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Participatory on-farm evaluation of new orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties in Southern Ethiopia

  • Abiyot Aragaw EMAIL logo , Birhanu Biazin , Fekadu Gurmu , Roland Anthony , Mihiretu Cherinet , Jan Low , Mikias Yeshitela , Asrat Girma and Temesgen Feyissa
Published/Copyright: February 6, 2024
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Open Agriculture
From the journal Open Agriculture Volume 9 Issue 1

Abstract

Sweetpotato is the second most important root crop in Ethiopia, making an important contribution to food security in the densely populated areas of southern Ethiopia. While the white-fleshed sweetpotato (WFSP) varieties have been widely grown, the recently bred pro-vitamin A orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties are also gaining popularity nationwide. This study evaluated on-farm performances of five new OFSP varieties along with two previously released “check” varieties, one of which is a WFSP, across 13 locations in southern Ethiopia for 2 consecutive seasons (2017 and 2018) with the objective of selecting farmer preferred varieties. The experimental design used was randomized complete block design. Results revealed highly significant differences (p < 0.05) among the tested varieties for all parameters considered. Overall, the new varieties were superior to the check varieties for most of the parameters considered. Kulfo, the OFSP check and the only OFSP variety under production, was inferior in above-ground biomass yield, taste, vegetative, and physical root quality performance. There was a strong negative correlation between altitude and root yields, with the highest root yields being in areas 1,500–1,650 m above sea level. The new varieties were accepted by the farmers due to their better yields, adaptability to the local agro-ecological conditions, and high dry matter content. The results of this study implied that the conventional variety evaluations should be complemented by farmers' participatory processes to ensure the release of acceptable varieties targeting both food security and marketability.

Keywords: vitamin A; white-fleshed sweetpotato; taste; farmers preference; dry matter

1 Introduction

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is the second most important root crop in Ethiopia. It is mostly grown in the southern and eastern parts of the country, where there is high population density. According to Central Statistics Agency of Ethiopia reports, sweetpotato covers about 62,116 hectares of land, providing an annual root production of 1.6 million tons during the primary growing season of 2021 only [1]. Sweetpotato production in the country has steadily increased over the past decade because of its inherent adaptability to marginal environments and ability to provide food with minimum inputs [2]. Consequently, sweetpotato is an important food security crop for vulnerable rural households. Currently, sweetpotato production is dominated by white-fleshed sweetpotato (WFSP) varieties as they have a better taste than the available orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) varieties [3]. Since 1997, the National Agricultural Research System of Ethiopia has released 24 sweetpotato varieties, of which six were orange-fleshed [3,4]. However, very few of these varieties are being produced by farmers, whereas the majority could not be adopted due to their shortcomings in terms of virus infection, weevil attack, low root dry matter content (RDMC), and sometimes strange flesh color [2,3,5,6,7]. It is of note that none of these released OFSP varieties were bred in Africa but imported from other regions of the world.

OFSP varieties are gaining popularity worldwide as a viable option to combat vitamin A deficiency (VAD) [8,9,10,11]. Moreover, they are serving as the lead varieties in the vitamin A biofortification effort worldwide [12]. OFSP varieties are known to have a high amount of β-carotene, which is a precursor to the preparation of vitamin A in the human body [8,9,10]. They are generally considered one of the cheapest, most promising plant sources of vitamin A among rural and urban low-income families [13,14,15]. About 125 g of biofortified OFSP root can fulfill the daily vitamin A requirement of a young child [16]. As in other developing countries, VAD remains an important public health problem in Ethiopia [3,17,18], with a national weighted subclinical VAD prevalence of 37.7% among children below 5 years of age [17,18]. Promotion of OFSP as a food-based approach to combat VAD in Ethiopia was started nearly two decades ago by the collaboration between Hawassa Agricultural Research Center (HARC) and the International Potato Center (CIP) [3]. However, resources to support sweetpotato crossing in Ethiopia became available only since 2013 [19].

Recognizing the downsides of the existing OFSP varieties in terms of agronomic performances and dry matter contents, the national sweetpotato breeding program of HARC established a crossing-block and selected candidate varieties with high β-carotene and dry matter using the accelerated breeding scheme from 2013 through 2017 [20]. These candidate varieties were evaluated in multi-locational trials alongside released varieties to select the best-performing ones for verification and release. However, variety performance evaluation through the conventional breeding methods is not enough to assure their eventual uptake unless the opinions of beneficiary farmers are included in the evaluation process. Consequently, the “Quality Diet for Better Health” project of CIP conducted participatory on-farm assessments of the candidate varieties in Southern Ethiopia for two consecutive years (2017 and 2018) to generate complementary data on farmers’ acceptability of the varieties.

On-farm participatory assessment of new varieties prior to release helps to get additional information on the wider adaptability of the varieties, farmers’ opinion of the new varieties, and recognition of traits critical for farmers when adopting new varieties [21,22,23,24]. On-farm trials can provide vital information for determining the biophysical performance, profitability, and acceptability of new technologies [23]. The conventional on-station variety assessment methods mostly focus on agronomic-related characteristics and lack the inputs of end-users’ preferences [25]. Consequently, many sweetpotato varieties that were released through conventional on-farm trials had low levels of adoption by smallholders [3,6,21,23,26]. A major constraint associated with on-farm trials has been their time and resource intensiveness. Moreover, data from on-farm trials can be highly variable in quality across sites.

Various methods have been developed to guide the design and interpretation of on-farm participatory trials for more reliable information [21,24,27]. The mother-and-baby trial model is one of those methods which has gained popularity [22,24,28]. This method is reported to address the drawbacks of the conventional variety assessment methods, which are followed by many researchers in the world [22,24,28]. The objective of this study was to evaluate on-farm performances of candidate OFSP varieties through farmers’ participatory processes and generate complementary data to the multi-locational trials for a more informed decision on variety release and registration.

2 Materials and methods

2.1 Description of the study areas

The study was conducted in selected districts of Gedeo and Sidama zones during the 2017 and 2018 main seasons (Table 1). Each year, the trials were planted in May and harvested in November. The study locations are situated in the eastern escarpment of the Ethiopian Rift Valley at about 320–350 km south of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia. The locations differ in altitude, soil textural class, and soil fertility. The soils of the study locations include black cotton clay soils (e.g. Dongoro Morocho and Rufo Waeno), red clay loam soils (e.g. Dibicha, Miridicha), and sandy loam soils (e.g. Chichu) (Table 1). Among the soil types represented, sandy loam with a pH between 5.6 and 6.5 is considered the best for sweetpotato production [29]. The locations in the Gedeo zone represent the coffee (Coffea arabica L.) and enset (Ensete ventricosum)-based multi-story agro-forestry farming system where the most important crops are, in order of importance, coffee, enset, fruits, maize, sweetpotato, and vegetables. The locations in the Sidama zone have a khat (Catha edulis) and maize-based farming system dominated by, in order of importance, khat, enset, maize, haricot bean, and sweetpotato. The study locations also display diverse altitude and edaphic conditions (Table 1). Sweetpotato is an integral part of the farming system of all the study locations, and farmers produce it mainly for household consumption.

Table 1

Topographic and edaphic characteristics of the study locations

Location Altitude (masl) Coordinates Soil characteristics*
Texture PH Av. P (ppm) C (%) Av. K (mg/kg)
Chichu 1,532 06°21′48.7″N, 038°18′15.9″E Sandy loam 5.9 6.04 1.83 19.7
Dibicha 1,633 06°30′09.8″N, 38°18′75.5″E Clay loam 5.3 4.35 1.19 15.9
Miridicha 1,660 06°34′67.2″N, 038°16′60.1″E Clay loam 5.5 3.48 1.35 18.4
Sisota 1,674 06°23′05.0″N, 038°19′22.3″E Clay loam 5.6 6.46 1.55 19.6
Loko Haytala 1,698 06°37′06.7″N, 38°17′29.0″E Clay loam 6.3 5.97 2.33 25.9
Dangora Morocho 1,713 06°39′37.3″N, 38°18′11.1″E Silt clay loam 5.6 5.01 1.37 19.6
Tokicha 1,736 06°17′55.5″N, 038°17′03.1″E Loam 5.5 6.22 1.31 21.1
Bele Bukisa 1,778 06°17′27.1″N, 038°15′05.6″E Clay loam 6.1 11.16 1.76 22.7
Dangora Elelicho 1,794 06°39′31.0″N, 038°20′35.4″E Clay 6.2 11.55 1.58 24.6
RufoWaeno 1,810 06°33′91.5″N, 08°19′65.9″E Clay 6.0 7.63 2.11 20.9
Andida 1,867 06°22′22.3″N, 038°21′15.0″E Clay loam 6.4 11.14 2.33 25.9
Amba 1,970 06°20′31.1″N, 038°20′21.4″E Silt clay loam 5.8 7.98 1.68 18.5
Holena 2,134 06°21′27.1″N, 038°21′00.4″E Clay loam 5.9 6.29 1.77 19.9

masl – meters above sea level, Av.P – average phosphorus, C – carbon, Av.K – average potassium. *The soil characteristics of the study areas were assessed by taking samples from three distinct depths (0–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm) of the experimental plots using auger. The composite samples were then analyzed to determine the major soil parameters at the southern regional soil laboratory following the standard procedures of soil analyses.

2.2 Sweetpotato varieties evaluated

The list of the sweetpotato varieties evaluated in this experiment is presented in Table 2. A total of five new OFSP varieties, which were under national multi-locational trial by HARC, were chosen based on their performance for root dry matter, β-carotene content, root yield, and other agronomic characteristics. Of the five varieties, Alamura (a cross of Ukr × Eju – 10) and Dilla (a cross of Ukr × Eju – 13) were bred by HARC using a diallel cross and were selected based on their high RDMC, flesh color (as an indicator of the level of β-carotene content), and fresh root yield [30]. The remaining three varieties (Vita, Kabode, and NASPOT 13 O) were introduced from Uganda. The new varieties were evaluated along with one previously released OFSP variety (Kulfo) and one popular previously released WFSP variety (Awassa-83) as a check, both of them being available with farmers in the study districts.

Table 2

Description of sweetpotato varieties evaluated in a participatory trial in Southern Ethiopia

No Variety Flesh color β-Carotene content (mg/100 g)a RDMC (%)a Origin
1 Alamura Deep orange 12.48 31.82 Ethiopia
2 Dilla Deep orange 9.50 32.47 Ethiopia
3 Vita Intermediate orange 11.0 30.1 Uganda
4 Kabode Intermediate orange 11.0 30.5 Uganda
5 NASPOT13 O Deep orange 11.0 28.0 Uganda
6 Kulfo (check) Intermediate orange 5.5 21.0 Ethiopia
7 Awassa-83 (check) White 0 33.0 Ethiopia

aSource: refs [30,31].

2.3 Field lay-out and experimental design

The test varieties were planted in 7 selected fields of Farmers Training Centers and 6 model farmers’ fields of 13 locations during the 2017 and 2018 main seasons using the mother trial model [21,22]. The plots were non-replicated but randomized at each location. The experimental design used was randomized complete block design by taking the locations as replication [22]. The plots consisted of five rows of 5 m length and were planted at the HARC’s recommended plant spacing of 0.6 m between rows and 0.3 m between plants, respectively [32]. Vine cuttings were planted on 30 cm high ridges. The middle three rows were used for data collection and harvesting. The experiment was conducted under rain-fed conditions, supplied with nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers at a rate of 50 and 180 kg/ha, respectively, as per the general fertilizer recommendations for sweet potato production in the Southern region of Ethiopia. The nitrogen was supplied in equal amounts, split evenly between planting time and 1 month after planting. The plots at all the locations were subjected to visits by groups of farmers at full maturity/harvesting during the 2017 season to collect data on their perception of the varieties using matrix ranking [22]. The same method was also used to collect data on the taste of roots after cooking during the 2017 season.

2.4 Data collection

Data on yield and yield components of the tested varieties were collected during the growing periods and at harvest. Days to maturity were determined by destructive sampling of plants from the border rows every 15 days after 3 months of planting during the first year of the experiment, taking into account maturity indices like soil crack around the plants and drying time of root latex. Root yield, above-ground biomass yield, vine length, vine internode length, vine internode diameter at full maturity stage, and days to maturity were recorded at harvesting. All the plants on the middle three rows of each plot were used to measure root and above-ground biomass yields, whereas five randomly selected plants were used to measure vine length, vine internode length, and vine internode diameter. Vine length and stem diameter are associated with vine survival in drought-prone environments [33]. Internode distance determines the number of cuttings obtainable from a single vine to use as planting material. The above-ground biomass yield indicates all the available vines to be used for planting and foliage mass for livestock feed for farmers practicing mixed farming systems. The data on root and above-ground biomass yields were measured in kilograms and converted into tons per hectare. Vine length and vine internode length were measured using measuring tape and analyzed in centimeters, while vine internode diameter was measured using Vernier caliper and analyzed in millimeters.

As part of the participatory evaluation processes, up to 1,039 farmers, encompassing both male and female farmers, were invited during peak vegetative stage and harvesting. Hence, they have been disaggregated by gender for the collection of data on their preferences. The groups of male and female participants were asked to assess overall vegetative performance (production of planting material, disease resistance, leaf type, ground cover, and growth habit) and physical root quality (weevil resistance, root skin color, root flesh color, root shape, and root size) of the test varieties. Sensory assessment was done individually by 15 male and 15 female farmers for 3 sensory criteria (sweetness, starchiness, and fibrousness) at each location. Each participant was asked to taste cooked roots of all the varieties with codes and provide an overall assessment for the three sensory criteria using green, yellow, and red cards, which represented very good, good, and bad taste, respectively.

2.5 Data analysis

The data collected on agronomic traits (root yield, above-ground biomass yield, vine length, vine internode length, and vine internode diameter) over the 2 years were subjected to a combined statistical analysis using SAS version 9.1 [34]. Data from days to maturity were also subjected to analysis using the same statistical package. The preference index (PI) was generated for farmers’ perception data on the vegetative and root performance of the varieties at each location using the following equation [22]:

(1) P I = ( No . of votes for the variety ) / ( total votes cast ) .

The resulting scores were subjected to statistical analysis using SAS version 9.1. For farmers’ perception of the sensory performance of the varieties, green and yellow cards were counted together to represent positive votes to generate the PI using the formula above, after which the resulting scores were subjected to analysis using SAS version 9.1. Simple and polynomial regression and correlation coefficient analyses were done to determine the association between altitudes of the testing locations and the rest of the parameters. For this study, the altitude ranges of 1,500–1,700, 1,700–1,900, and 1,900–2,200 masl were taken to represent low, mid, and high altitudes, respectively.

3 Results

3.1 Combined analysis of root yield, above-ground biomass, vine length, vine internode length, and vine diameter

The result of the combined statistical analyses of variance for root yield, above-ground biomass yield, vine length, vine internode length, and diameter over the 2 years is presented in Table 3. There was a highly significant difference (p < 0.001) among the varieties for all the parameters considered except above-ground biomass yield, which was only significant at p < 0.01 probability level. The difference among testing locations was highly significant (p < 0.001) for all the parameters considered. The year main effect was highly significant (p < 0.001) for root yield, above-ground biomass yield, and vine length and significant at p < 0.01 probability level for vine internode diameter. However, it was non-significant on vine internode length. The interaction effect of varieties and year was significant for above-ground biomass yield (p < 0.01) and vine internode diameter (p < 0.05). The interaction effect of varieties and testing locations was not significant on all the parameters measured. The simple correlation coefficient analysis revealed a highly significant (p < 0.001) negative correlation between altitude and root yield and a significant (p < 0.01) correlation between altitude and vine length. The correlation between altitude and above-ground biomass yield and vine internode length was also significant at p < 0.05 probability level. The correlation between altitude and vine internode diameter was non-significant at p < 0.05 probability level. The relationship between altitude and above-ground biomass yield appeared to be polynomial (Figure 2) and the correlation was significant at p < 0.05.

Table 3

Analysis of variance for root yield, above-ground biomass yield, vine length, vine internode length, and diameter of the varieties evaluated in Southern Ethiopia

Source of variation df Mean squares
RY (t/ha) AGBY (t/ha) VL (cm) VIL (cm) VID (mm)
Year 1 689.48*** 6,009.33*** 10,905.04*** 0.0036ns 2.10**
Variety 6 268.36*** 395.89** 17,536.59*** 20.07*** 16.26***
Location 12 422.91*** 694.60*** 7,335.93*** 3.56*** 3.56***
Variety * Year 6 237.77ns 308.01** 4,634.32ns 2.19ns 1.89*
Variety * Location 96 33.94ns 85.08ns 525.30ns 0.31ns 0.32ns
Error 144 32.39 83.17 459.51 0.28 0.26
Total 265

RY – root yield, AGBY – above-ground biomass yield, VL – vine length, VIL – vine internode length, VID – vine internode diameter, df – degrees of freedom, ***significant at p < 0.001 probability level, **significant at p < 0.01 probability level, *significant at p < 0.05 probability level, ns – not significant at p < 0.05 probability level.

Figure 1 Sweetpotato root yields as influenced by altitude in Southern Ethiopia.
Figure 1

Sweetpotato root yields as influenced by altitude in Southern Ethiopia.

3.2 Root yield

Kabode had a significantly higher mean root yield (22.7 t/ha) compared to the OFSP standard check, Kulfo, and the rest of the varieties, except Vita (Table 4). All the other new varieties also had significantly higher root yields than the WFSP standard variety, Awassa-83. Altitude had a significantly high and negative linear correlation (r = −0.84) with root yield (Figure 1). The highest root yields were obtained from Chichu (1,532 masl), Miridicha (1,660 masl), and Dibicha (1,633 masl) (Table 5). Holena (2,134 masl) and Amba (1,970 masl), which are locations with a high altitude, gave the lowest mean root yields of 9.2 and 12.3 t/ha, respectively. A significantly higher mean root yield of 20.6 t/ha was recorded during the second year of the experiment (Table 4).

Table 4

Mean values of yield and yield components of the sweetpotato varieties evaluated in Southern Ethiopia over 2 years (2017–2018)

Source of variation RY (t/ha) AGBY (t/ha) VL (cm) VIL (cm) VID (mm)
Year
2017 16.7 18.7 105 3.07 5.46
2018 20.6 30.2 89.6 3.06 5.25
LSD 2.03 3.1 7.04 0.17 0.18
P <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 0.916 <0.01
Variety
Alamura 17.1 28.4 141.5 4.37 4.71
Dilla 17.7 24.9 125.8 4.21 4.77
Vita 21.6 23.5 74.3 2.31 6.22
Kabode 22.7 29.0 81.2 2.45 6.16
NASPOT 13 O 19.3 26.1 82.7 3.14 4.67
Kulfo 19.1 18.0 94.8 2.36 4.73
Awassa-83 12.9 21.3 80.7 2.67 6.22
LSD 3.12 4.99 11.75 0.29 0.28
Mean 18.6 24.5 97.3 3.07 5.36
CV (%) 30.5 37.3 22 17.3 9.5
P <0.001 <0.01 <0.001 <0.001 <0.001

RY – root yield, AGBY – above-ground biomass yield, VL – vine length, VIL – vine internode length, VID – vine internode diameter.

Figure 2 Sweetpotato above-ground biomass yield as influenced by altitude in Southern Ethiopia.
Figure 2

Sweetpotato above-ground biomass yield as influenced by altitude in Southern Ethiopia.

Table 5

Mean values of yield and yield components of the sweetpotato varieties against the altitudinal differences of the study locations in Southern Ethiopia

Location Altitude (masl) RY (t/ha) AGBY (t/ha) VL (cm) VIL (cm) VID (mm)
Chichu 1,532 26.7 27.8 130.0 3.30 4.35
Dibicha 1,633 26.2 25.8 92.3 3.12 5.50
Miridicha 1,660 26.4 23.0 107.0 3.31 6.10
Sisota 1,674 20.4 31.1 122.0 3.64 5.62
Loko Haytala 1,698 19.5 19.2 86.0 2.78 5.20
Dangora Morocho 1,713 21.6 27.9 116.0 3.41 5.41
Tokicha 1,736 17.7 36.2 126.0 3.79 5.36
Bele Bukisa 1,778 15.8 19.3 78.7 2.88 5.21
Dangora Elelicho 1,794 15.3 31.0 106.0 3.55 5.78
RufoWaeno 1,810 15.4 23.7 90.3 2.60 5.18
Andida 1,867 15.6 27.4 89.0 3.06 5.22
Amba 1,970 12.3 14.6 59.9 2.18 5.33
Holena 2,134 9.2 10.9 62.0 2.28 5.37
Mean 18.6 24.5 97.3 3.07 5.36
CV (%) 30.5 37.3 22.0 17.3 9.5
LSD 5.17 7.91 18 0.42 0.45
R 2 1 0.84*** 0.48* 0.60** 0.46* 0.02ns

RY – root yield, AGBY – above-ground biomass yield, VL – vine length, VIL – vine internode length, VID – vine internode diameter, masl – meters above sea level, ***significant at p < 0.001 probability level, **significant at p < 0.01 probability level, *significant at p < 0.05 probability level, ns – not significant at p < 0.05 probability level.

3.3 Above-ground biomass yield

All the new varieties had significantly higher mean above-ground biomass yield than the OFSP standard check, Kulfo, with the highest being obtained from Kabode (Table 4). Kabode was also the only genotype that gave a significantly higher above-ground biomass yield (29 t/ha) than the WFSP check, Awassa-83 (Table 4). Altitude had significant (p < 0.05) and negative polynomial correlation (r = −0.48) with above-ground biomass yield (Figure 2). Above-ground biomass yield increased as it went from high altitude locations to low altitude locations until 1,600 masl and then decreased, the highest being obtained between 1,674 and 1,794 masl. Consequently, testing locations of Tokicha (1,736 masl), Sisota (1,674 masl), and Dangora Elelicho (1,794 masl) gave mean above-ground biomass yield of 36.2, 31.1, and 31 t/ha, respectively. The lowest mean above-ground biomass yield was obtained at the high-altitude locations of Holena (2,134 masl) and Amba (1,970 masl) (Table 5). A significantly higher mean above-ground biomass yield (30.2 t/ha) was recorded during the second year than in the first year of the experiment (Table 4).

3.4 Vine length

The mean vine length of the varieties and testing locations is presented in Tables 4 and 5, respectively. Alamura recorded the longest vine of all the varieties with a mean length of 145.2 cm, while Vita recorded the shortest with a mean length of 74.3 cm. Dilla had a significantly higher vine length than the OFSP check, Kulfo. The check varieties were among the other new varieties with medium vine length. Altitude generally had a significant and negative correlation (r = −0.60) with vine length. Consequently, vine length was highest at the low altitude location of Chichu (1,532 masl) with a mean value of 130.4 cm (Table 5). The high-altitude locations of Amba (1,970 masl) and Holena (2,134 masl) recorded the smallest mean vine length of 62 and 59.9 cm, respectively. A significantly longer mean vine length of 105 cm was obtained during the first year of the experiment (Table 4).

3.5 Vine internode length and diameter

The mean values of vine internode length and diameter of the varieties across the testing locations are presented in Tables 4 and 5, respectively. New varieties, Alamura and Dilla recorded significantly higher vine internode lengths of 4.37 cm and 4.21 cm compared to the rest of the varieties, respectively. Altitude generally had a significant and negative correlation (r = −0.46) with vine internode length. Accordingly, low to mid-altitude locations, Tokicha (1,736 masl), Sisota (1,674 masl), and Dangora Elelicho (1,794 masl) gave longer mean internode lengths of 3.79, 3.64, and 3.55 cm, respectively, compared to high altitude locations, Amba (1,970 masl) and Holena (2,134 masl), which gave 2.18 and 2.28 cm, respectively. On the other hand, Awassa-83, Kabode, and Vita exhibited the thickest vines of all the varieties with mean values of 6.22, 6.22, and 6.16 mm, respectively. Altitude did not have any significant correlation (r = 0.02) with vine internode diameter. A significantly higher mean vine internode diameter of 5.46 mm was recorded during the first year of the experiment (Table 4).

3.6 Days to maturity

There was a highly significant difference (p < 0.001) among the test varieties and testing locations regarding days to maturity. Accordingly, Kulfo, Vita, and Kabode reached maturity significantly earlier than the rest of the varieties (Table 6). Testing locations situated at low and mid-altitudes generally made the varieties mature earlier compared to locations at high altitudes, where the earliest (144.3 days) being recorded at Loko Haytala with an altitude of 1,698 masl and the longest (175.7 days) at Holena with an altitude of 2,134 masl (Figure 3).

Table 6

Mean days to maturity of the varieties in Southern Ethiopia

Variety Days to maturity (days)
Alamura 169.5
Dilla 169.5
Vita 145.6
Kabode 145.6
NASPOT 13 O 165.7
Kulfo 144.3
Awassa-83 165.7
LSD 5.09
Mean 158
CV (%) 4.1
P <0.001
Figure 3 Mean days to maturity of the tested varieties across the testing sites that have different altitudes in southern Ethiopia.
Figure 3

Mean days to maturity of the tested varieties across the testing sites that have different altitudes in southern Ethiopia.

3.7 Farmers’ evaluations of the test varieties

The analysis of variance results for farmers’ perception on vegetative, physical root quality, and taste performance of the varieties is presented in Table 7. The results revealed a highly significant difference (p < 0.001) among the varieties for farmers’ perception on vegetative and physical root quality performances. All the new varieties except Alamura were selected as better compared to both standard checks. Alamura was selected as a better candidate than the WFSP check, Awassa-83. The new varieties accounted for 92–98% of the total score, with Kabode demonstrating the highest mean index (98%) (Table 8). No significant difference was observed between male and female farmers regarding their preference on vegetative and physical root quality performance of the varieties. However, there was a significant (p < 0.01) difference between female and male farmers in the taste of the varieties (Table 7). All the varieties tasted significantly better than the OFSP check, Kulfo (Table 8). The WFSP check, Awassa-83, was only significantly bettered by Alamura, which won 95% mean index. It was also observed that male and female farmers had different taste preferences over the test varieties. Farmers of both sexes unanimously selected the new varieties over the OFSP check, Kulfo, but male farmers rated Dilla and Alamura better than the WFSP check, Awassa-83 (Table 8). There was no significant difference among the new varieties with respect to physical root quality and taste performances.

Table 7

Analysis of variance on farmers’ perception on the vegetative, physical root quality and taste performance of the varieties in Southern Ethiopia

Source of variation df Mean squares
Vegetative and physical root quality performance Taste performance
Location 12 0.04*** 0.03***
Variety 6 0.19*** 0.13***
Sex 1 0.01ns 0.07**
Error 162 0.009 0.007
Total 181

df – degrees of freedom, ***significant at p < 0.001 probability level, **significant at p < 0.01 probability level, ns – not significant at p < 0.05 probability level.

Table 8

Mean PI on vegetative, physical root quality and taste performances of the test varieties and sex-based taste perceptions in Southern Ethiopia

Genotype Mean PI Taste preference by sex
Vegetative and root performance (n = 1,039) Sd* Taste performance (n = 390) Sd Male Sd Female Sd
Alamura 0.93 0.10 0.95 0.06 0.93 0.06 0.97 0.04
Dilla 0.97 0.04 0.94 0.09 0.95 0.07 0.93 0.11
Vita 0.97 0.06 0.92 0.08 0.90 0.09 0.93 0.06
Kabode 0.98 0.04 0.92 0.07 0.91 0.07 0.93 0.08
NASPOT 13 O 0.97 0.05 0.93 0.07 0.90 0.08 0.95 0.06
Kulfo 0.91 0.13 0.74 0.13 0.69 0.11 0.79 0.14
Awassa-83 0.74 0.20 0.90 0.14 0.85 0.16 0.94 0.09
Mean 0.92 0.90 0.88 0.92
CV (%) 10.5 9.5 9.7 8.1
LSD 0.053*** 0.047** 0.066** 0.058**

*Standard deviation, ***significant at p < 0.001 probability level, **significant at p < 0.01 probability level.

4 Discussion

On-farm assessment of varieties prior to release has become a recommended practice to obtain additional information about the performance of new varieties under farmer-managed conditions [20,21,23,24]. It is also important to assess the performance of the new varieties across a broader range of environments and ensure gender-based farmers' preferences are taken into account before proposing for release [23,24]. In this study, several parameters, including vine performance and boiled root tastes, were captured in addition to typical data on root and above-ground biomass yield as these are useful to assess the robust-nest and multiplication rates of the test varieties.

Fresh root yield in sweetpotato is mainly a function of average root weight and number of roots per plant [35,36]. The root yield difference among the tested varieties in this study signifies the presence of genetic causes of variation [5,37], but environmental factors, as expressed by altitude and soil types, also play a part [35,38,39,40]. The OFSP check variety, Kulfo, which was released as a top performer in root yield nearly two decades ago, was only significantly outyielded by Kabode [3]. However, two of the new varieties, Vita and NASPOT 13 O, had non-significant root yield advantages of 13.1 and 1.1% over Kulfo, respectively. There was a general decrease in root yield with an increase in altitude, which is in line with other research findings [35,39,40,41]. The determinant factor for low root yield at higher altitude has been mentioned as the prevailing low night temperatures that negatively affects storage root formation and development [35,39,40,41]. From this study, the decrease in root yield was up to 2.5-fold while going up from 1,500 to 2,200 masl. The WFSP check, Awassa-83, was inferior throughout despite its widespread use among farmers in the study areas.

The new varieties exhibited significantly higher above-ground biomass yield than the OFSP check variety, Kulfo. Most of these new varieties also performed better in terms of above-ground biomass yield than the popular WFSP check variety, Awassa-83. The amount of above-ground biomass yield obtained from the new varieties (ranging from 23 to 29 t/ha) was similar to values reported by other authors for other varieties elsewhere [42,43,44]. As farmers in Ethiopia and elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa use their own vines for planting and feeding their livestock [45,46], the high biomass yield of the new varieties would benefit them. Locations with low to mid-altitude generally produced higher above-ground biomass yield compared to the high-altitude locations. The low above-ground biomass yield observed at higher altitudes in this study might correspond with the low day temperature effects that negatively affects vine development [29,40,41]. Belehu and Hammes [47] also reported that vine growth under greenhouse conditions is high when the plants are exposed to higher temperature.

Vine length in sweetpotato depends on the growth habit of the variety, the availability of water in the soil and plant density [48,49]. Alamura and Dilla gave the longest vine of all the test varieties. As these varieties have a spreading type of growth habit, longer vines are expected than for the semi-erect varieties from Uganda [48]. As cuttings are the sole means of sweetpotato propagation in Ethiopia [50], varieties with longer vines are expected to have good acceptability by farmers [51]. These new varieties also had the longest vine internode length, although they all belong to varieties with short vine internode length categories [52]. Awassa-83, Vita, and Kabode recorded the thickest vines, which farmers usually associate with drought tolerance. It is reported that vine thickness is one of the most important criteria of farmers while selecting varieties in some parts of the southern region of Ethiopia [51]. Vine length and vine internode length followed the same trend as root yield and above-ground biomass yield when it comes to the effect of altitude. However, vine internode diameter did not show any decrease with the increase in altitude. Lack of a significant decrease in vine internode diameter with an increase in altitude was also reported elsewhere [53]. This might be due to the insignificant response of vine internode diameter to temperature during the sweetpotato crop growth [54].

Root and above-ground biomass yields were higher in the 2018 season than in the 2017 season, while the reverse was true for vine length and vine internode diameter. The significant difference between the testing years on root yield, above-ground biomass yield, vine length, and vine internode diameter can be attributed to the difference in weather conditions of the testing sites across the 2 years [35,38]. The lack of significant interaction effect between the test varieties and testing sites for all the parameters measured indicates the consistent performance of the varieties across the testing locations.

The standard OFSP check, Kulfo, and the two new varieties, Kabode and Vita, reached maturity at about 25 days earlier than the other new varieties and the WFSP check variety, Awassa-83. The maturity date recorded for Kulfo (144.3 days) in this study is closer to the report from Tofu et al. [3] (150 days), but the maturity time for Vita and Kabode is delayed by an average of 26 days from their natural niche, Uganda [31]. Vita and Kabode were found in the same maturity group with Kulfo, whereas Alamura, Dilla, and NASPOT – 13 O were found in the same maturity group with Awassa-83. The difference in maturity group among the new varieties would benefit farmers as it gives them the opportunity to exploit both the short and long growing periods in their localities. It further helps them to improve their food security status by having longer harvests and making the most use of the available market by extending root supply.

Farmers preferred the new varieties over the OFSP check, Kulfo in vegetative and physical root quality performance and taste. Generally, these results agree with previous findings, which reported low adoption of Kulfo due to its poor taste and low dry matter content [2,3]. Gurmu et al. [30] and Tumwegamire et al. [31] also reported that the new varieties have higher dry matter (28–32.47%) and β-carotene (9.5–12.48 mg/100 g) contents compared to Kulfo. It was observed that male and female farmers’ preferences did not vary on the vegetative and physical root quality performances of the test varieties, which is different from the findings of other studies where gender differences in varietal preference were reported [26,51,55]. However, male and female farmers responded differently with respect to the taste preference of the varieties, which is in line with previous reports elsewhere [26,51,55,56]. The comparable taste result of the new varieties with the WFSP check, Awassa-83, a variety that is widely adopted by farmers in Ethiopia, will facilitate their fast adoption by farmers. Root yield, taste, root shape, vine thickness, and vine length were identified as the most important parameters to farmers for selecting new varieties before adoption in the study districts. Similar results were reported by different authors on farmers’ preferences for sweetpotato varieties and for prioritizing pre and post-harvest constraints of sweetpotato production in the southern region of Ethiopia [2,3,51].

5 Conclusion

The new varieties performed significantly better than the check varieties for most of the tested parameters. Kabode, Vita, and NASPOT13 O were particularly better in root yield, while Alamura and Dilla were better in taste (which is associated with their high dry matter) and vine yield. Kulfo, the OFSP check and the only OFSP variety under production, was inferior in above-ground biomass yield, taste, vegetative, and physical root quality performance. Awassa-83, the dominant WFSP variety grown in the study areas, was inferior in root yield. It was also observed that the new varieties are of medium to late maturity time and can fit into the growing season of the study areas. Root yield, above-ground biomass yield, vine length, and vine internode diameter decreased with an increase in altitude, implying that altitude ranges of 1,500–1,800 masl are better suited to sweetpotato production. Farmer involvement in the assessment process helped to know their priority criteria for adopting new varieties. Consequently, farmers' criteria like root shape and vine thickness shall be taken as screening criteria in addition to the other parameters in the sweetpotato breeding program. The new varieties had higher dry matter (28–32.47%) and beta carotene (9.5–12.48 mg/100 g) content compared to the OFSP check varieties [30,31]. The conventional experimental studies combined with farmers’ participatory assessments indicated that the new varieties could have a high chance of wider adoption due to their superiority in many of the farmers’ selection criteria. The outcome of this study implied that the conventional on-station trials should be supported by the farmers' participatory evaluations for improved facilitation of the variety release process targeting the demand of smallholder farmers.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the Hawassa Agricultural Research Center for providing quality planting materials for the test varieties and for the technical support. Heartfelt thanks also go to People In Need (PIN) and agricultural offices of Aleta Chuko, Dilla Zuriya, and Wonago districts staff for their assistance during the implementation of the study. The model farmers, who generously provided their land and actively participated in the on-farm trials, are also very much acknowledged.

  1. Funding information: This study is undertaken as part of the “Quality Diets for Better Health” project of the International Potato Center, which is funded by the European Union under Grant Number EuropeAid/151093/DH/ACT/Multi.

  2. Conflict of interest: The authors state no conflict of interest.

  3. Data availability statement: The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Received: 2023-02-27
Revised: 2023-05-17
Accepted: 2023-05-23
Published Online: 2024-02-06

© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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  68. Structuration, risk management, and institutional dynamics in resolving palm oil conflicts
  69. Spacing strategies for enhancing drought resilience and yield in maize agriculture
  70. Composition and quality of winter annual agrestal and ruderal herbages of two different land-use types
  71. Investigating Spodoptera spp. diversity, percentage of attack, and control strategies in the West Java, Indonesia, corn cultivation
  72. Yield stability of biofertilizer treatments to soybean in the rainy season based on the GGE biplot
  73. Evaluating agricultural yield and economic implications of varied irrigation depths on maize yield in semi-arid environments, at Birfarm, Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia
  74. Chemometrics for mapping the spatial nitrate distribution on the leaf lamina of fenugreek grown under varying nitrogenous fertilizer doses
  75. Pomegranate peel ethanolic extract: A promising natural antioxidant, antimicrobial agent, and novel approach to mitigate rancidity in used edible oils
  76. Transformative learning and engagement with organic farming: Lessons learned from Indonesia
  77. Tourism in rural areas as a broader concept: Some insights from the Portuguese reality
  78. Assessment enhancing drought tolerance in henna (Lawsonia inermis L.) ecotypes through sodium nitroprusside foliar application
  79. Edible insects: A survey about perceptions regarding possible beneficial health effects and safety concerns among adult citizens from Portugal and Romania
  80. Phenological stages analysis in peach trees using electronic nose
  81. Harvest date and salicylic acid impact on peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) properties under different humidity conditions
  82. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. petal biomass: A green source of nanoparticles of multifarious potential
  83. Use of different vegetation indices for the evaluation of the kinetics of the cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) growth based on multispectral images by UAV
  84. First evidence of microplastic pollution in mangrove sediments and its ingestion by coral reef fish: Case study in Biawak Island, Indonesia
  85. Physical and textural properties and sensory acceptability of wheat bread partially incorporated with unripe non-commercial banana cultivars
  86. Cereibacter sphaeroides ST16 and ST26 were used to solubilize insoluble P forms to improve P uptake, growth, and yield of rice in acidic and extreme saline soil
  87. Avocado peel by-product in cattle diets and supplementation with oregano oil and effects on production, carcass, and meat quality
  88. Optimizing inorganic blended fertilizer application for the maximum grain yield and profitability of bread wheat and food barley in Dawuro Zone, Southwest Ethiopia
  89. The acceptance of social media as a channel of communication and livestock information for sheep farmers
  90. Adaptation of rice farmers to aging in Thailand
  91. Combined use of improved maize hybrids and nitrogen application increases grain yield of maize, under natural Striga hermonthica infestation
  92. From aquatic to terrestrial: An examination of plant diversity and ecological shifts
  93. Statistical modelling of a tractor tractive performance during ploughing operation on a tropical Alfisol
  94. Participation in artisanal diamond mining and food security: A case study of Kasai Oriental in DR Congo
  95. Assessment and multi-scenario simulation of ecosystem service values in Southwest China’s mountainous and hilly region
  96. Analysis of agricultural emissions and economic growth in Europe in search of ecological balance
  97. Bacillus thuringiensis strains with high insecticidal activity against insect larvae of the orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera
  98. Technical efficiency of sugarcane farming in East Java, Indonesia: A bootstrap data envelopment analysis
  99. Comparison between mycobiota diversity and fungi and mycotoxin contamination of maize and wheat
  100. Evaluation of cultivation technology package and corn variety based on agronomy characters and leaf green indices
  101. Exploring the association between the consumption of beverages, fast foods, sweets, fats, and oils and the risk of gastric and pancreatic cancers: Findings from case–control study
  102. Phytochemical composition and insecticidal activity of Acokanthera oblongifolia (Hochst.) Benth & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks. extract on life span and biological aspects of Spodoptera littoralis (Biosd.)
  103. Land use management solutions in response to climate change: Case study in the central coastal areas of Vietnam
  104. Evaluation of coffee pulp as a feed ingredient for ruminants: A meta-analysis
  105. Interannual variations of normalized difference vegetation index and potential evapotranspiration and their relationship in the Baghdad area
  106. Harnessing synthetic microbial communities with nitrogen-fixing activity to promote rice growth
  107. Agronomic and economic benefits of rice–sweetpotato rotation in lowland rice cropping systems in Uganda
  108. Response of potato tuber as an effect of the N-fertilizer and paclobutrazol application in medium altitude
  109. Bridging the gap: The role of geographic proximity in enhancing seed sustainability in Bandung District
  110. Evaluation of Abrams curve in agricultural sector using the NARDL approach
  111. Challenges and opportunities for young farmers in the implementation of the Rural Development Program 2014–2020 of the Republic of Croatia
  112. Yield stability of ten common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes at different sowing dates in Lubumbashi, South-East of DR Congo
  113. Effects of encapsulation and combining probiotics with different nitrate forms on methane emission and in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics
  114. Phytochemical analysis of Bienertia sinuspersici extract and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities
  115. Evaluation of relative drought tolerance of grapevines by leaf fluorescence parameters
  116. Yield assessment of new streak-resistant topcross maize hybrids in Benin
  117. Improvement of cocoa powder properties through ultrasonic- and microwave-assisted alkalization
  118. Potential of ecoenzymes made from nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) leaf and pulp waste as bioinsecticides for Periplaneta americana
  119. Analysis of farm performance to realize the sustainability of organic cabbage vegetable farming in Getasan Semarang, Indonesia
  120. Revealing the influences of organic amendment-derived dissolved organic matter on growth and nutrient accumulation in lettuce seedlings (Lactuca sativa L.)
  121. Identification of viruses infecting sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.) in Benin
  122. Assessing the soil physical and chemical properties of long-term pomelo orchard based on tree growth
  123. Investigating access and use of digital tools for agriculture among rural farmers: A case study of Nkomazi Municipality, South Africa
  124. Does sex influence the impact of dietary vitD3 and UVB light on performance parameters and welfare indicators of broilers?
  125. Design of intelligent sprayer control for an autonomous farming drone using a multiclass support vector machine
  126. Deciphering salt-responsive NB-ARC genes in rice transcriptomic data: A bioinformatics approach with gene expression validation
  127. Review Articles
  128. Impact of nematode infestation in livestock production and the role of natural feed additives – A review
  129. Role of dietary fats in reproductive, health, and nutritional benefits in farm animals: A review
  130. Climate change and adaptive strategies on viticulture (Vitis spp.)
  131. The false tiger of almond, Monosteira unicostata (Hemiptera: Tingidae): Biology, ecology, and control methods
  132. A systematic review on potential analogy of phytobiomass and soil carbon evaluation methods: Ethiopia insights
  133. A review of storage temperature and relative humidity effects on shelf life and quality of mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit and implications for nutrition insecurity in Ethiopia
  134. Green extraction of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) phytochemicals: Prospective strategies and roadblocks
  135. Potential influence of nitrogen fertilizer rates on yield and yield components of carrot (Dacus carota L.) in Ethiopia: Systematic review
  136. Corn silk: A promising source of antimicrobial compounds for health and wellness
  137. State and contours of research on roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) in Africa
  138. The potential of phosphorus-solubilizing purple nonsulfur bacteria in agriculture: Present and future perspectives
  139. Minor millets: Processing techniques and their nutritional and health benefits
  140. Meta-analysis of reproductive performance of improved dairy cattle under Ethiopian environmental conditions
  141. Review on enhancing the efficiency of fertilizer utilization: Strategies for optimal nutrient management
  142. The nutritional, phytochemical composition, and utilisation of different parts of maize: A comparative analysis
  143. Motivations for farmers’ participation in agri-environmental scheme in the EU, literature review
  144. Evolution of climate-smart agriculture research: A science mapping exploration and network analysis
  145. Short Communications
  146. Music enrichment improves the behavior and leukocyte profile of dairy cattle
  147. Effect of pruning height and organic fertilization on the morphological and productive characteristics of Moringa oleifera Lam. in the Peruvian dry tropics
  148. Corrigendum
  149. Corrigendum to “Bioinformatics investigation of the effect of volatile and non-volatile compounds of rhizobacteria in inhibiting late embryogenesis abundant protein that induces drought tolerance”
  150. Corrigendum to “Composition and quality of winter annual agrestal and ruderal herbages of two different land-use types”
  151. Special issue: Smart Agriculture System for Sustainable Development: Methods and Practices
  152. Construction of a sustainable model to predict the moisture content of porang powder (Amorphophallus oncophyllus) based on pointed-scan visible near-infrared spectroscopy
  153. FruitVision: A deep learning based automatic fruit grading system
  154. Energy harvesting and ANFIS modeling of a PVDF/GO-ZNO piezoelectric nanogenerator on a UAV
  155. Effects of stress hormones on digestibility and performance in cattle: A review
  156. Special Issue of The 4th International Conference on Food Science and Engineering (ICFSE) 2022 - Part II
  157. Assessment of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid profiles and ratio of omega-6/omega-3 of white eggs produced by laying hens fed diets enriched with omega-3 rich vegetable oil
  158. Special Issue on FCEM - International Web Conference on Food Choice & Eating Motivation - Part II
  159. Special Issue on FCEM – International Web Conference on Food Choice & Eating Motivation: Message from the editor
  160. Fruit and vegetable consumption: Study involving Portuguese and French consumers
  161. Knowledge about consumption of milk: Study involving consumers from two European Countries – France and Portugal
https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2022-0208
Keywords for this article
vitamin A; white-fleshed sweetpotato; taste; farmers preference; dry matter
Creative Commons
BY 4.0

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Regular Articles
  2. Supplementation of P-solubilizing purple nonsulfur bacteria, Rhodopseudomonas palustris improved soil fertility, P nutrient, growth, and yield of Cucumis melo L.
  3. Yield gap variation in rice cultivation in Indonesia
  4. Effects of co-inoculation of indole-3-acetic acid- and ammonia-producing bacteria on plant growth and nutrition, soil elements, and the relationships of soil microbiomes with soil physicochemical parameters
  5. Impact of mulching and planting time on spring-wheat (Triticum aestivum) growth: A combined field experiment and empirical modeling approach
  6. Morphological diversity, correlation studies, and multiple-traits selection for yield and yield components of local cowpea varieties
  7. Participatory on-farm evaluation of new orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties in Southern Ethiopia
  8. Yield performance and stability analysis of three cultivars of Gayo Arabica coffee across six different environments
  9. Biology of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on different types of plants feeds: Potency as a pest on various agricultural plants
  10. Antidiabetic activity of methanolic extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa Linn. fruit in alloxan-induced Swiss albino diabetic mice
  11. Bioinformatics investigation of the effect of volatile and non-volatile compounds of rhizobacteria in inhibiting late embryogenesis abundant protein that induces drought tolerance
  12. Nicotinamide as a biostimulant improves soybean growth and yield
  13. Farmer’s willingness to accept the sustainable zoning-based organic farming development plan: A lesson from Sleman District, Indonesia
  14. Uncovering hidden determinants of millennial farmers’ intentions in running conservation agriculture: An application of the Norm Activation Model
  15. Mediating role of leadership and group capital between human capital component and sustainability of horticultural agribusiness institutions in Indonesia
  16. Biochar technology to increase cassava crop productivity: A study of sustainable agriculture on degraded land
  17. Effect of struvite on the growth of green beans on Mars and Moon regolith simulants
  18. UrbanAgriKG: A knowledge graph on urban agriculture and its embeddings
  19. Provision of loans and credit by cocoa buyers under non-price competition: Cocoa beans market in Ghana
  20. Effectiveness of micro-dosing of lime on selected chemical properties of soil in Banja District, North West, Ethiopia
  21. Effect of weather, nitrogen fertilizer, and biostimulators on the root size and yield components of Hordeum vulgare
  22. Effects of selected biostimulants on qualitative and quantitative parameters of nine cultivars of the genus Capsicum spp.
  23. Growth, yield, and secondary metabolite responses of three shallot cultivars at different watering intervals
  24. Design of drainage channel for effective use of land on fully mechanized sugarcane plantations: A case study at Bone Sugarcane Plantation
  25. Technical feasibility and economic benefit of combined shallot seedlings techniques in Indonesia
  26. Control of Meloidogyne javanica in banana by endophytic bacteria
  27. Comparison of important quality components of red-flesh kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) in different locations
  28. Efficiency of rice farming in flood-prone areas of East Java, Indonesia
  29. Comparative analysis of alpine agritourism in Trentino, Tyrol, and South Tyrol: Regional variations and prospects
  30. Detection of Fusarium spp. infection in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) during postharvest storage through visible–near-infrared and shortwave–near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy
  31. Forage yield, seed, and forage qualitative traits evaluation by determining the optimal forage harvesting stage in dual-purpose cultivation in safflower varieties (Carthamus tinctorius L.)
  32. The influence of tourism on the development of urban space: Comparison in Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City
  33. Optimum intra-row spacing and clove size for the economical production of garlic (Allium sativum L.) in Northwestern Highlands of Ethiopia
  34. The role of organic rice farm income on farmer household welfare: Evidence from Yogyakarta, Indonesia
  35. Exploring innovative food in a developing country: Edible insects as a sustainable option
  36. Genotype by environment interaction and performance stability of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars grown in Dawuro zone, Southwestern Ethiopia
  37. Factors influencing green, environmentally-friendly consumer behaviour
  38. Factors affecting coffee farmers’ access to financial institutions: The case of Bandung Regency, Indonesia
  39. Morphological and yield trait-based evaluation and selection of chili (Capsicum annuum L.) genotypes suitable for both summer and winter seasons
  40. Sustainability analysis and decision-making strategy for swamp buffalo (Bubalus bubalis carabauesis) conservation in Jambi Province, Indonesia
  41. Understanding factors affecting rice purchasing decisions in Indonesia: Does rice brand matter?
  42. An implementation of an extended theory of planned behavior to investigate consumer behavior on hygiene sanitation-certified livestock food products
  43. Information technology adoption in Indonesia’s small-scale dairy farms
  44. Draft genome of a biological control agent against Bipolaris sorokiniana, the causal phytopathogen of spot blotch in wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum): Bacillus inaquosorum TSO22
  45. Assessment of the recurrent mutagenesis efficacy of sesame crosses followed by isolation and evaluation of promising genetic resources for use in future breeding programs
  46. Fostering cocoa industry resilience: A collaborative approach to managing farm gate price fluctuations in West Sulawesi, Indonesia
  47. Field investigation of component failures for selected farm machinery used in small rice farming operations
  48. Near-infrared technology in agriculture: Rapid, simultaneous, and non-destructive determination of inner quality parameters on intact coffee beans
  49. The synergistic application of sucrose and various LED light exposures to enhance the in vitro growth of Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni)
  50. Weather index-based agricultural insurance for flower farmers: Willingness to pay, sales, and profitability perspectives
  51. Meta-analysis of dietary Bacillus spp. on serum biochemical and antioxidant status and egg quality of laying hens
  52. Biochemical characterization of trypsin from Indonesian skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) viscera
  53. Determination of C-factor for conventional cultivation and soil conservation technique used in hop gardens
  54. Empowering farmers: Unveiling the economic impacts of contract farming on red chilli farmers’ income in Magelang District, Indonesia
  55. Evaluating salt tolerance in fodder crops: A field experiment in the dry land
  56. Labor productivity of lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) farmers in Central Java Province, Indonesia
  57. Cropping systems and production assessment in southern Myanmar: Informing strategic interventions
  58. The effect of biostimulants and red mud on the growth and yield of shallots in post-unlicensed gold mining soil
  59. Effects of dietary Adansonia digitata L. (baobab) seed meal on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens: A systematic review and meta-analysis
  60. Analysis and structural characterization of the vid-pisco market
  61. Pseudomonas fluorescens SP007s enhances defense responses against the soybean bacterial pustule caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines
  62. A brief investigation on the prospective of co-composted biochar as a fertilizer for Zucchini plants cultivated in arid sandy soil
  63. Supply chain efficiency of red chilies in the production center of Sleman Indonesia based on performance measurement system
  64. Investment development path for developed economies: Is agriculture different?
  65. Power relations among actors in laying hen business in Indonesia: A MACTOR analysis
  66. High-throughput digital imaging and detection of morpho-physiological traits in tomato plants under drought
  67. Converting compression ignition engine to dual-fuel (diesel + CNG) engine and experimentally investigating its performance and emissions
  68. Structuration, risk management, and institutional dynamics in resolving palm oil conflicts
  69. Spacing strategies for enhancing drought resilience and yield in maize agriculture
  70. Composition and quality of winter annual agrestal and ruderal herbages of two different land-use types
  71. Investigating Spodoptera spp. diversity, percentage of attack, and control strategies in the West Java, Indonesia, corn cultivation
  72. Yield stability of biofertilizer treatments to soybean in the rainy season based on the GGE biplot
  73. Evaluating agricultural yield and economic implications of varied irrigation depths on maize yield in semi-arid environments, at Birfarm, Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia
  74. Chemometrics for mapping the spatial nitrate distribution on the leaf lamina of fenugreek grown under varying nitrogenous fertilizer doses
  75. Pomegranate peel ethanolic extract: A promising natural antioxidant, antimicrobial agent, and novel approach to mitigate rancidity in used edible oils
  76. Transformative learning and engagement with organic farming: Lessons learned from Indonesia
  77. Tourism in rural areas as a broader concept: Some insights from the Portuguese reality
  78. Assessment enhancing drought tolerance in henna (Lawsonia inermis L.) ecotypes through sodium nitroprusside foliar application
  79. Edible insects: A survey about perceptions regarding possible beneficial health effects and safety concerns among adult citizens from Portugal and Romania
  80. Phenological stages analysis in peach trees using electronic nose
  81. Harvest date and salicylic acid impact on peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) properties under different humidity conditions
  82. Hibiscus sabdariffa L. petal biomass: A green source of nanoparticles of multifarious potential
  83. Use of different vegetation indices for the evaluation of the kinetics of the cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) growth based on multispectral images by UAV
  84. First evidence of microplastic pollution in mangrove sediments and its ingestion by coral reef fish: Case study in Biawak Island, Indonesia
  85. Physical and textural properties and sensory acceptability of wheat bread partially incorporated with unripe non-commercial banana cultivars
  86. Cereibacter sphaeroides ST16 and ST26 were used to solubilize insoluble P forms to improve P uptake, growth, and yield of rice in acidic and extreme saline soil
  87. Avocado peel by-product in cattle diets and supplementation with oregano oil and effects on production, carcass, and meat quality
  88. Optimizing inorganic blended fertilizer application for the maximum grain yield and profitability of bread wheat and food barley in Dawuro Zone, Southwest Ethiopia
  89. The acceptance of social media as a channel of communication and livestock information for sheep farmers
  90. Adaptation of rice farmers to aging in Thailand
  91. Combined use of improved maize hybrids and nitrogen application increases grain yield of maize, under natural Striga hermonthica infestation
  92. From aquatic to terrestrial: An examination of plant diversity and ecological shifts
  93. Statistical modelling of a tractor tractive performance during ploughing operation on a tropical Alfisol
  94. Participation in artisanal diamond mining and food security: A case study of Kasai Oriental in DR Congo
  95. Assessment and multi-scenario simulation of ecosystem service values in Southwest China’s mountainous and hilly region
  96. Analysis of agricultural emissions and economic growth in Europe in search of ecological balance
  97. Bacillus thuringiensis strains with high insecticidal activity against insect larvae of the orders Coleoptera and Lepidoptera
  98. Technical efficiency of sugarcane farming in East Java, Indonesia: A bootstrap data envelopment analysis
  99. Comparison between mycobiota diversity and fungi and mycotoxin contamination of maize and wheat
  100. Evaluation of cultivation technology package and corn variety based on agronomy characters and leaf green indices
  101. Exploring the association between the consumption of beverages, fast foods, sweets, fats, and oils and the risk of gastric and pancreatic cancers: Findings from case–control study
  102. Phytochemical composition and insecticidal activity of Acokanthera oblongifolia (Hochst.) Benth & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks. extract on life span and biological aspects of Spodoptera littoralis (Biosd.)
  103. Land use management solutions in response to climate change: Case study in the central coastal areas of Vietnam
  104. Evaluation of coffee pulp as a feed ingredient for ruminants: A meta-analysis
  105. Interannual variations of normalized difference vegetation index and potential evapotranspiration and their relationship in the Baghdad area
  106. Harnessing synthetic microbial communities with nitrogen-fixing activity to promote rice growth
  107. Agronomic and economic benefits of rice–sweetpotato rotation in lowland rice cropping systems in Uganda
  108. Response of potato tuber as an effect of the N-fertilizer and paclobutrazol application in medium altitude
  109. Bridging the gap: The role of geographic proximity in enhancing seed sustainability in Bandung District
  110. Evaluation of Abrams curve in agricultural sector using the NARDL approach
  111. Challenges and opportunities for young farmers in the implementation of the Rural Development Program 2014–2020 of the Republic of Croatia
  112. Yield stability of ten common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes at different sowing dates in Lubumbashi, South-East of DR Congo
  113. Effects of encapsulation and combining probiotics with different nitrate forms on methane emission and in vitro rumen fermentation characteristics
  114. Phytochemical analysis of Bienertia sinuspersici extract and its antioxidant and antimicrobial activities
  115. Evaluation of relative drought tolerance of grapevines by leaf fluorescence parameters
  116. Yield assessment of new streak-resistant topcross maize hybrids in Benin
  117. Improvement of cocoa powder properties through ultrasonic- and microwave-assisted alkalization
  118. Potential of ecoenzymes made from nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) leaf and pulp waste as bioinsecticides for Periplaneta americana
  119. Analysis of farm performance to realize the sustainability of organic cabbage vegetable farming in Getasan Semarang, Indonesia
  120. Revealing the influences of organic amendment-derived dissolved organic matter on growth and nutrient accumulation in lettuce seedlings (Lactuca sativa L.)
  121. Identification of viruses infecting sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.) in Benin
  122. Assessing the soil physical and chemical properties of long-term pomelo orchard based on tree growth
  123. Investigating access and use of digital tools for agriculture among rural farmers: A case study of Nkomazi Municipality, South Africa
  124. Does sex influence the impact of dietary vitD3 and UVB light on performance parameters and welfare indicators of broilers?
  125. Design of intelligent sprayer control for an autonomous farming drone using a multiclass support vector machine
  126. Deciphering salt-responsive NB-ARC genes in rice transcriptomic data: A bioinformatics approach with gene expression validation
  127. Review Articles
  128. Impact of nematode infestation in livestock production and the role of natural feed additives – A review
  129. Role of dietary fats in reproductive, health, and nutritional benefits in farm animals: A review
  130. Climate change and adaptive strategies on viticulture (Vitis spp.)
  131. The false tiger of almond, Monosteira unicostata (Hemiptera: Tingidae): Biology, ecology, and control methods
  132. A systematic review on potential analogy of phytobiomass and soil carbon evaluation methods: Ethiopia insights
  133. A review of storage temperature and relative humidity effects on shelf life and quality of mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit and implications for nutrition insecurity in Ethiopia
  134. Green extraction of nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) phytochemicals: Prospective strategies and roadblocks
  135. Potential influence of nitrogen fertilizer rates on yield and yield components of carrot (Dacus carota L.) in Ethiopia: Systematic review
  136. Corn silk: A promising source of antimicrobial compounds for health and wellness
  137. State and contours of research on roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) in Africa
  138. The potential of phosphorus-solubilizing purple nonsulfur bacteria in agriculture: Present and future perspectives
  139. Minor millets: Processing techniques and their nutritional and health benefits
  140. Meta-analysis of reproductive performance of improved dairy cattle under Ethiopian environmental conditions
  141. Review on enhancing the efficiency of fertilizer utilization: Strategies for optimal nutrient management
  142. The nutritional, phytochemical composition, and utilisation of different parts of maize: A comparative analysis
  143. Motivations for farmers’ participation in agri-environmental scheme in the EU, literature review
  144. Evolution of climate-smart agriculture research: A science mapping exploration and network analysis
  145. Short Communications
  146. Music enrichment improves the behavior and leukocyte profile of dairy cattle
  147. Effect of pruning height and organic fertilization on the morphological and productive characteristics of Moringa oleifera Lam. in the Peruvian dry tropics
  148. Corrigendum
  149. Corrigendum to “Bioinformatics investigation of the effect of volatile and non-volatile compounds of rhizobacteria in inhibiting late embryogenesis abundant protein that induces drought tolerance”
  150. Corrigendum to “Composition and quality of winter annual agrestal and ruderal herbages of two different land-use types”
  151. Special issue: Smart Agriculture System for Sustainable Development: Methods and Practices
  152. Construction of a sustainable model to predict the moisture content of porang powder (Amorphophallus oncophyllus) based on pointed-scan visible near-infrared spectroscopy
  153. FruitVision: A deep learning based automatic fruit grading system
  154. Energy harvesting and ANFIS modeling of a PVDF/GO-ZNO piezoelectric nanogenerator on a UAV
  155. Effects of stress hormones on digestibility and performance in cattle: A review
  156. Special Issue of The 4th International Conference on Food Science and Engineering (ICFSE) 2022 - Part II
  157. Assessment of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid profiles and ratio of omega-6/omega-3 of white eggs produced by laying hens fed diets enriched with omega-3 rich vegetable oil
  158. Special Issue on FCEM - International Web Conference on Food Choice & Eating Motivation - Part II
  159. Special Issue on FCEM – International Web Conference on Food Choice & Eating Motivation: Message from the editor
  160. Fruit and vegetable consumption: Study involving Portuguese and French consumers
  161. Knowledge about consumption of milk: Study involving consumers from two European Countries – France and Portugal
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