In Zimbabwe, the average sweet potato yield (6 t/ha) is relatively low when compared to Asian counterparts (17 t/ha). These low crop yields have been blamed on weevil infestations and viral infections which account for 60-90% of sweet potato yield losses in Africa. Meristem tip culture, a Centre for Potato Improvement (CIP) initiated tissue culture technique, has been widely used to eradicate viruses from clonally propagated crops and has been noted to be one of the instrumental techniques that helped China to increase sweet potato yields. In an effort to adopt the meristem tip culture technique for the production of virus-free planting material of a local sweet potato (cv Brondal), a study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Benzylamino purine (BAP), 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and Gibberellic acid (GA3) (either alone or in combination) on cultured Brondal meristems. The different hormonal treatments were assessed on the following parameters: plantlet regenerative capacity, multiple plantlet production, shoot height, average leaf number per shoot and average node number per shoot, ten weeks after meristem culture. All treatments containing a combination of BAP (1 mg -L) and GA3 (at either 5 mg -L, 10 mg -L, or 20 mg -L) had a significantly (p<0.01) higher plantlet regenerative capacity of 33-66% when compared to other treatment combinations. Only treatments, 10 mg -L GA3 + 1 mg -L BAP and 20 mg -L GA3 + 1 mg -L BAP were capable of inducing multiple plantlet formation, producing an average of three plantlets/meristem and two plantlets/meristem respectively. Overall, treatment 10 mg -L GA3 + 1 mg -L BAP gave rise to significantly (p<0.01) taller shoots (20 mm) compared to the rest of the treatments used. For average leaf number per shoot, all GA3 treatments (5 mg -L, 10 mg -L, or 20 mg -L) supplemented with 1 mg -L BAP gave significantly (p<0.01) higher numbers of leaves (six leaves/shoot) than the rest of the treatments. Treatments 10 mg -L GA3 + 1 mg -L BAP and 20 mg -L GA3 + 1 mg -L BAP gave rise to the highest number of nodes per shoot, producing an average of three nodes per shoot. In sharp contrast to treatments containing a combination of BAP and GA3, all treatments containing a combination of BAP and NAA performed poorly in all parameters tested for plant regeneration of Brondal sweet potato variety. In conclusion, the best hormonal treatment for culturing Brondal meristems proved to be 10 mg -L GA3 + 1 mg -L BAP.
Cocoyam is one of the important root food crops especially in Eastern parts of Zimbabwe. However, the nutritional composition of the Zimbabwean cocoyam has not been ascertained. A field trial was conducted in Rusape, Makoni District, Manicaland Province, Thandi Area under Chief Makoni in Maramwidze Village, 10km from Rusape town in 2015/16 season. Treatments consists of the control, cowdung manure, inorganic fertilizer, and a combination of cowdung manure and inorganic fertilizer, and was laid out in a split-plot design with cocoyam types (Madhumbe, Magogoya and Ghana) assigned to the main plots and manure type as the sub-plots with three replications. The results showed that nutrient supply to the cocoyam crop influenced the quality of the crop in a non-synchronously form. Proximate nutrition composition of cocoyam were in the range of 65 -78% (moisture), 2 -5 % (ash), 0.2 -1.10% (fat), 2 -5% (fibre), 14 -23% (carbohydrates), 390 -460 mg/100g (potassium), 24 -43 mg/100g (calcium), 79 -91 k/cal (energy), 0.3 -4.8% (protein) and 79 -110 mg/100g (magnesium). The high carbohydrate content in the cocoyam shows that the crop is superior compared to other tubers like sweet potatoes and cassava. In conclusion, the utilization of cocoyam combined with other foods with high protein content like cowpea will be beneficial to the nutrition of vulnerable groups considering the resultant high nutritive values. Contribution/ OriginalityThe current study ascertained the nutritional composition of the Zimbabwean cocoyam. The study also shows that cocoyam is superior as compared to other tubers like sweet potatoes and cassava.
Traditional vegetables such as spider plant (Cleome gynandra L.) have better nutritional and health benefits. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of genetic diversity of spider plant genotypes based on phenotypic markers and understand its implications in germplasm utilisation in Zimbabwe. Eighteen genotypes collected from across Zimbabwe were evaluated for phenotypic traits. There were no significant differences (P<0.05) in days to flowering, number of branches, fresh and dry mass, pod number, pod length and stem height. Variance components due to error were higher than genotypic variance components for all quantitative traits, resulting in low broad sense heritability estimates, < 39%. Stem colour, pod lining, number of leaf loblets, pod shape and colour, and stem pubescence showed variations. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed 30% dissimilarity among genotypes. At 85% similarity level, there were four clusters and one of the clusters had eleven out of eighteen genotypes. The results showed low genetic diversity of spider plant in the country. Most agronomic traits could have been affected by directional selection arising from farmers preferences. Some selectively neutral descriptor traits such as colour of the stem and pods, leaf loblets number, pod lining and pod shape can be used in characterising and distinguishing spider plant genotypes.Key Words: Cleome gynandra, descriptor traits, Zimbabwe RÉSUMÉLes légumes traditionnels tels que la plante arraignée (Cleome gynandra L.) ont de bonnes propriétés nutritionnelles. L'objectif de cette étude était de déterminer l'envergure de la diversité génétique des génotypes de la plante arraignée, et ceci en se basant sur des marqueurs phénotypiques en vue de l'utilisation des germplasm au Zimbabwé. Dix-huit génotypes collectés dans différents endroits au Zimbabwé ont été évalués suivant des traits phénotypiques. Il n'y avait pas de différence significative (P<0.05) entre les dates de floraison, nombres de branches, masse fraîche et sèche, nombre de fruit, longueur du fruit et taille de la tige. La composante de variance liée à l'erreur expérimentale était plus élevée que la composante de variance génotypique pour tous les traits quantitatifs mesurés, ceci résulte en une valeur faible d'héritabilité au sens large, < 39%. La couleur de la tige, l'aspect du fruit, le nombre de lobules foliaires, la forme et la couleur du fruit et la pubescence de la tige ont montré une variabilité. La classification numérique a montré 30% de dissimilarité entre les génotypes. A 85% de niveau de similarité, il y avait quatre groupes dont l'un regroupait onze des dix-huit génotypes. Les résultats ont montré une faible diversité génétique au sein de la plante arraignée au Zimbabwé. La plupart des traits agronomiques pourraient affectés par selection directionelle en tenant compte des préférences des producteurs. Certains descripteurs sélectivement neutres tels que la couleur de la tige et du fruit, le nombre de lobules foliaires, l'aspect du fruit et la forme du fruit...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.