[en] The papers presented in the conference covered a wide range of topics ranging from crop breeding and animal breeding, agronomy, crop protection, animal production, animal health, range management , soil and water management to social economics. Some papers addressed the factors influencing productivity and healthy productivity in our marginal and range lands can be sustained. This is however only the beginning of the difficult but necessary endeavour towards sustainable resource management

[en] Development of drought tolerant wheat is very important for Kenya as it could lead to utilisation of a large area of the country, which is otherwise under-utilised for crop production. At present there is no crop of economic importance, which being grown in this area. Mutation technique form one of the breeding methods, which can be used to produce suitable wheat varieties for drought prone areas in this country. Wheat seed variety ''pasa'' was irradiated with 160 gy from cobalt source. These irradiated seed were planted at the cage at Njoro, in the main season of 1996. At M2, 4 heads were harvested from 20 selected plants in each row. These were threshed singly. Three of the heads were planted in three sites which experience drought (Katumani, Naivasha and Narok), while one was kept as reserve. Selections of M3 plants, which showed tolerance to drought as compared to the parent variety were made.The parent scored 2 on a 1 to 5 scale for drought tolerance. On this scale 1 indicates susceptibility to drought while 5 indicates drought tolerance. Twenty-one M3 selections scored 4 or 5 on this scale. These therefore showed higher degree of drought tolerance than pasa. For those to score higher than pasa, mutation should have induced some higher degree of drought tolerance.There is indication that, mutation techniques could be used in inducing drought tolerance to wheat growing in Kenya (author)

[en] A cultivar by seed rate trial was conducted in 1994-1995 crop seasons at Njoro, Kenya. Yield results were found to be significant (P > 0.01) for year, variety, seed rate and year by seed rate interaction. Test weight was highly significant (P < 0.01) for all parameters except for variety by seed interaction, which ws significant at P < 0.05. Year 1(1994) had significantly higher yields and test weight for all rates. Seed rates 245. 205, 165 and 125 kg ha^-1 were grouped together for significantly higher yields (A) whereas seed rates 85 and 50 kg ha^-1 had lower significant yields (B and C respectively). The same grouping was repeated for test weight. There was no significant cultivar by seed rate interaction and no cultivar, specific seed rate. However, since seed rates 245, 205, 165 and 125 kg ha^-1 were grouped together, the lowest seed rate, 125 kg ha^-1 can be recommended as the optimum seed rate for the above cultivars, as higher seed rates do not give significantly higher yields or higher test weights

[en] In the study seven maize varieties, Rachar, Nyamula, KK Pop24, KSTP94, H662, H511 and H512, were compared for their reactions towards striga infestation for two seasons (1995 and 1996 long rains) at four locations. The trial was conducted in a randomised complete block design with four replications. Data were taken on striga count, ear height, striga effect and grain yield. The striga count for six of the varieties did not differ significantly at except for H512 which supported significantly higher sriga plants an indication of H512 being more striga stimulant producer and parasiterised than the rest of the varieties.T-test showed that the variety Nyamula had the least yield reduction caused by striga among the tested varieties. across location means for the two seasons suggested that the varieties Nyamula and KSTP94 are more tolerant to striga attack than the other test varieties and could be recommended commercial hybrids H622 (3269 kg ha^-1) and H512 (3758 kg ha^-1) under striga-free conditions. KSTP94 was developed for striga tolerance and Nyamula is a landrace in striga infested areas. This explains why the two are superior to the rest under striga infestation

[en] Laboratories studies were undertaken to evaluate In-vitro efficacy of captan, thiram, pyrazophos, triforine and metalaxyl + mancozeb fungicides against Fusarium solani (Mart.) Appel and Wollenw fsp. phaseoli (Burk) Synder and Hansen Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht fsp. phaseoli kend and Synder root-rot fungal pathogens of French beans. Five fungicides and four combinations were tested for their antifungal activity. Fungicides treatments significantly (P=0.05) inhibited mycelial growth and spore germination. Fungicides suppressed the growth of F. oxysporum fsp. Phaseoli more than that of F. solani fsp. phaseoli. All fungicides except metalaxyl + mancozeb failed to suppress sporulation of the two fungi In-vitro. In the case of thiram the sporulation capacity of F. oxysporum fsp. phaseoli 3.43 times higher than in the control. Although, no fungicides treatment was seen to inhibitor of all the three measures of fungitoxicity, the ranking of the best three fungicide treatments would be, thiram 50 + captan so > triforine > metalaxyl + mancozeb. The relatively higher inhibitory effect of fungicides on the growth of F. oxysporum Ssp. Phaseoli than that of F. solani fsp. Phaseoli suggested that F. oxysporum Esp. Phaseoli was more sensible to fungicide treatments. Such differences may reflect inherent variations in accessibility of the active toxicants within the fungal systems. The ability attributed to the low growth rate, N depletion temperature and oxygen

[en] Maize is an important crop for the majority of the Kenyan population and is grown both in the low and high potential areas. It is grown by more than 90% of the smallholder farm families and is estimated to contribute more than 20% of the total agricultural production. Average maize yield in southwest Kenya is 2.5 t ha^-1 which is far below the research achieved yields of 8 t ha^-1. Farmers in the region have continued to grow maize under poor husbandry practices, minimal application of inputs and poor management. Formal and informal surveys were used for data gathering. The multi-stage sampling technique was used to sample survey units in Agroecological upper midland (UM₁) and lower highland (LH₁) both in the high potential areas of the region. Selected farmers were stratified according to resource base, sex of household head and the AEZ. Results indicated that components of maize technology package (varieties, inorganic fertilizers, pests/diseases, seedbed preparation and weed control) were at various stages of adoption. The most adopted components were use of improved hybrid seed, planting in rows and maintenance of recommended plant population. The most identified reason for non use of organic fertilizer was high cost. The limited use of inputs was aggravated by the liberalised state of inputs markets while the output market was imperfect and did not support the producer. Tough farmyard manure and compost are locally available alternatives, very few of the interviewed farmers used them. To further understand the adoption process, regression analysis of factors that influence the use of fertilizer on maize production was done. The results of the study will be used to improve and/or modify the existing technologies to conform to farmers' circumstances and needs as well as provide feedback to policy formulators

[en] Climatic variability has been defined as a major limitation to agricultural production in semi arid Kenya. The major difficulty to both farmers and research community, has been the inability to to predict seasonal rainfall prior to the season onset. Although several researches have attempted and made advances in predicting rainfall amount, solutions to the problem have not been achieved. This study has examined and related rainfall at Katumani with the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. Rainfall variations during different phases of ENSO were established. Some advances in the early prediction of March-May and October -January rains for, both, the warm and cold phases of ENSO have been made. Crop production is closely related to the rainfall and therefore a need for revision of agronomic recommendation to tie them with rainfall variation

[en] Vegetable production in Kenya is a market that has grown very rapidly in the decade due to increased demand in the local and international markets. This has led to an increase in hectarerage planted to vegetable thus leading in labour shortage due urban migration of potential casual labourers especially the youth. This has resulted to inadequate labour for weed control especially at the critical period. The objectives of this study were to find out the problems encountered by farmers in their bid to control weeds and whether they considered weeds as their major problem. The survey was conducted in Kikuyu, Lari and Kinango divisions where intensive vegetable farming is done by small-scale farmers for commercial purposes. The farmers were randomly selected and interviews conducted in their farms, based on Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) method. The results obtained showed that the farmers who previously relied on manual labour for weed control were increasingly using herbicides for weed control. The adoption of herbicide technology by these small scale farmers was out of their own initiative, either due to labour shortage or because one had a special weed problem that had defied other methods of control.From the information obtained it was clear that locally generated data information on herbicide use by small-scale farmers is seriously lacking for most if not all vegetable crops

[en] The nutritive value and the conserved lucerne hay as a protein supplement in the diet of calves reared on the smallholder farms of Kenya was studied in relation to feed intake, growth rate and efficiency of feed utilization. Forty Friesian calves aged one week were allocate in a completely randomised design experiment to the following five dietary treatments: Napier Grass only (N) and supplemented with 33% lucerne (NL33), 50% lucerne (NL50), 67% lucerne (NL67) and 100% lucerne hay (L100) in the diet of calves. Results showed that increasing the level of lucerne supplementation in the ratio of dairy calves from 50 to 100% lucerne hay significantly (P <0.01) increased the crude protein content the mixed ration from 13.8 t o 16.88% CP which would meet the protein, requirement of the growing ruminants. The growth rate of calves increased linearly (P < 0.001) with the levels of lucerne supplements fro 50 to 100 % lucerne hay resulting in 0.02 kg gain more growth per day per kg additional feed supplement given. The cost of production per kg gain decreased with increase in the level of lucerne supplementation and cost of could further reduced by farmers growing lucerne on the smallholder farms for use in compounding home-made ration at the farm level. Result of these study further shows that lucerne as a leguminous forage has ability to fix Nitrogen in the soil which has significantly effect on soil fertility, increased crop yields and reduction in the cost of fertilisers. It is recommended that an acre of lucerne could yield five to seven tons of dry matter per year sufficient to rear a herd of 15 to 20 calves for a period of 1 year. This research has further shown that a pure stand of lucerne crop which is very deep rooted crop has a longevity of five to seven years in the same field and that pest and diseases are not of a serious problem to lucerne, thus making it excellent supplementary legume to the Napier grass in the diet of calves on smallholder farms of Kenya

[en] indigenous poultry farming is an important enterprise for small-scale farmers in the mandate areas of the Regional Research Centre (RRC) Kakamega, A topical Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) study involving 407 farmers identified the main constraints to rural poultry production in the area as Newcastle disease (NCD), predation, and inadequate feeding or supplementation. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effects of vaccination against Newcastle disease (NCD), daytime housing for chicks and feed supplementation on indigenous poultry production. The trial was implemented in four RRC clusters, each representing a specific agro-ecological zone.The clusters included Sabatia (UM₁), Butula (LM₁) Malava (LM₂), and Uranga (LM₃). Each cluster comprised of 22 to 35 experimental farmers in four groups assigned to the various treatments thus: Group 1 vaccination, 2. vaccination and supplementation, 3. vaccination, supplementation and daytime housing of chicks and 4. control group or farmer's practice. Since farmers adopted treatments according to their preference, the composition of each group varied as the experiment progressed. Birds were vaccinated after every three months to prevent NCD attacks,' To' avoid predation, the chicks were housed in movable or permanent structures where supplements such as brewers waste, blood and rumen contents from slaughterhouses were provided. From January 1997, data was collected weekly from individual households by frontline extension staff. Monthly monitoring and data verification on flock composition and dynamics, eggs production and utilisation, feed use and growth rates, was done by researchers and agricultural extensionists. The results demonstrated that Newcastle disease could be controlled by routine vaccination; feed supplementation improved the performance of housed birds in three clusters, but not in Sabatia where scarcity of feed was pronounced. It was further concluded that predation continued to constrain chicken productivity in the four clusters, during famine, a time when birds are not usually housed