Instant Insights

Chapter 1 - Supporting smallholders in improving wheat cultivation: Tinashe Chiurugwi, Simon Kerr, Ian Midgley, and Lesley Boyd, National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), UK; Johnson Kamwaga, Food Crops Research Centre - Njoro, Kenya; Peter Njau, Highlands Agri-consult Services Ltd, Kenya; Terry Van Gevelt, University of Cambridge, UK; Claudia Canales and Max Marcheselli, The Malaysian Centre for Commonwealth Studies (MCSC) and the Cambridge Malaysian Education and Development Trust (CMEDT), UK;

1 Introduction: smallholder wheat cultivation

2 Limitations to smallholder wheat cultivation

3 How research addresses limitations to smallholder wheat cultivation

4 Case study: Agri-transfer

5 Future trends

6 Where to look for further information

7 References

Chapter 2 - Constraints in adopting improved technologies for maize cultivation: the case of Africa: T. Abdoulaye, The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria; A. S. Bamire and A. A. Akinola, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria; and A. Alene, A. Menkir and V. Manyong, The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Nigeria;

1 Introduction

2 Understanding farmers' decisions on improved technology adoption: the adoption theory

3 Adoption of improved maize technologies

4 Constraining factors in the adoption of improved maize technologies: economic and institutional factors

5 Constraining factors in the adoption of improved maize technologies: the importance of farmers' characteristics and perspectives

6 Strategies for improving the adoption of improved maize technologies

7 Conclusion

8 Where to look for further information

9 References

Chapter 3 - Good agricultural practices for maize cultivation: the case of West Africa: Alpha Kamara, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria;

1 Introduction

2 Poor soil fertility and effects of drought on maize in West Africa

3 Weed competition with maize

4 Maize nutrient management

5 Weed management for maize cultivation

6 Management of soil moisture stress in maize

7 Future trends and conclusion

8 Where to look for further information

9 References

Chapter 4 - Sorghum tolerance to low-phosphorus soil conditions: Willmar L. Leiser, University of Hohenheim, Germany; H. Frederick Weltzien-Rattunde and Eva Weltzien-Rattunde, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA; and Bettina I.G. Haussmann, University of Hohenheim, Germany;

1 Introduction

2 Phosphorus: a worldwide future challenge

3 Breeding sorghum for low-P soil conditions

4 Plant adaptation to low-P conditions

5 Summary: implications for applied sorghum breeding in West Africa

6 Future trends and challenges in bringing benefits of sorghum low-P tolerance to West African farmers

7 Where to look for further information

8 References