Infra-specific folk taxonomy in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench) in Ethiopia: folk nomenclature, classification, and criteria

Mekbib, Firew

doi:10.1186/1746-4269-3-38

Cited by 70 publications

(74 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…What should be the minimum area a variety has to be planted in order to say that the variety is at the brink of loss? Similarly, the most common means of assessing GE in farm level crop diversity is by counting named varieties but this is different from actual GE because sometimes variety names (Mekbib 2006a) might not necessarily correspond to genetic content either geographically or over time.…”

Section: Major Reasons For Gementioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic erosion of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in the centre of diversity, Ethiopia

Mekbib

2007

Genet Resour Crop Evol

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The Ethiopian region is characterised by a wide range of agro-climatic conditions, which accounted for the enormous resources of agro-biodiversity that exist in the country. The most important of these resources is the immense genetic diversity of the various crop plants in the country. Of these, one of the most on farm genetically diverse crops is sorghum. Since the advent of formal breeding in particular after green revolution, genetic diversity of most crops has been threatened worldwide. In order to assess on farm genetic erosion (GE), various research methodologies were employed. These were focused group interviews with 360 farmers, on farm monitoring and participation with 120 farmers, key informant interviews with 60 farmers and development agents, and semi-structured interviews with 250 farmers. Besides, diversity fairs were done with over 1200 farmers. Notwithstanding the complexity of assessing GE, it was assessed by various methods; namely, by temporal method (comparing 1960 and 2000 collections), area method, and semi-structured interview method at individual, community or wereda level and causes of varietal loss from other various perspectives. Farmers perceived GE as the reduced importance of the variety as indicated by lower proportion in the varietal portfolio. The five most important factors for varietal loss at individual farmers' level were reduced benefit from the varieties, drought, Khat expansion, reduced land size and introduction of other food crops respectively. GE was not affected by wealth groups and ecological regions. Farmers do not make simple replacement as a strategic mechanism for genetic resources management. GE at regional level was quantified by temporal and spatial method. There was a complementation not rivalry between farmer varieties (FVs) and improved varieties (IVs). The whole process of GE is explained by three models, namely: Bioecogeographic enhanced genetic erosion model, Farmer induced genetic erosion model and Farmer-cum-bioecogeographic genetic erosion model. As aforementioned, sorghum genetic erosion behaviour is completely different from other food crops such as tetraploid wheat. The prediction in the late seventies that complete erosion of FVs by IVs by the end of the eighties, the principle of GE that competition between IVs and FVs, favours the former and results in the replacement of the latter is not valid in the context of sorghum in Ethiopia. Hence, maintenance of the on farm genetic diversity of sorghum is a reality but GE is rhetoric.

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Section: Major Reasons For Gementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In some years drought becomes serious and wipes out the whole sorghum production, which might result into the loss of varieties. In other years, drought occurs at various stages but the most important one is the terminal stress, which results in reduced seed production (Mekbib 2006b). Khat (Catha edulis Forssk.…”

Section: Major Reasons For Gementioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic erosion of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in the centre of diversity, Ethiopia

Mekbib

2007

Genet Resour Crop Evol

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“…The detail on the infra-specific folk taxonomy is described in Mekbib (2006). A folk species has folk varieties, a folk variety has subvarieties.…”

Section: Farmers' Released Varieties Currently Under Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These varieties have been in the farmers' field for over four decades. The variation among naming connotes geographical, genetical and ecological diversity (Mekbib 2006).…”

Section: Farmers' Released Varieties Currently Under Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Farmer and formal breeding of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and the implications for integrated plant breeding

Mekbib

2006

Euphytica

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Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is the fifth most important cereal crop worldwide and it is the fourth most important crop in Ethiopia. The national average yield amounts 1302 kg/ha. In order to assess the achievement in farmer breeding various types of research were undertaken. These include survey research to quantify the trend in productivity, the level of and reasons for adoption of improved varieties, yield performance and preference evaluation of farmers' varieties (FVs) and improved varieties (IVs). As per the trend analysis over the last four decades, total production and yield per hectare has increased by 11.63 and 14.2%, respectively. However, area allocated to sorghum has decreased over years by -2.93%. The lack of consistent productivity is attributed to the fluctuation of environmental factors. Sorghum production in Ethiopia is predominantly based on varieties developed by farmers. The share of IVs is very low. FVs and IVs are adopted by 87.3 and 12.7% of the farmers, respectively. Besides, the adoption of IVs is limited to the lowland crop ecology. The comparative yield of FVs is higher than IVs by 132%. On top of yield, farmers do prefer their varieties for other multipurpose values namely feed, fuel wood and construction material. FVs under production are identified in each wereda. Farmer breeding has been successful compared to four decades of formal breeding. On the other hand, both farmer and formal breeding are not without weaknesses; a comparative balance sheet is outlined for both. Ideotypes for the three major crop ecologies are suggested and integrated plant breeding is anticipated to develop the proposed ideotypes thereby increase sorghum productivity in the region.

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“…It is rich in antioxidants, and preferred by the gluten-intolerant consumers [1]. It is also used as forage crop for animal feedstock and biofuel production in many countries worldwide [2,3]. The success of sorghum production is determined to a considerable extent by the appropriateness of the flowering time for the specific growing environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of SSR Markers Linked to Flowering Time QTLs in Sorghum through Progeny Test

Uddin¹,

Okuno²

2015

JAST-A

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Flowering time is critically important for crop yield, and detection of its genetic factors with strongly associated DNA markers is necessary in breeding programs. This study was undertaken to validate the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying flowering time of sorghum based on the association between genotypes at SSR marker loci and flowering time in F 3 family lines from self-pollinated heterozygous F 2 plants developed by crossing between "SC112"-an early flowering variety from Ethiopia and "Kikuchi Zairai"-a late flowering variety from Japan. The results showed that the SSR markers linked to the QTLs on sorghum chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5b, 7 and 8b were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with flowering time, and these markers and the QTLs reported previously are valid. On the other hand, the genotypes at the marker locus SB596 of qFT1-2 on chromosome 1 was not significantly associated with flowering time. The valid DNA markers, SB258 in qFT1-1, SB1512 in qFT2, SB1839 in qFT3, SB3369 in qFT5b, SB4096 in qFT7 and SB4540 and SB4660 in qFT8b, might be useful for DNA-marker assisted breeding.

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Infra-specific folk taxonomy in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor(L.) Moench) in Ethiopia: folk nomenclature, classification, and criteria

Cited by 70 publications

References 27 publications

Genetic erosion of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in the centre of diversity, Ethiopia

Genetic erosion of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) in the centre of diversity, Ethiopia

Farmer and formal breeding of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and the implications for integrated plant breeding

Validation of SSR Markers Linked to Flowering Time QTLs in Sorghum through Progeny Test

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