Low soil Nitrogen (low‐N) is one of the most important abiotic stressors responsible for significant yield losses in maize (Zea mays L.). The development and commercialization of low‐N–tolerant genotypes can contribute to improved food security in developing countries. However, selection for low‐N tolerance is difficult because it is a complex trait with strong interaction between genotypes and environments. Marker‐assisted breeding holds great promise for improving such complex traits more efficiently and in less time, but requires markers associated with the trait of interest. In this study, 150 BC2F1 families of CML 444 × CML 494 were evaluated at two locations for two consecutive seasons to identify SNP markers associated with quantitative trait loci (QTL) for yield and other agronomic traits under low‐ and high‐N environments. A total of 13 QTL were identified with 158 SNP markers, of which nine and four QTL were detected under low‐ and high‐N environments, respectively. Five QTL one each for grain yield (qgy‐1), days to silking (qdts‐1) and anthesis‐ silking interval (qasi‐6), and two for stay green characteristic (qsg‐1 and qsg‐4) were close to their adjacent markers, with an interval of 0.7 to 5.2 cM between them and explained phenotypic variance of 9 to 21%. These QTL would be invaluable for rapid introgression of genomic regions into maize populations using marker‐assisted selection (MAS) approaches. However, further validation of these QTL is needed before use in MAS.

Ideas 1. General combining ability (GCA) effects were superior over specific combining ability (SCA) effects indicating that additive genes largely controlled grain yield and other traits among the newly developed extra-early quality protein maize inbred lines under low nitrogen, Striga-infested and high nitrogen conditions. 2. Maternal genetic effects influenced plant height under Striga-infested condition which suggested that inbred lines that exhibited significant and positive GCA-female effects for plant height should not be used as female parents to avoid production of tall hybrids that are liable to lodging. 3. Genetic distances were significantly associated with grain yield under low nitrogen, Strigainfested and high nitrogen conditions which implied that inbred lines that had high pairwise genetic distances should be considered for hybrid production to maximize heterosis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. 2 4. TZEEQI 358 displayed significant and desirable GCA effects for grain yield and other important traits across low nitrogen, Striga-infested and high nitrogen conditions and could be a useful source of valuable alleles for population improvements. 5. TZEEIORQ 58 x TZEEQI 397 exhibited high grain yield and stability across the low nitrogen, Striga-infested and high nitrogen environments and could potentially address the food and nutritional insecurities prevailing in sub-Saharan Africa.

Vitamin A deficiency, drought, low soil nitrogen (low-N), and Striga hermonthica parasitism of maize (Zea mays L.) cause malnutrition and food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa. The objectives of this study were to determine combining abilities of extra-early provitamin A (PVA) lines, classify them into heterotic groups (HGs), identify testers, and determine yield stability of hybrids under contrasting environments in two trials. In Trial 1, 190 F 1 hybrids plus six checks were tested under Strigainfested, drought, and stress-free environments in Nigeria from 2015-2017. In Trial 2, 35 extra-early yellow hybrids were evaluated under low-N, Striga-infested, and stress-free environments in 2018. TZEEIOR 202 and TZEEIOR 205 had PVA concentrations of 23.98 and 22.56 μg g −1 . TZEEIOR 197 × TZEEIOR 205 (20.1 μg g −1 ) and TZEEIOR 202 × TZEEIOR 205 (22.7 μg g −1 ) contained about double the PVA level of the commercial check, TZEEI 58 × TZEE-Y Pop STR C5 (11.4 μg g −1 ). Both general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability variances were significant for most agronomic traits, although GCA was larger than SCA effects, indicating GCA effects primarily controlled the inheritance of those traits. TZEEIOR 97 and TZEEIOR 197

In spite of efforts by national and international scientists to improve crop productivity, varieties of crops grown in Africa have low productivity.

Low soil nitrogen (low N) threatens maize production in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). We examined the mode of gene action conditioning grain yield of intermediate maturing inbreds and evaluated lines in hybrid combinations for high yield, stability and tolerance to low N. Thirty-two sets of inbreds were crossed to three elite testers (87036, 1368 and 9071) to generate 96 F1 hybrids. The testcrosses plus four hybrid checks were evaluated under low (30 kg/ha) and high (90 kg/ha) N environments at three locations for 2 years in Ghana. Significant general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects were detected for grain yield and most measured traits across test environments, indicating that both additive and non-additive gene action governed the inheritance of the traits. GCA effects were greater than SCA effects, indicating that most traits were controlled predominantly by additive gene action and that inbreds with positive significant GCA effects for grain yield and other traits would contribute favourable alleles to progenies across environments. Hybrid CZL 0001 × 9071 possessed high GY, increased EPP, desirable EHT and PLHT and was the highest yielding under each of two research conditions. Significant genetic correlations were observed between GY and PLHT, EPP, EHT, CA and PA implying that improvement of these traits would lead to significant gains in grain yield under low-N conditions. Hybrids CLWN 247 × 9071, ZM523B-29-2-1-1-B*6 × 9071, TZD II 68 × 1368 and P43SCRq Fs100-1-1-8 × 9071 were high-yielding, stable and low-N tolerant and should be tested on-farm and commercialized.

Agriculture remains critical to Africa’s socioeconomic development, employing 65% of the work force and contributing 32% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Low productivity, which characterises food production in many Africa countries, remains a major concern. Compounded by the effects of climate change and lack of technical expertise, recent reports suggest that the impacts of climate change on agriculture and food systems in African countries may have further-reaching consequences than previously anticipated. Thus, it has become imperative that African scientists and farmers adopt new technologies which facilitate their research and provide smart agricultural solutions to mitigating current and future climate change-related challenges. Advanced technologies have been developed across the globe to facilitate adaptation to climate change in the agriculture sector. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9), synthetic biology, and genomic selection, among others, constitute examples of some of these technologies. In this work, emerging advanced technologies with the potential to effectively mitigate climate change in Africa are reviewed. The authors show how these technologies can be utilised to enhance knowledge discovery for increased production in a climate change-impacted environment. We conclude that the application of these technologies could empower African scientists to explore agricultural strategies more resilient to the effects of climate change. Additionally, we conclude that support for African scientists from the international community in various forms is necessary to help Africans avoid the full undesirable effects of climate change.

Aim: The experiment was conducted in the Kintampo North Municipality during the 2017 cropping season from August to November to evaluate the response of cabbage to different soil amendments. Methods: It was a single factor experiment laid out in a Randomized Complete Block design with three replications. The five treatments which includes NPK 15-15-15, poultry manure, cow dung and goat manure and a control. Results: Parameters measured were plant height, number of leaves, leave length, canopy diameter, head diameter and head weight. Generally, all treatments performed better than the control used in the study. Conclusions: Poultry manure performed similar to NPK 15-15-15, and were superior to all other treatments in all parameters measured. Cow dung and goat manure performed fairly well in the parameters measured. Recommendation: The study therefore recommends the application of poultry manure for improved growth, yield maximization and sustainable cabbage production.  Application of cow dung and goat manure can also be adopted for appreciable yields of cabbage.

The study sought to examine adoption of nutritious drought tolerant (DT) maize using social science research methods and participatory demonstration trials. The social science study used mixed method approach which combined both qualitative and quantitative methods. A split-plot demonstration trial of three improved maize varieties and a local variety, and two levels of Nitrogen fertilizer were established. The two fertilizer levels were low N [LN] (30 kg N ha-1) and high N [HN] (90 kg N ha-1). The results of the social science study showed 85% of men consider early maturity, grain quality and storability in adopting DT maize. Results also revealed that beside earliness and higher yield, taste and easy to harvest influenced women farmer’s choice for DT maize varieties. Climatic endurance, increased yield and grain quality showed a positive and statistically significant relationship with adoption of DT maize. On average, HN fertilization increased DT maize grain yields by 41% compared to the LN fertilization. The improved DT maize varieties had yield advantages ranging from 25 to 43% over the local variety. From this, DT maize appears to have a potential for its use with N-fertilizer in the fight against food insecurity with improved adoption and utilization in Ghana.