Browsing by Author "Wangai, K. John"

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Farmer-based dynamics in tissue culture banana technology adoption: a socio-economic perspective among small holder farmers in Uganda
(Academic Journals, 2018-12-13) Murongo, Marius, Flarian; Wangai, K. John; Mwine, T. Julius; Ayuke, O. Frederick
The rates at which tissue-culture banana technology at smallholder farmer level in Uganda are adopted have reduced since the late 1990s. The study assessed the socio-economic factors influencing adoption of this technology by smallholder farmers. A survey on 280 smallholder farmers sampled from Western Uganda was conducted and responses were subjected to principal component analyses. There are evidences of very low levels of adoption of the tissue culture banana technology. There is a mix between households that completely reject tissue culture banana technology, and others growing diminutive amounts of tissue culture bananas alongside non-tissue culture banana varieties. The scale of production and productivity of non-tissue banana varieties significantly exceeds that of tissue culture bananas (83%: 17%). While expected yield from a banana production technology is a precursor to its adoption, demographic and management characteristics shape the practices that enhance the yield of tissue culture banana technology (p ≤ 0.05) and subsequent decision to adopt or reject tissue culture banana technology. A systems-wide approach is needed to develop mechanisms that would stimulate smallholder farmers to adopt the technology in order to realize the immense potential of tissue-culture banana technology.
Spatio-temporal distribution of banana weevil Cosmopolites Sordidus [Germar] and nematodes of various genera in Uganda: A case of smallholder banana orchards in Western Uganda
(Academic journals, 2019-05-07) Murongo, M. Flarian; Ayuke, O. Frederick; Mwine, T. Julius; Wangai, K. John
Smallholder farmers’ banana orchards in Western Uganda were used to study the spatio-temporal factors influencing the distribution of banana weevils and parasitic nematodes in tissue culture and non-tissue culture banana types using Nested case control design. Nematodes were extracted from randomly collected composite banana root samples from 20 banana orchards. The banana weevils were trapped in the rainy and dry seasons. A total of 1,280 banana genets were surveyed to determine weevil and nematode densities. Interactions between season and locations with high banana weevils and nematodes densities significantly negatively influenced the distribution of tissue culture and non-tissue culture banana in space and time. Both tissue culture and conventional bananas are prone to banana weevil and nematode infestations. Infestation with weevils and nematodes were higher for tissue culture banana in the dry season. Kiruhura district had a higher density for banana weevils (Cosmopolites sordidus [germar]) while Ibanda district had higher nematode densities. Helicotylenchus multicinctus and Radopholus similis were found most prevalent. This knowledge is not only important in shaping the adoption and sustenance of the adopted banana types, but also can form a basis for developing affordable strategies to lower the occurrence of banana weevil and nematodes below the threshold level in smallholder banana farms of Uganda.
Variations in soil chemical properties and growth traits of tissue culture banana under bio-slurry soil amendments in Uganda
(Springer Link, 2023-09-06) Murongo, Marius Flarian; Ayuke, Frederick O.; Apori Obeng, Samuel; Wangai, K. John; Wacal, Cosmas
Organic bio-slurry soil amendments’ effect on soil chemical properties and the growth traits of tissue culture banana (TCB) were studied from 2017 to 2020 at Uganda Martyrs University Farm. Mpologoma and Kibuzi banana cultivars of the AAB East Africa Highland cultivar were treated with NPK fertilizer and two bio-slurries at different rates. Treatments included the control (CNTRL), 3810 L/ha banana bio-slurry (BBS1), 7620 L/ha banana bio-slurry (BBS2), 11,430 L/ha banana bio-slurry (BBS3), 3810 L/ha cow dung bio-slurry (CDBS1), 7620 L/ha cow dung bio-slurry (CDBS2), 11,430 L/ha cow dung bio-slurry (CDBS3) and 300 kg/ha NPK. The soil was analyzed for variations in pH, nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K) and organic matter (OM) at different depths. The growth parameters of TCB were recorded months after planting (MAP). Soil amended with 11,430 L/ha bio-slurry had high potassium, nitrogen, and organic matter contents for the three soil sampling depths (0–8, 8–16, 16–32 cm), and soils amended with CDBS had higher K, N and OM contents than those amended with BBS. The Soils amended with CDBS3 recorded the maximum pseudostem girth and the number of suckers for both cultivars. Soils amended with BBS3 recorded the highest total number of leaves for the Mpologoma cultivar. The interaction effect of the bio-slurry on the variation of stem girth and height, the number of suckers, and the total number of leaves at 12 MAP for Mpologoma and Kibuzi cultivars was significant (p < 0.05). The banana cultivar and the bio-slurry interaction significantly (p < 0.05) affected the number of clusters per bunch, the number of fingers per cluster, the weight of the bunch (kg) and weight per cluster (kg). Amending soils with 11,430 L/ha of banana and 11,430 L/ha of cow dung bio-slurries provides the soil with sustainable nutrients for TCB growth up to 12 MAP and sustainable environmental health in the long run.