Tea production, processing and marketing in Kenya is under management of two sectors. The two sectors include; Kenya Tea Development Agency which manages approximately six hundred thousand small scale farmers and multi-nationals sector for example Uniliver/Lipton teas, James Finlay's and George Williamson holdings manage privately plantations and estates of tea. The volume and frequency of plucking tea leaves enhances net revenue for small scale tea farmers in Kenya. The main objective was to determine the role of Farmer Field Schools extension approach and eventual outcome tea production among small scale farmers in Kenya. The study assessed the trends and the influence of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) approach in addressing productivity of tea leaves. The study employed descriptive statistics and mean trends analysis to determine the influence of FFS in tea production. The study sites were six sub locations of tea growing areas. The sites were purposively since they were pilot areas where the initial farmer field schools were collaboratively initiated by Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) and Uniliver/Lipton teas for enhancement of tea production. The study gathered primary data from sampled tea farmers by use of structured questionnaires. Secondary data was sourced from the KTDA archives records. Research findings revealed a positive trend in green tea leaf production and as well as revenue. Further, it was revealed that social positive effects such as farmers willingness to participate in group activities and sustainable tea husbandry, promotion of self-mobilization and interactive participation enhanced tea production. The positive economic-agricultural productivity effects were; the transfer and adoption of agricultural technologies particularly in tea growing that enhanced revenue, increased access to knowledge and agricultural information.
Flea beetle is an important pest accounting for 25 % foliage damage in spider plant. The reported damage manifested as "shot holes'' is variable among the spider plant morphotypes. The study aimed at determining the damage inflicted on three main morphotypes in relation to metabolites. Three spider plant morphotypes were propagated inside a screen house on a completely randomised design (CRD) and flea beetles introduced on the seventh week of growth to determine the damage caused and assessed using the Bailey scoring scale (0-3, 4-7 and >7 holes/leaf). Data on damage was log transformed and analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The means were separated using protected least significant difference (LSD 0.05). Quantitative determination of primary and secondary metabolites was done on the foliage taken before infestation. Proximate and Kjedahl methods were used to determine carbohydrates and proteins respectively. Determination of the secondary metabolites and vitamins was done using chromatography. The purple stemmed morphotype was most damaged (8.6, p≤0.05), green stemmed morphotype least damaged (2.7, p≤0.05), while the purple-green morphotype was moderately damaged (7.6, p≤0.05). There was a significant difference of metabolites among the morphotypes. Purple stemmed had highest carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and glucosinolates but least terpenoids while green stemmed morphotype had the least primary metabolites and glucosinolates but highest terpenoids. The purple stemmed morphotype was most susceptible and green stemmed morphotype was least susceptible. The inflicted damage was largely metabolomically influenced and that primary metabolites and glucosinolates levels were antagonistic to the terpenoids levels in the morphotypes. It can be recommended that, plant breeders use the green stemmed morphotype to improve resistance of the more nutritious but flea beetle susceptible purple stemmed morphotype in order to increase yield and maintain the nutritional potential. Also farmers can grow green stemmed morphotype in flea beetle infested fields.
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