Regional Groundnut Workshop for Southern Africa
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Proceedings of the Regional Groundnut Workshop for Southern Africa 26-29 March 1984 Lilongwe, Malawi Sponsored by International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) ICRISAT International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics Patancheru P.O., Andhra Pradesh 502 324, India 1985 Correct citation: ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics). 1985. Proceedings of the Regional Groundnut Workshop for Southern Africa, 26-29 March 1984, Lilongwe, Malawi. Patancheru, A.P. 502 324, India: ICRISAT. Scientific Editor D. McDonald Publication Editor Seth R. Beckerman ISBN 92-9066-092-9 The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics is anonprofit scientific educational Institute receiving support from donors through the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. Donors to ICRISAT include governments and agencies of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Federal Republic of Germany, Finland, France, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, People's Republic of China, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, and of the following International and private organizations: Asian Development Bank, International Development Research Centre, International Fertilizer Development Center, International Fund forAgricultural Development, The European Economic Community, The Ford Foundation, The Leverhulme Trust, The Opec Fund for International Development, The Population Council, The Rockefeller Foundation, The World Bank, and the United Nations Development Programme. Responsibility for the information in this publication rests with ICRISAT or the Individual authors. Where trade names are used this does not constitute endorse ment of or discrimination agafnst any product by the Institute. I. Contents Inauguration Welcome and Introduction of Chief Guest H.K.Mwandemere 3 Opening Address on Behalf of the Minister of Agriculture Hon. S.Demba 4 Response to Opening Address R.A.Kirkby 7 Welcome from ICRISAT C.R. Jackson 9 Ihtroductory Papers The SADCC Regional Grain Legumes Improvement Program D.R.B.Manda 13 The ICRISAT Groundnut Program D.McDonald 17 Discussion 32 A Regional Approach to Groundnut Improvement S.N.Nigam and K.R.Bock 33 Discussion 43 Country Reports Groundnut Production in Botswana A.Mayeux 47 Groundnut Improvement in Malawi Patricia Ngwira 49 Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Seed Quality Control in Malawi J.H.Luhanga 55 Discussion 59 Factors Affecting Groundnut Production in Mozambique A.D.Malithano, K.V.Ramanaiah, A.M.Monjana, B.S.Chilengue, and R.N.Uaiene 61 Effect of Fertilizers on the Yield of Groundnut in Mozambique K.V.Ramanalah, A.D.Malithano, and B.S.Chilenigue 67 Local and Exotic Groundnut Germplasm Collection and Evaluation A.D.Malithano, K.V.Ramanaiah, and B.S.Chilergue 71 Discussion 80 Groundnut Breeding and Improvement Programs in Tanzania F.F.Mwenda 81 Groundnut Production, Farming Methods, and Research in Tanzania F.F.Mwenda, AL.Doto, B.R.Taylor, and J.H.Simons 89 Groundnut Crop Protection Work in the Tanzanid Oilseeds Research Project J.H.Simons 93 Groundnut Agronomy Research in Southeast Tanzania B.R.Taylor 99 Groundnut Improvement in Tanzania: Progress and Future Orientation A.LDoto 103 Discussion 106 Groundnut Production and Research: Problems and Priorities in Zambia R.S.Sandhu, G.Kelly, and J.Kannalyan 107 A Review of Agronomic Work in Zambia, and Prospects for the Future G.Kelly 115 Discussion 119 Pests, Diseases, and Weeds in Groundnuts in Zimbabwe Desiree L.Cole 121 The Present and Future Status of Groundnut Breeding and Research in Zimbabwe A.Z.Chiteka 125 Discussion 134 Special Reports 'Jse c! the Single-Seed Descent Method of Selection in Groundnut Breeding in Zimbabwe G.L.Hildebrand 137 The Oilcrops Network and Groundnut Improvement in Northern East Africa K.Riley 141 Toward Comprehensive Sector Studies of Groundnuts in Countries of Southern Africa, with Specific Ruference to Malawi D.W.Pervis and F.Nyondo 145 The Extension and Training System in Malawi J.A.Mhango 161 Methodology of Surveys and Field Experiments to Assess Crop Losses due to in.sect Pests of Groundnut P.W.Amin and D.McDonald 169 Field Visits 183 General Discussion and Recommendations 184 Recommendations 187 Meeting Organization and Participants 188 A\ Inauguration Welcome and Introduction of Chief Guest H.K. Mwandemere* Honorable Minister, District Chairman of the Malawi Congress Party, Your Excellen cies, your Worship the Mayor of the City of Lilongwe, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen. It is with great pleasure that on behalf of the organizers of this first Regional Groundnut Workshop Iwelcome you to Lilongwe. We are honored today by the presence as Chief Guest of the Malawi Minister of Forestry and Natural Re sources, the Honorable S. Demba who has very kindy found time from his busy schedule to attend our meeting and present the opening address on behalf of the Life President His Excellency Ngwazi Dr. H.Kamuzu Banda. I now request the Honorable Minister to open the proceedings. 3 Opening Address on Behalf of the Minister of Agriculture The Hon. S. Demba* District Chairman of the Malawi Congress Party, Your Excellencies, Your Worship the Mayor of the City of Lilongwe, Distinguished Participants, Ladies and Gentlemen. On behalf of His Excellency the Life President, Ngwazi Dr. H. Kamuzu Banda, the Government and the people of Malawi, and on my own behalf, Iwish to extend avery warm and hearty welcome to all our distinguished participants to the ICRISAT Regional Workshop on Groundnut Research and Improvement in Southern Africa. Please feel free to visit any part of the country and Ihope that you will be able to enjoy your stay with us, and that you will have an opportunity to see something of the surrounding countryside to enable you to appreciate the efforts that Malawi ismaking in the field of agriculture in general, and groundnut production in particular. I feel very honored to open this important workshop on behalf of His Excellency the Life President, Ngwazi Dr. H.Kamuzu Banda. In 1980 His Excellency th, Life Presi dent directed that the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Trop ics (ICRISAT) could establish a Regional Groundnut Research Center for Southern Africa, at Chitedze Research Station in Lilongwe. While the memorandum of under standing between the Malawi Government and ICRISAT was signed in 1981, the Center became operational with the financial assistanc'e of the International Devel opment Research Center (IDRC) and the posting of the groundnut breeder and pathologist in 1982 and 1983, respectively. The Center is developing a regional research program aimed at benefiting a:l the groundnut-growing areas of Southern and Eastern Africa. The Center, in collabora tion with national research programs, will initiate trials to produce groundnuts with multiple disease resistance, earliness, high yield, good food quality, and increased seed size. Groundnuts have been known to man as an important food crop for many centur ies. However, they acquired economic importance only 130 years ago and even as late as 60 years ago in the developed and developing countries, respectively. Pres ently, because of an increased awareness of the protein shortage existing in the world, the use of groundnuts as a food and cash crop has increased substantially. Much of this increase is attributed to the high content of digestible protein (25-34%) and oil (44-56%), amino acids including cystine, and the vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. Groundnut is a multipurpose crop. The seeds are consumed in many forms (unshelled, shelled, roasted, peanut butter, candies, and confectionary), and in Africa groundnut flour is used in a large number of dishes. Groundnut oil is an excellent cooking oil because of its linoleic acid content. Groundnut cake, the by-product of oil extraction, is an excellent livestock feed because of its high protein content. The groundnut shells, besides being a source of afuel are used indrilling-mud, as organic fertilizer, and in particle board. Minister of Forestry and Natural Resources, Malawi. 4 Groundnuts are of great importance in smallholder agriculture and in the national diet of Malawi. They provide a significant contribution towards dietary requirements in most parts of the country, they benefit farming systems through improving and structure, soil fertility and they provide between a quarter and a third of all small-holder agricultural cash income. Groundnuts are Malawi's fourth most important export after tobacco, crop sugar, and tea, and supply about half of the country's demand for edible oil. Groundnuts are grown in all three regions of Malawi, the major share being contributed by the Central Region Plateau. Chalimbana and Mani Pintar are the major confectionary and oil cultivars respectively. Malimba and RG1 are grown in specific areas of the country. Through the National Research Program at Chitedze one large seeded confectionery cultivar (larger than Chalimbana), Chitembana, and one oil cultivar, Mawanga, have recently been released for commercial production. Malawi groundnut production has undergone a marked decline since the late 1960s. Marketed output grew rapidly during the 1950s and 1960s from a negligible level to some 33 000 metric tonnes a year, but has tended to fall off since the late 1970's. The most recent National Sample Survey of Agriculture (NSSA) data suggest a drop in smallhoider production