Hussein Shimelis

University of KwaZulu-Natal | ukzn · School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Knowledge on gene action and trait expression are important for effective breeding. The objective of this study was to determine the general combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA), maternal effects and heritability of drought tolerance, yield and yield components of candidate sweetpotato clones. Twelve genotypes selected for thei...

Tef [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a staple food crop in Ethiopia, and has become known globally as a health food for its gluten free flour, which also has a unique nutritional profile. A key to successful variety development through designed breeding is the use of diverse genetic resources, especially when breeding for complex traits such as...

Yields of maize (Zea mays L.) are remarkably low in sub-Saharan Africa and yet farmers have limited access to improved varieties. The objective of this study was to determine combining ability and heterosis of 18 elite maize inbred lines in environments prone to northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) disease in the mid-altitude tropics. Nine elite inbred...

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean [L.] Verdc.) is an important grain legume native to Africa. Unlike other legumes, the crop has been largely neglected by science and is part of the so called neglected and underutilized plant species of Africa. In Africa, farmers currently grow unimproved and heterogeneous landraces in seed mixtures that hold d...

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millspaugh) is an important multipurpose grain legume crop primarily grown in tropical and subtropical areas of Asia, Africa and Latin America. In Africa, the crop is grown for several purposes including food security, income generation, livestock feed and in agroforestry. Production in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA...

Induced plant mutagenesis is a powerful technique to create genetic variation for agronomic traits and drought tolerance selection programs. The objective of this study was to determine the response of elite sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) lines developed via gamma-radiation for grain yield, component traits, and drought tolerance to select b...

This policy brief recommends three strategies for more effectively investing in smallholder-centred research and innovation that advance climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture. https://unfoundation.org/what-we-do/issues/climate-and-energy/empower-climate-resilient-smallholder-agriculture-by-investing-in-african-research-and-innovation/

Soil salinity is one of the most devastating environmental stresses, causing a significant reduction in cultivable land worldwide. Salinity restricts the growth, development, and yield of plants. In response to salinity, plants alter their morpho-physiological, biochemical and molecular responses. Under salt stress, plants, including wheat, employ...

Identification of maize germplasm with dual resistance to Striga hermonthica (Sh) and S. asiatica (Sa) , could lead to the development of cultivars with stable resistance. 130 tropical and sub-tropical maize germplasms were evaluated in a controlled environment for their reaction to Sh and Sa infestations using a 13x10 alpha lattice design with two...

Yield gains in crop plants, such as citron watermelon can be realised through combining ability tests and hybrid breeding. The objective of the study was to determine the combining ability and hybrid performance of citron watermelon genotypes for agronomic traits. Five contrasting and relatively high-yielding citron watermelon genotypes were crosse...

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) is a nutrient-dense, relatively drought-tolerant cereal crop cultivated in dry regions worldwide. The crop is under-researched, and its grain yield is low (< 0.8 tons ha⁻¹) and stagnant in the major production regions, including Burkina Faso. The low productivity of pearl millet is mainly attributable t...

Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.]) is a relatively drought-tolerant cucurbit due to the high composition of unique biochemical compositions, including cucurbitacin. The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of cucurbitacins in bottle gourd and their relationship to drought tolerance. The study assessed 12 bot...

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations puts forward a transformational vision to cope with food security, nutrition and health challenges, in which sweetpotato can play an important role. Globally sweetpotato production is valued at US$53.83 billion. The ARC sweetpotato research and development (R&D) program o...

Citation: Rani, R.; Arif, M.; Rahman, S.U.; Hammad, M.; Mukhtar, Z.; Rizwan, M.; Shimelis, H.; Raza, G. Abstract: Soybean is a short-day crop, and its sensitivity to photoperiod is an important trait for its adaptability. Rapid changes in the climate on a global scale could be a threat to future food security. There is a need to increase the heat t...

Cocoyams [taro: Colocasia esculentum (L.) Schott and tannia: Xanthosoma sagittifolium (L.) Schott] are staple tuber crops in many countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. This review aims to present the value of cocoyam as a minor tuber crop and the extent and challenges of its production in Africa. Cocoyams are primarily grown for their edible c...

Pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br., 2n = 2x = 14) is a nutrient-dense and climate-resilient crop widely cultivated in the dry regions of Africa and Asia. In Burkina Faso, the actual mean yield of the crop is < 1 ton/ha compared with a potential yield of 3 tons/ha. Several constraints, including cultivar susceptibility to the noxious weed...

In Kenya, plant genetic resources are mainly conserved by Genetic Resources Research Institute (GeRRI). The institute (formerly known as the National Genebank of Kenya) has to date amassed slightly over 51,000 (fifty-one thousand) accessions. Recently, GeRRI sought to forestall loss of germplasm in the hands of plant breeders/researchers from vario...

Drought is one of the major constraints of wheat production, especially in rainfed wheat production systems. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different silicon fertilizer formulations on the agronomic performance of diverse wheat genotypes under drought-stressed conditions. Twenty wheat genotypes were evaluated in field an...

Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] is cultivated for multiple utilities, including as a leafy vegetable, for fresh and dried fruits and seeds. It is an under-researched and-utilized crop, and modern varieties are yet to be developed and deployed in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). There is a dire need for pre-breeding and breeding of bott...

Soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) is one of the most significant crops in the world in terms of oil and protein. Owing to the rising demand for soybean products, there is an increasing need for improved varieties for more productive farming. However, complex correlation patterns among quantitative traits along with genetic interactions pose a challe...

The authors would like to make the following corrections about the published paper [...]

Increasing biomass allocation to the root system may increase soil-organic carbon stocks and confer drought adaptation in water-limited environments. Understanding the genetic bases and inheritance of biomass allocation is fundamental for drought tolerance breeding and soil health. The objective of this study was to determine the general and specif...

Assessing the genetic diversity and population structure of cultivated sorghum is important for heterotic grouping, breeding population development, marker-assisted cultivar development, and release. The objectives of the present study were to assess the genetic diversity and deduce the population structure of 200 sorghum accessions using diversity...

Maize is a commodity crop providing millions of people with food, feed, industrial raw material and economic opportunities. However, maize yields in Africa are relatively stagnant and low, at a mean of 1.7 t ha−1 compared with the global average of 6 t ha−1. The yield gap can be narrowed with accelerated and precision breeding strategies that are r...

Sorghum is the most popular crop in arid and semi-arid areas, especially in Sub-Saharan African countries. Genotype effects, environmental and the interaction of genotype by environmental factors have an influence on phenotypic traits. The aim of the study is to identify the relationship between grain yield and other yield-related traits and select...

Induced plant mutagenesis is a powerful technique to create genetic variation for agronomic traits and drought tolerance selection programs. The objective of this study was to determine the response of elite sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) lines developed via gamma-radiation for grain yield and component traits, and drought tolerance to selec...

Soybean (Glycine max) is an important legume that is used to fulfill the need of protein and oil of large number of population across the world. There are large numbers of soybean germplasm present in the USDA germplasm resources. Finding and understanding genetically diverse germplasm is a top priority for crop improvement programs. The current st...

Sweet watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus) grafting with complementary rootstocks is necessary for new variety design and to enhance product profiles, including fruit yield and quality and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses.. Integrated selection of successful watermelon grafts using multiple traits ensures breeding and economic gains....

The potential yield of maize (Zea mays L.) and other major crops is curtailed by several biotic, abiotic, and socioeconomic constraints. Parasitic weeds, Striga spp., are major constraints to cereal and legume crop production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Yield losses reaching 100% are reported in maize under severe Striga infestation. Breeding for...

Powdery mildew (PM) of wheat caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici is among the most important wheat diseases, causing significant yield and quality losses in many countries worldwide. Considerable progress has been made in resistance breeding to mitigate powdery mildew. Genetic host resistance employs either race-specific (qualitative) resist...

Maize cultivars with resistance to Striga spp. and compatible to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. strigae ( FOS ) are an economical, sustainable and environmentally Striga control option. This study's objective was to determine the type and magnitude of gene action controlling grain yield and yield‐related components, Striga resistance, FOS compatibility a...

The transfer of atmospheric carbon (C) in soils is a possible strategy for climate change mitigation and for restoring land productivity. While some studies have compared the ability of existing crops to allocate C into the soil, the genetic variations between crop genotypes have received less attention. The objective of this study was to compare t...

The parasitic weed, Striga species, is among the major causes of yield and quality losses of cereal and legume crops in sub-Saharan Africa. The development of nutritionally enhanced genetic resources with Striga resistance is an overriding consideration in sorghum breeding programs. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic variabili...

Physiological and complementary phenotypic traits are essential in the selection of drought-adapted crop genotypes. Understanding the physiological response of diverse okra genotypes under drought stress conditions is critical to the selection of drought-tolerant accessions for production or breeding. The objective of this study was to assess the l...

Data analysis using the General linear model assumes the factors to be fixed effects, and the BLUE method, which is based on their mean performance, is appropriate to select the best performing genotypes. The linear mixed model incorporates fixed and random effects that are very important to compare a genotype’s performance through BLUP. The purpos...

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is the main food staple for millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and Asia. Sorghum is relatively drought tolerant and cultivated in arid and semi-arid regions under rain-fed production. However, severe drought stress often leads to crop loss and declined productivity. The development and deployment of...

The soybean yield is a complex quantitative trait that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. G × E interaction (GEI), which derives the performance of soybean genotypes differentially in various environmental conditions, is one of the main obstacles to increasing the net production. The primary goal of this study is to identify the...

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L., 2n=4×=48) is one of the strategic staple crops in Africa for food and income security. Potato production has grown fast in Africa due to population growth, urbanization, and life style changes. The objective of this chapter is to provide a general overview of the current status of potato production and its challenges i...

Stable and sustainable food systems are required to meet the increasing global food demands due to climate change, global population pressure, urbanization and life style changes. Underutilized legume crop species such as Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea [L.] Verdc.) have exceptional nutritional value and genetic plasticity to be cultivated in...

Tef is the most widely grown and consumed crop in Ethiopia. The crop is currently gaining growing popularity worldwide as nutritious and gluten free cereal crop. Al-toxicity is one of the factors that limit expansion of the crop worldwide. The aims of this study were to adapt hydroponic system as a phenotyping platform for Al-tolerance studies in t...

Genotype-by-environment (GEI) analysis guides the recommendation of best-performing crop genotypes and production environments. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of GEI on seed yield in tepary bean for genotype recommendation and cultivation in drought-prone environments. Forty-five genetically diverse tepary bean genotypes we...

Striga hermonthica [Del.] Benth. (Sh) is a noxious parasitic weed causing substantial yield loss in sub-Saharan Africa’s pearl millet. The objective of this study was to determine the gene action and inheritance of Sh resistance in newly developed pearl millet populations to guide selection and genetic advancement. Bi-parental crosses were derived...

Parasitic Striga weeds severely damage cereal crops in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), leading to yield losses in susceptible varieties. A range of Striga control methods is commonly recommended, including cultural practices, chemical herbicides, biological control agents, and host resistance, either solo treatments or in combinations of these approaches...

Deploying maize varieties with fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda [J.E. Smith]; FAW) resistance, desirable product profiles (PPs) and climate resilience is fundamental for food and economic security in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). This study reviewed and identified challenges and opportunities for effective and accelerated breeding of demand‐led mai...

Knowledge of fall armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) rearing, infestation and development and precision screening protocols are preconditions for the successful introgression of resistance genes into farmer-preferred varieties. We aimed to determine FAW developmental stages, screen tropical maize and select resistant lines under cont...

Knowledge of genetic interrelationships and grouping among pigeonpea germplasm collections is fundamental to selecting breeding parents with unique genetic constitutions. The objectives of this study were to assess the genetic diversity and genetic grouping present among 81 pigeonpea genotypes collected from Malawi, Tanzania and Kenya using 4122 si...

Demand for potatoes has grown rapidly in eastern Africa due to rapid population growth, urbanisation and life style changes. This has made potato an important commodity crop in the region contributing to food security and enhanced livelihoods. However, potato productivity in the region is low; ranging from 6 to10 t/ha against potential yields of ov...

The root system is vital for anchorage, mobilizing water and nutrients and symbiosis with soil microbes, which influence adaptation and crop performance. However, root traits are not widely used in crop variety development because root phenotyping is difficult and there is limited understanding of the genetics of root traits. The available genetic...

Sesame production and productivity are severely constrained by a lack of high-yielding and locally adapted varieties, susceptibility to capsule shattering and low seed retention, biotic and abiotic stresses, and a lack of modern production and pre- and post-harvest technologies. Unimproved landraces are widely cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa, incl...

The magnitude of genotype by environment interaction (GEI) is crucial for selecting high performing and adapted genotypes for targeted breeding. The aim of the study was to determine GEI of newly-developed mutant and traditional sorghum lines for grain yield and yield related traits for drought-prone areas of Namibia. Fifty sorghum genotypes were e...

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea [L.] Verdc) is a highly nutritious grain legume with a significant potential to develop various commercial food and feed products. It is a resilient crop able to grow under harsh climates and poor soil conditions. Bambara groundnut productivity in South Africa is low (0.62 t/ha) compared to the attainable yield...

Genetic diversity analysis of crop genetic resources is a prerequisite for parental selection with suitable and complementary profiles for breeding. The objectives of this study were to determine genetic diversity present among okra accessions using simple sequence repeat (SSR) and complementary phenotypic markers and to select genetically divergen...

Sesame production and productivity are severely constrained by a lack of high-yielding and locally adapted varieties, susceptibility to capsule shattering and low seed retention, biotic and abiotic stresses, and a lack of modern production and pre- and post-harvest technologies. Unimproved landraces are widely cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa, incl...

Sweet watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai) is an economically important cucurbit species despite its relatively limited genetic variation for some desirable horticultural attributes. Conversely, citron watermelon (C. lanatus. var. citroides [L.H. Bailey] Mansf. ex Greb.) displays marked genetic variation for economic...

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) is a valuable crop in the dry regions of the world, including Namibia. Due to the intensity and recurrence of drought and heat stress in the traditional sorghum growing areas, there is a need to breed and deploy new generation farmer-preferred and climate-smart cultivars to serve the diverse value chains. There...

Yam production in Southwest Ethiopia is threatened by a socioeconomic, a biotic and biotic factors. The objective of this study was to document the major yam production constraints, farming systems, the number of farmers identified landraces and trait preferences from major growing areas of Southwest Ethiopia. A participatory rural appraisal study...

Understanding the genetic basis of a crop’s qualitative and quantitative traits is vital to designing market preferred varieties. The aim of this review is to present a retrospective genetic analysis of qualitative and quantitative phenotypic traits in sweet watermelon as a guide for trait integration and the development of novel varieties with yie...

Knowledge of the genetic diversity and genetic relationship is important in crop improvement. The objective of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of 31 sweetpotato genotypes and furthermore to select distantly related individuals for breeding of superior parental clones. The genotypes (sourced from the Agricultural Research Council,...

Demand for potatoes has grown rapidly in eastern Africa due to rapid population growth, urbanisation and life style changes. This has made potato an important commodity crop in the region contributing to food security and enhanced livelihoods. However, potato productivity in the region is low; ranging from 6 to10 t/ha against potential yields of ov...

Profiling the genetic diversity of germplasm collections is fundamental for selection programs and strategic conservation. Citron watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides [L.H. Bailey] Mansf. ex Greb.) is an under-researched cucurbit crop despite providing food and nutritional security in sub-Saharan Africa. There is limited information on gene...

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is traditionally cultivated under drought-affected and low-input agro-ecologies in sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Wheat productivity in these agro-systems is considerably low (50%) planted wheat in early July using the broadcasting method. Their land was of medium fertility, and the application of inorganic fer...

Background: Watermelons and pumpkins are cultivated in Uganda for their leaves, fruits, and seeds, thereby contributing to food, nutrition and income security. However, there is limited research and information on constraints affecting their production. This study assessed the current production constraints for watermelons and pumpkins, management...

Genetic diversity is invaluable in developing climate-smart and drought-adapted wheat varieties. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of genetic variation present in wheat germplasm collections for biomass allocation and drought tolerance based on complementary phenotypic and root attributes and high-density single nucleotide polymorph...

Breeding for climate-resilient, high-yielding, and nutrient-rich sorghum cultivars is essential for sustainable food systems and enhanced livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the genetic diversity among East African sorghum germplasm collections through agronomic and nutritional quality traits to select promis...

Drought stress and nitrogen (N) deficiency are the major causes of yield losses in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) production. Breeding wheat cultivars with combined drought and low N stress tolerance is an economical approach for yield gains. The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of diverse bread wheat genotypes under drought an...

Understanding demographic structures, production constraints, and trait preferences is essential for setting up crop breeding goals and enhancing adoption strategies for new varieties. The objective of this study was to document the sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) production constraints and preferred sorghum traits to guide breeding in Sierra L...

Sorghum hybrids can provide enhanced bioethanol yield if genetically complementary parents and progenies are developed using efficient crossing and selection methods. The objective of this study was to determine the combining ability of sweet stem sorghum genotypes, and assess heterosis among F1 hybrids for ethanol production and associated traits....

Increased root biomass allocation could serve as a proxy trait for selecting crop ideotypes with drought tolerance and carbon sequestration potential in agricultural soils. The objective of this study was to assess the magnitude of the relationship between root biomass and yield components and to identify influential traits so as to optimise genoty...