Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T14:07:23.276Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Exploring the wider potential of forage legumes collected from the highlands of Eritrea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Richard Snowball ,
Amanuel Mahdere ,
Eskender Tesfay ,
Mehreteab Aberra ,
Regina M. Carr  and
Mario F. D' Antuono
Richard Snowball*
Affiliation:
DAFWA, Grains Industry Division, 3 Baron-Hay Court, South Perth, WA6151, Australia CLIMA, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA6009, Australia Future Farm Industries CRC, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA6009, Australia
Amanuel Mahdere
Affiliation:
Hal Hale Research Centre, National Agricultural Research Institute, Eritrea
Eskender Tesfay
Affiliation:
Hal Hale Research Centre, National Agricultural Research Institute, Eritrea
Mehreteab Aberra
Affiliation:
DAFWA, Grains Industry Division, 3 Baron-Hay Court, South Perth, WA6151, Australia
Regina M. Carr
Affiliation:
Centre for Rhizobium Studies, School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch6150, Australia
Mario F. D' Antuono
Affiliation:
DAFWA, Grains Industry Division, 3 Baron-Hay Court, South Perth, WA6151, Australia
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This is the first report of a pasture plant collecting mission to the highlands of Eritrea and a preliminary examination of the potential of species for both Eritrea and southern Australia. In 2004, seeds from 53 legume species were collected from 58 locations in the southern highlands between Keren, Adi Quala and Senafe. Strains of Rhizobium from 18 species were also collected. Seed collections of 11 species with Rhizobium were established in germplasm nurseries at the Medina Research Station, Western Australia between 2005 and 2010. Observations on their growth, flowering and seed production were recorded. Based on a climate match analysis and observations from germplasm nurseries, it was suggested that species with most promise for parts of southern Australia include the annual legume Biserrula pelecinus ssp. leiocarpa and the perennial shrub Colutea abyssinica. The greatest potential, however, is reserved for the highlands of Eritrea where germplasm is well adapted. Species found low in the landscape including from the genera Lotus, Trifolium and Medicago appeared well utilized. Different species found higher in the landscape including from the genera Indigofera, Tephrosia, Crotalaria, Trifolium schimperi, B. pelecinus ssp. leiocarpa and C. abyssinica were much less common, appeared under-utilized and may be under threat from genetic erosion. Animal production on the non-arable dry hillsides of the highlands would benefit from better utilization of these species through replanting some areas, careful grazing management and demonstration of the benefits of increasing the native legume component of these wild pastures.

Keywords

climate matchEritrean highlandsgermplasm nurserypasture legumeRhizobium collectionseed collection
Type
Research Article
Information
Plant Genetic Resources , Volume 11 , Issue 2 , August 2013 , pp. 158 - 169
Copyright
Copyright © NIAB 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Akundabweni, LMS (1986) Forage potential of some native annual Trifolium species in the Ethiopian highlands. In: Haque, I, Jutzi, S and Neate, PJH (eds) Potentials of Forage Legumes in Farming Systems of Sub-Saharan Africa. Addis Ababa: ILCA, pp. 439–459.Google Scholar
Akundabweni, LSM and Njuguna, SK (1996) Seed production of native hay clovers in the highlands of eastern Africa. Tropical Grasslands 30: 257–261.Google Scholar
Akundabweni, LS, Lazier, JR and Lemme, G (1991) Comparative growth of some African clover planted at different times. Tropical Grasslands 25: 358–364.Google Scholar
Anon (1981) National Atlas of Ethiopia – Preliminary Edition. Printed and published by Ethiopian Mapping Agency, The Provisional Military Government of Socialist Ethiopia National Revolutionary Development Campaign and Central Planning Supreme Council. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Google Scholar
Ayres, JF, Kelman, WM, Wiedemann, SG, Lane, LA and McCorkell, BE (2008) Developing birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) varieties for permanent pasture applications in low latitude regions of eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48: 488–498.Google Scholar
Batello, C, Brinkman, R, Mannetje, L't, Martinez, A and Suttie, J (2007) Plant Genetic Resources of Forage Crops, Pasture and Rangelands. Rome: FAO, pp. 1–63.Google Scholar
Bell, LW, Bennett, RG, Ryan, MH and Clark, H (2010) The potential of herbaceous native Australian legumes as grain crops: a review. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 26: 72–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boonman, JG (1993) East Africa's Grasses and Fodders: Their Ecology and Husbandry. Boston, Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, pp. 1–343.Google Scholar
Clements, RJ (1996) Pastures for prosperity. 3. The future for new tropical pasture plants. Tropical Grasslands 30: 31–46.Google Scholar
Dauro, D, Mohamed-Saleem, MA and Gintzburger, G (1997) Recruitment and survival of native annual Trifolium species in the highlands of Ethiopia. African Journal of Ecology 35: 1–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Demissie, A (1991) A decade of germplasm exploration and collecting activities by the Plant Genetic Resources Centre/Ethiopia. In: Engels, JMM, Hawkes, JG and Worede, M (eds) Plant Genetic Resources of Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 202–217.Google Scholar
Franzel, S, Arimi, HK and Murithi, FM (2002) Calliandra calothyrsus: assessing the early stages of adoption of a fodder shrub in the highlands of Central Kenya. In: Franzel, S and Scherr, SJ (eds) Trees on the Farm: Assessing the Adoption Potential of Agroforestry Practices in Africa. Wallinford: CABI Publishing, pp. 125–144.Google Scholar
Freitas, G, Gananca, JFT, Nobrega, H, Nunes, E, Costa, G, Slaski, JJ and Pinheiro de Carvalho, MAA (2011) Morphological evaluation of common bean diversity on the Island of Madeira. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution 58: 861–874.Google Scholar
Hanson, J and Mengistu, S (1991) Collection of Ethiopian forage germplasm at the International Livestock Centre for Africa. In: Engels, JMM, Hawkes, JG and Worede, M (eds) Plant Genetic Resources of Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 218–225.Google Scholar
Hedberg I, Edwards S (eds) (1989) Flora of Ethiopia, Volume 3, Pittosporaceae to Araliaceae, Papilionoideae. Addis Ababa and Asmara: Addis Ababa University and University of Uppsala, pp. 97–251.Google Scholar
Howieson, JG, Ewing, MA and D'Antuono, MF (1988) Selection for acid tolerance in Rhizobium meliloti. Plant and Soil 105: 179–188.Google Scholar
Howieson, JG, Loi, A and Carr, SJ (1995) Biserrula pelecinus L. – a legume pasture species with potential for acid, duplex soils which is nodulated by unique root-nodule bacteria. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 46: 997–1009.Google Scholar
Kahurananga, J (1987) The screening of perennial Trifolium species mainly from the Ethiopian highlands and their potential for use in pasture. In: Dzowela, BH (ed.) African Forage Plant Genetic Resources, Evaluation of Forage Germplasm and Extensive Livestock Production System. Addis Ababa: ILCA, pp. 120–126.Google Scholar
Kahurananga, J (1991) Intercropping Ethiopian Trifolium species with wheat. Experimental Agriculture 27: 385–390.Google Scholar
Kahurananga, J and Tsehay, A (1984) Variation in flowering time, dry matter and seed yield among annual Trifolium species, Ethiopia. Tropical Grasslands 25: 20–25.Google Scholar
Kahurananga, J and Tsehay, A (1991) Preliminary assessment of some annual Ethiopian Trifolium species for hay production. Tropical Grasslands 18: 215–217.Google Scholar
Lazier, JR and Mengistu, A (1991) Evaluation and utilization of Ethiopian forage species. In: Engels, LMM, Hawkes, JG and Worede, M (eds) Plant Genetic Resources of Ethiopia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 278–287.Google Scholar
Lenné, JM and Wood, D (2004) Is there a ‘logic of fodder legumes’ in Africa? Food Policy 29: 565–585.Google Scholar
Mannetje, L't (1964) The use of some African clovers as pasture legumes in Queensland. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 4: 22–25.Google Scholar
Moore, G, Sanford, P and Wiley, T (2006) Perennial Pastures for Western Australia. Bulletin 4690. ISSN 1833-7236. Perth: Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia.Google Scholar
Mugwira, LM, Haque, I, Lupwayi, NZ and Luyindula, N (1997) Evaluation of phosphorus uptake and use efficiency and nitrogen fixation potential by African clovers. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 65: 169–175.Google Scholar
Nichols, PGH, Loi, A, Nutt, BJ, Evans, PM, Craig, AD, Pengelly, BC, Dear, BS, Lloyd, DL, Revell, CK, Nair, RM, Ewing, MA, Howieson, JG, Auricht, GA, Howie, JH, Sandral, GA, Carr, SJ, de Koning, CT, Hackney, BF, Crocker, GJ, Snowball, R, Hughes, SJ, Hall, EJ, Foster, KJ, Skinner, PW, Barbetti, MJ and You, MP (2007) New annual and short-lived perennial pasture legumes for Australian agriculture – 15 years of revolution. Field Crops Research 104: 10–23.Google Scholar
Nichols, PGH, Loi, A, Nutt, BJ, Snowball, R and Revell, CK (2010) Domestication of new Mediterranean annual pasture legumes. In: Huyghe, C (ed.) Sustainable Use of Genetic Diversity in Forage and Turf Breeding. Netherlands: Springer, pp. 137–141.Google Scholar
Sarwatt SV, Mkiwa FEJ (1988) The current status of knowledge on the feed value of Crotalaria species in Tanzania. In: Dzowela BH (ed.) African Forage Plant Genetic Resources, Evaluation of Forages Germplasm and Extensive Livestock Production Systems. Proceedings of the Third Workshop Held at the International Conference Centre, Arusha, Tanzania, 22–30 April 1987. Addis Ababa: ILCA, pp. 196–203.Google Scholar
Shelton, HM, Franzel, S and Peters, M (2005) Adoption of tropical legume technology around the world: analysis of success. Tropical Grasslands 39: 198–209.Google Scholar
Snowball, R, D'Antuono, M, Cohen, B, Gajda, K and Bennett, R (2010) The value of germplasm nurseries in selecting species for field evaluation. Crop and Pasture Science 61: 957–969.Google Scholar
Snowball, R, Hadas, R, Galili, S, Ur, Y, Nichols, P and Kigel, H (2008) Collecting pasture legumes in Israel with a focus on species of importance to southern Australia. Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter 155: 15–24.Google Scholar
Strange, R (1958) Preliminary trials of grasses and legumes under grazing. East African Agricultural Journal 24: 92–102.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sumberg, J (2002) The logic of fodder legumes in Africa. Food Policy 27: 285–300.Google Scholar
Wen, C, Hill, MJ and Blair, GJ (1993) African clovers and miscellaneous legumes on the Northern Tablelands of NSW. Australian Plant Introduction Review 24: 1–9.Google Scholar
Wilson, GPM and Bowman, AM (1993) Trifolium species on the New South Wales north coast: 2. African species. Genetic Resources Communication 19: 1–12(ISSN 0159–6071 ISBN 0 643 05335 2).Google Scholar
Wolfe EC, Tesfai T, Cook B, Tesfay E, Bowman A. (2008) Forages for agricultural production and catchment protection in Eritrea. In: Unkovich M (ed.) Global Issues, Paddock Action: Proceeding of the 14th Australian Agronomy Conference. Adelaide: Australian Society of Agronomy. Available atwww.regional.org.au/au/asa/2008/concurrent/agronomy-abroad/5644_wolfeec.htm#TopOfPage_downloaded_10/07/2012.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Snowball Supplementary Material

Appendix

Download Snowball Supplementary Material(File)
File 1.5 MB