects were implemented by three CGIAR centres (ICRISAT, CIAT and IITA) together with 15 national agricultural research system partners in sub‐Saharan Africa and South Asia. The TL projects together with some of their precursors and complementary projects from other agencies, facilitated the development of 266 improved legume varieties and the production of about 497,901 tons of certified seeds of the target legume crops in the focus countries. The certified seeds have been planted on about 5.0 million ha by more than 25 million smallholder farmers in the 15 countries and beyond, producing about 6.1 million tons of grain worth US$ 3.2 billion. Furthermore, the projects also trained 52 next generation scientists that included 10 women, by supporting 34 Masters degrees and 18 PhD degrees.