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Identification of cowpea genotypes resistant to Ascochyta blight

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Zambia Agriculture Research Insitute (ZARI)

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The cowpea breeding team at the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI), Mochipapa Research Station, Zambia. The team from left to right; Mr Dickson Matambele, Ms Velindah Chibomba and Mr William Funsani.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Background

 

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.] Walp) is an important food and nutritional security legume in many households in Zambia, especially among the resource constrained farmers who grow it for consumption and income generation. Furthermore, cowpea plays a vital role in soil improvement and management through its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen.

 

Despite its importance, cowpea productivity among resource poor farmers remains very low. Among other factors attributed to low productivity of cowpea, is its susceptibility to Ascochyta blight, which attacks all above ground parts of the plant and can cause death of the whole plant. The common approach in controlling Ascochyta blight is using fungicides which leads to increased cost of production. One of the most effective and long-term control measures against Ascochyta blight is breeding for resistance. However, little studies have been conducted in this area in Zambia. Therefore, this project will screen and select parent materials, which are resistant to Ascochyta blight for use in cowpea breeding programs.

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View of cowpea field trial at Mochipapa research Station. Cowpea germinating are from KT partners in Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria. 

Objectives

 

  1. To determine the spread of Ascochyta blight in major cowpea growing areas in Zambia.

  2. To assess relative virulence of Ascochyta blight.

  3. To identify cowpea cultivars that are resistant to Ascochyta blight.

Progress to date

 

  1. The group has been collecting data and observing Ascochyta blight in Southern and Eastern Provinces of Zambia.

  2. The team has been able to finish their secondary survey and analyse the data from it. Results showed that disease incidences were very low caused by the prolonged dry season during the growing season.

  3. Household survey conduction has revealed the inadequate understanding of diseases within farmers. Hence, the team has been providing some teaching to help the farmers recognise different diseases.

  4. Household Survey has been conducted in Eastern and Southern Provinces which are the 2 out of 4 major cowpea growing areas. The survey will also be conducted in Central Province during next growing season.

  5. Ascochyta has been purified from samples collected from Eastern Province (2 different camps of Chipata District). After increasing the number of cultures, group will start performing pathogenicity testing.

  6. In September group planted 5 lines from International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) including 2 Ascochyta resistant lines (Machakos and TVu1176), 2 local cultivars (SY and SP) and Namuseba.

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i) Laboratory technician conducting Ascochyta isolations from the cowpea leaves collected from Eastern and Southern Provinces. ii and iii) Preliminary survey revealed farmers' lack of knowledge in different crop diseases and hence ZARI group started conducting focus group teaching and discussions. These photos are from one of the focus group meetings where farmers are being taught how to identify different diseases. iv) ZARI group at 2024 Southern Tourism, Agriculture and Commercial Show explaining cowpea breeding program to farmers at Mochipapa Research Station. On of the projects presented was the KT funded pilot project. 

PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

Ms Velindah

Chibomba,

Principal Investigator - Breeder

​Ms Chibomba obtained a Specialist Degree in Agronomy from the ST Petersburg State Agrarian University in 2008 and MSc in Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement from University of East Anglia in 2018. Between 2010 and 2012 she worked for World Vision as a Development Facilitator, managing Magoye Community Dairy project. Since 2013 Ms Chibomba has been working as a Agricultural Research Officer and plant breeder in Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI). Her research work concentrates on crop development (cowpea, maize and Bambara nut) and generation of new varieties with consumer and market preferred traits.​

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Mr William Funsani

Agronomist

Mr Dickson Matambele

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