Tropical highland conditions in Mwea Kenya, ensure the high radiation and the large day-night temperature differences. Such conditions are generally believed to promote rice growth and yield, but the current grain yield is lower than the expectation. In the current standard N fertilizer practice in Mwea, 75 kg nitrogen (N) ha −1 is applied in three splits at fixed timing. The effects of increases in N fertilizer amount (125, 175, and 225 kg N ha −1) on rice growth and yield were evaluated to test the hypothesis that unachieved high rice grain yield in Mwea is due to insufficient amount of N fertilizer. Two popular lowland varieties in Mwea (Basmati 370 and BW196) and two varieties reported as high yielding at other countries (Takanari and IR72) were used. Shoot dry weight (DW) increased with increases in the amount of N fertilizer applied in three splits at fixed timing, irrespective of variety. It reached approximately 20 t ha −1 under increased N conditions (>75 kg N ha −1) in several cases, indicating that high biomass production could be achieved by increasing N application rate. However, the increased biomass did not increase grain yield, due to decreased grain filling under high N conditions in all varieties. Thus, N amounts above 75 kg ha −1 were ineffective for increasing grain yields in Mwea, where N fertilizer was applied in three splits at fixed timing. Increasing influence of low temperature under high N conditions may be one of the reasons for the decreased grain filling in Mwea.

New Rice for Africa (NERICA) is a general name for interspecific rice varieties derived from a cross between the high-yielding Asian rice (Oryza sativa L.) between locally adapted African rice (Oryza glaberrima Steud.). Eight NERICAs were evaluated for cold tolerance (CT) at the reproductive stage and compared with their O. sativa parents and three Japanese standard rice varieties over 3 years. Cold tolerance was evaluated based on the filled grain ratio (FGR) after cold water irrigation. The FGR was greatly reduced by cold water irrigation. NERICA 1, 2 and 7 had higher FGR (51.9-57.9 %), while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 had lower FGR (6.2-14.5 %). NERICA 1, 2 and 7 were less affected by cold stress, with a 31 % mean reduction in FGR, while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 were greatly affected, with their FGRs being reduced by more than 80 %. NERICA 3 and 4 were moderately affected by cold stress, with about 45 % reduction rate in FGR. FGR significantly influenced the grain weights of the varieties with strong positive correlations (r = 0.83-0.91; P < 0.001), and thus, similar trends in grain weights were observed. Grain weights were reduced by 61.7-96.4 % under cold stress. NERICA 1, 2 and 7 showed significantly better performance than NERICA 3 and 4, while NERICA 6, 15 and 16 performed poorly under cold water irrigation. The Japanese varieties Koshihikari (very tolerant) and Ozora (moderately tolerant) were more affected by cold water irrigation than NERICA 1, 2 and 7. On the basis of the mean reduction rate (%) in FGR under cold stress, the varieties were classified as follows: NERICA 1, 2 and 7 as tolerant; NERICA 3 and 4 as moderately tolerant; and NERICA 6, 15 and 16 as susceptible to cold stress. However, NERI-CA 7 grain yields were lower under cold stress due to both greatly reduced number of panicles per plant and number of spikelets per panicle. Therefore, NERICA 1 and 2 are suitable candidates for production in the highland regions of East Africa and should be promoted for production.

Cropping calendar optimization contributes to an increase in rice yield. Information on the seasonal variation in grain yield and climate conditions is necessary to determine an appropriate cropping calendar. We sought to find the optimal cropping calendar in Mwea, Kenya, in a tropical highland in equatorial East Africa. We conducted a series of 58 experiments using a local popular rice variety, Basmati 370, between 2013 and 2016, using a secured water supply and adequate blast control, sowing every 15 days. The grain yield was 0-2 t ha −1 when the variety was sown between March and June. This poor grain yield was attributable to the low temperature and low solar radiation from May to September. In contrast, the grain yield was always more than 3 t ha −1 when the variety was sown between July and February. Sowing Basmati 370 between March and June is not recommended, because it may lead to a suboptimal yield due to cold stress. The current cropping calendar (July-December or August-January) is acceptable even under abundant year-round water supply, but sowing between October and February is a good alternative sowing period for single rice cropping. Rice production per year is expected to increase to >100% with the introduction of double cropping by adding cultivation from between January and February before the current cropping calendar. These findings serve as useful references for considering and determining the appropriate calendar options for single and double cropping of rice in tropical highlands in equatorial East Africa.

Dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important grain legume for small-scale farmers in eastern Africa who nonetheless, grow beans with limited phosphorus (P) fertilizer supply or none at all. Phosphorus rank second, after nitrogen (N), as the most limiting soil nutrient in bean production in East African soils. This study was conducted to determine combining ability for Wve polygenic traits in the red mottled, large seeded bean market class, under low and high soil P conditions and two locations. Three parents tolerant to low soil P were hybridized with Wve well adapted, but non-low P tolerant lines in a diallel mating scheme. The resulting 28 F 1 hybrids were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications, under low and high soil P conditions at two sites. There were highly signiWcant (P · 0.001) diVerences among the genotypes for all the traits under all the study conditions. The GCA mean squares were highly signiWcant (P · 0.001) for these traits, indicating importance of additive eVects for both study conditions and sites. The GCA £ Environment and SCA £ Environment were signiWcant for all the parameters and test conditions. CAL143 had positive GCA eVects that were signiWcant; except for 100-seed weight under P stress; for all the traits and under all the study conditions. The negative GCA eVects for the none P tolerant parents indicate that they impacted positively in imparting earliness.

No abstract

Rice is an important food crop for human population ranking second among the mostly consumed cereal grains worldwide. Upland rice production is greatly constrained by drought stress resulting from rainfall variation patterns. Cultivation of drought tolerant varieties is considered the best option for drought management in rice production. The already released upland rice varieties are drought susceptible and have poor grain attributes hence, the aim of this study was to determine the combining ability for drought tolerance in upland rice. Four upland NERICA and two upland rice varieties were selected as parents for generating F 1 s crosses following 6 × 6 complete diallel. The generated 30 F 1 crosses were advanced to F 2 population for field evaluation. The F 2 progenies together with six parents were planted in two sites; KALRO-Mwea Center Farm and Kirogo research Farm following a randomized complete block design in three replications. Drought stress was initiated 45 days after sowing after which data was collected on drought and agronomic parameters. The study revealed large genetic variations among the genotypes used. Both GCA and SCA were significant indicating the importance of both additive and non additive gene action in the expression of studied traits. In this study NERICA 2 and NERICA 15 were identified as good combiners for drought tolerance and grain yield under drought conditions. The single crosses namely; NERICA 15 × NERICA 2, NERICA 1 × NERICA 15, NERICA 11 × NERICA 15 and NERICA 2 × NERICA 15 were identified as superior for improving yield under drought conditions.

Inappropriate seed packaging and seed dormancy affects seed quality and consequently leads to reduced crop stand, low seedling vigour and reduced yields. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of seed packaging material and seed treatment on viability and dormancy in rice seeds. Effect of packaging material was evaluated by storing freshly harvested seeds of Basmati 370 and BW 196 varieties in polythene, khaki, cheese cloth, polypropylene (Pp) sack and gunny bag sat room temperature and at 6 o C for six months. Effect of seed treatment on dormancy was determined by pre-treatment of seeds with nitric acid at 0.1 M, 0.2 M, 0.5 M, 1 M and 2 M, gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) at 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm and 5000 ppm, and hydrogen peroxide at 0.5 M, 1 M, 2 M, 3 M, 5 M and dry heat at 50 o C for 48 hours. The seeds were subjected to germination test on moist paper and data on percentage germination, seedling length and seedling dry weight were taken. Packaging material had a significant (P ≤ 0.05) effect on germination and vigour. At room temperature, seed stored in polythene bag had the highest germination 88.2% and 57.8% for BW 196 and Basmati 370, respectively. Basmati 370 in khaki bag stored in the cold room had the highest germination 48.3%, while BW 196 stored in polythene had the highest (86.0%). Pre-treatment of seeds reduced dormancy, with variety BW 196 showing the highest germination of up to 67%, while variety Basmati 370 had the lowest germination of up to 40%. Gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) at 5000 ppm was the most effective in breaking seed dormancy resulting in up to 95.7% germination. The results of the study indicated that packaging rice seed in polythene bags for periods not exceeding six months and pre-treatment with GA 3 maintains high seed viability and breaks dormancy, respectively, thus ensuring rapid and uniform germination of vigorous seedlings. This would reduce the period farmers have to wait after harvest before they can plant newly harvested rice seeds.

Understanding genetic variability and mode of gene action for agronomic and yield related traits is important in formulation of effective rice breeding program for genetic enhancement of grain yield. Combining ability analysis and heterosis was conducted to identify yield associated traits from nine male indicas and three female japonicas, together with their 27 F1 hybrids. Four parental lines, including Basmati 370, Basmati 217, K2-54 and Komboka showed good general combining ability in days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, number of tillers plant-1, number of spikelet&rsquo;s panicle-1, number of panicles plant-1, number of filled grains panicle-1, and grain yield. While the combine K2-9 &times; Komboka, K2-9 &times; Basmati 370, K2-54 &times; Dourado Precoce and K2-54 &times; Basmati 217 showed specific good for grain yield. The hybrids K2-9 &times; Basmati 370, K2-8 &times; Basmati 217, K2-54 &times; Basmati 217 and K2-9 &times; Komboka showed 20% excess in standard check variety, suggesting that they could be good breeding donors.