ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT for INVASIVENESS, RESPONSE to WEEDS and RATOONING ABILITY of NEW RICE for AFRICA (NERICA) and Oryza Sativa RICE VARIETIES in CENTRAL KENYA
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ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR INVASIVENESS, RESPONSE TO WEEDS AND RATOONING ABILITY OF NEW RICE FOR AFRICA (NERICA) AND Oryza sativa RICE VARIETIES IN CENTRAL KENYA By M’RINGERA, JANE TEI B.Sc. (Hons), Moi University; PGDE, Egerton University; M.Sc., University of Nairobi A Thesis Submitted to the University of Nairobi in fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Botany (Plant Ecology) 2014 DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for award of degree to any other university to the best of my knowledge. No part of this thesis may be reproduced without prior permission of the author and/or the University of Nairobi. M‟Ringera, Jane Tei Signature ------------------------------------------------ Date ----------------------------------- This thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as university supervisors: Prof. J.I. Kinyamario Signature ------------------------------------------------ Date --------------------------------- Dr. N. Amugune Signature ------------------------------------------------ Date ---------------------------------- Dr Niels Holst Signature ------------------------------------------------ Date ---------------------------------- ii DEDICATION To my husband Humphrey Munene, our children Emmanuel Mutugi and Joy Mwendwa and my beloved parents Mr. M‟Ringera M‟Twerandu and Mrs. Marion Karegi M‟Ringera. Their support, belief, love and encouragement have helped me realise my potential. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In developing my research ideas, collecting data, analysing the data and writing this thesis, I have relied upon innumerable gestures of support, guidance and generosity from various people who I have the pleasure to acknowledge. I am grateful to my dedicated supervisors Prof. J. I. Kinyamario, Dr. N. Amugune and Dr. N. Holst upon whom I have depended in engaging with the challenges of academic research. I specially appreciate the inputs of Dr. J. Kanya during the research and write up period. I also acknowledge the School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi for providing research facilities. Special tribute goes to DANIDA ENRECA through the BiosafeTrain Project for paying my University tuition fee and funding the research. I appreciate the National Irrigation Board (NIB) of Kenya through Mwea Irrigation Development Authority (MIAD) Center for providing land and other research facilities. I am earnestly grateful to my research assistants Mr. James Njoroge and Mr. James Murage for their excellent field and technical support during the data collection. I thank all MIAD staff for their generosity and moral support throughout the research period. I appreciate the great taxonomical input from Mr Patrick Mutiso on weed species identification and classification. I am also grateful to Mr Elias Thuranira for his great assistance in data analysis. My special gratitude also goes to my husband Humphrey Munene and our children Emmanuel Mutugi and Joy Mwendwa for their patience, sacrifice and encouragement throughout the study period. I appreciate my pastors Rev. Mr. & Mrs. Charles Gathungu for their steadifast spiritual and moral support throughout the study period. Finally, I am forever greatly indebted to God Almighty for His unmerited favour, grace and strength that has enabled me accomplish my dream. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ................................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ...................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................... xii LIST OF PLATES .............................................................................................................. xiii LIST OF APPENDICES ..................................................................................................... xiv LIST OF ACRONYMS ....................................................................................................... xv ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ xvi CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW ................................ 1 1.1 Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………..1 1.2 Literature review .............................................................................................................. 4 1.2.1 Taxonomic status of rice ............................................................................................... 4 1.2.2 Rice growing conditions ............................................................................................. 5 1.2.3 Varieties of rice cultivated in Kenya ............................................................................ 5 1.2.4 Rice production in Kenya ............................................................................................. 6 1.2.5 New rice for Africa (NERICA)..................................................................................... 7 1.2.6 Agricultural biotechnology and biosafety in Kenya ................................................... 10 1.2.7 Invasive plants ............................................................................................................ 10 1.2.7.1 Impacts of invasive exotic plants ............................................................................. 12 1.2.8 Risk assessment for invasive species .......................................................................... 14 1.2.8.1 Australian weed risk assessment system.................................................................. 15 1.2.8.1.1 Rational for answering the questions in the AWRA system................................. 16 1.2.8.1.2 Scoring the questions and converting scores into recommendations.................... 17 1.2.9 Weed types in rice fields ............................................................................................. 18 1.2.10 Weed control in rice fields ........................................................................................ 18 1.2.10.1 Methods of weed control in rice fields .................................................................. 19 1.2.10.2 Critical period of weed control in rice fields ......................................................... 20 1.2.11 Ratooning .................................................................................................................. 21 1.3 Justification .................................................................................................................... 22 1.4 Objectives of the Study .................................................................................................. 24 v 1.4.1 Overall Objective ........................................................................................................ 24 1.4.2 Specific Objectives ..................................................................................................... 24 1.5 Hypotheses ..................................................................................................................... 25 CHAPTER TWO: STUDY AREA ...................................................................................... 26 2.1 Study area location ......................................................................................................... 26 2.2 Soils................................................................................................................................ 26 2.3 Meteorological data ....................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER THREE: RESPONSE OF UPLAND NERICA AND ORYZA SATIVA RICE VARIETIES TO WEED INTERFERENCE IN CENTRAL KENYA .................... 30 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 30 3.2 Materials and Methods ................................................................................................... 32 3.2.1. Plant material ............................................................................................................. 32 3.2.2 Experimental design.................................................................................................... 33 3.2.3 Seed selection and sowing .......................................................................................... 34 3.2.4 Data collection ............................................................................................................ 35 3.2.4 .1 Weed identification and abundance ........................................................................ 36 3.2.4.2 Viability test ............................................................................................................. 36 3.2.4.3 Growth parameters ................................................................................................... 36 3.2.4.3.1 Plant height ........................................................................................................... 36 3.2.4.3.2 Tillering ability ..................................................................................................... 37 3.2.4.3.3 Productive tillers ..................................................................................................