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Dr. Dejene Mengistu
Bioversity International

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0 Conservation
0 Diversity
0 Food Security
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Journal article
Published: 20 January 2021 in Sustainability
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This study assesses the impact of a participatory development program called Seeds For Needs, carried out in Ethiopia to support smallholders in addressing climate change and its consequences through the introduction, selection, use, and management of suitable crop varieties. More specifically, it analyzes the program’s role of boosting durum wheat varietal diversification and agrobiodiversity to support higher crop productivity and strengthen smallholder food security. The study is based on a survey of 1008 households across three major wheat-growing regional states: Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray. A doubly robust estimator was employed to properly estimate the impact of Seeds For Needs interventions. The results show that program activities have significantly enhanced wheat crop productivity and smallholders’ food security by increasing wheat varietal diversification. This paper provides further empirical evidence for the effective role that varietal diversity can play in improving food security in marginal environments, and also provides clear indications for development agencies regarding the importance of improving smallholders’ access to crop genetic resources.

ACS Style

Elisabetta Gotor; Muhammed Abdella Usman; Martina Occelli; Basazen Fantahun; Carlo Fadda; Yosef Gebrehawaryat Kidane; Dejene Mengistu; Afewerki Yohannes Kiros; Jemal Nurhisen Mohammed; Mekonen Assefa; Tesfaye Woldesemayate; Francesco Caracciolo. Wheat Varietal Diversification Increases Ethiopian Smallholders’ Food Security: Evidence from a Participatory Development Initiative. Sustainability 2021, 13, 1029 .

AMA Style

Elisabetta Gotor, Muhammed Abdella Usman, Martina Occelli, Basazen Fantahun, Carlo Fadda, Yosef Gebrehawaryat Kidane, Dejene Mengistu, Afewerki Yohannes Kiros, Jemal Nurhisen Mohammed, Mekonen Assefa, Tesfaye Woldesemayate, Francesco Caracciolo. Wheat Varietal Diversification Increases Ethiopian Smallholders’ Food Security: Evidence from a Participatory Development Initiative. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (3):1029.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Elisabetta Gotor; Muhammed Abdella Usman; Martina Occelli; Basazen Fantahun; Carlo Fadda; Yosef Gebrehawaryat Kidane; Dejene Mengistu; Afewerki Yohannes Kiros; Jemal Nurhisen Mohammed; Mekonen Assefa; Tesfaye Woldesemayate; Francesco Caracciolo. 2021. "Wheat Varietal Diversification Increases Ethiopian Smallholders’ Food Security: Evidence from a Participatory Development Initiative." Sustainability 13, no. 3: 1029.

Research article
Published: 14 December 2020 in Advances in Agriculture
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Improvement of durum wheat grain quality through agronomic biofortification becomes a priority research area and an effective route to combat malnutrition. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of micronutrient application to different varieties of durum wheat and seeding rate on final harvest grain quality under different growing locations. The treatments were arranged in split-split plot design where the varieties were assigned in the main plot, micronutrients into the subplots, and seeding rate into the sub-subplots. Each variety was sown at four levels of seeding rates and treated with ZnSO₄ and FeSO4 applied foliarly, both at a rate of 25 Kg ha−1 during flowering. Micronutrients were applied in the form of ZnSO₄ 7H2O and FeSO₄ 7H2O. The study confirmed that application of 25 Kg ha−1 ZnSO₄-containing fertilizer has increased mineral content from 33.04 mg Kg−1 to 56.73 mg kg−1. The tested durum wheat varieties significantly differ in their capacity to accumulate grain Zn and Fe concentrations. Higher amount of Zn (20 mg kg−1) and Fe (10 mg kg−1) were accumulated by the landrace 208304 than by Asassa, an improved commercial variety. Increasing seeding rate from 100–175 Kg ha−1 has reduced grain Zn and Fe concentrations. Grain mineral concentration was significantly lower at the Mekelle location than at the Melfa location. It can be concluded that foliar application of ZnSO₄ and FeSO4 to the landrace, acc.208304, combined with 125 Kg seeds ha−1 can produce better Zn and Fe denser durum wheat grain. This will help to combat the hidden hunger, especially in resource poor countries, where fortified foods are limited in access and unaffordable by small-scale farmers.

ACS Style

Anteneh Agezew Melash; Dejene Kassahun Mengistu. Improving Grain Micronutrient Content of Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) through Agronomic Biofortification to Alleviate the Hidden Hunger. Advances in Agriculture 2020, 2020, 1 -6.

AMA Style

Anteneh Agezew Melash, Dejene Kassahun Mengistu. Improving Grain Micronutrient Content of Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) through Agronomic Biofortification to Alleviate the Hidden Hunger. Advances in Agriculture. 2020; 2020 ():1-6.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anteneh Agezew Melash; Dejene Kassahun Mengistu. 2020. "Improving Grain Micronutrient Content of Durum Wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) through Agronomic Biofortification to Alleviate the Hidden Hunger." Advances in Agriculture 2020, no. : 1-6.

Research article
Published: 22 August 2020 in Journal of Crop Improvement
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The lack of adaptable varieties is the major problem for durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) production in Ethiopia. The variability in 36 durum wheat genotypes was studied for key traits across locations to select genotypes possessing optimal grain quality and high grain yield for production in northern Ethiopia, using a simple lattice design. Variation attributable to genotypes (G), locations (L) and G × L interaction was significant for the studied traits (p < 0.001). Mean grain protein content (GPC) among genotypes ranged from 9.4% to 12.9%. Genotypes 208312 (G17) and 208168 (G22) had mean GPC of 12.9% and 12.8%, respectively. Grain with high GPC (12.7%–21.3%) was harvested from Beati-Maymesanu (BMM), a terminal drought-affected location, whereas the lowest GPC range (5.5%–10.5%) was recorded at Agarba. This implied that water stress during the reproductive growth stage of durum wheat could increase GPC. Similarly, high gluten index (GI) (68%–95%) was obtained at BMM, whereas the frequency of genotypes with low GI (<60%) was high (n = 14) at Agarba. Genotypes with higher GPC and GI tended to have lower grain yield (GY). This negative association constrains breeding efforts to combine high GY with high GPC and GI. However, some genotypes, mainly farmers' varieties (FVs), had combined high GY with the modest value of GPC and GI. FVs SSD2, 248478, 222426, and 208873 and the improved varieties Asassa and Quamy were suitable as parents for making crosses to generate new genotypes with high GY, GPC, and GI.

ACS Style

Lijalem Gebrewahid; Dejene K. Mengistu; Yemane Tsehaye; Addis Aberha; Dereje A. Aberra. Variability among Ethiopian durum wheat genotypes grown under different climatic conditions of Tigray for some agronomic and grain-quality traits. Journal of Crop Improvement 2020, 35, 184 -203.

AMA Style

Lijalem Gebrewahid, Dejene K. Mengistu, Yemane Tsehaye, Addis Aberha, Dereje A. Aberra. Variability among Ethiopian durum wheat genotypes grown under different climatic conditions of Tigray for some agronomic and grain-quality traits. Journal of Crop Improvement. 2020; 35 (2):184-203.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lijalem Gebrewahid; Dejene K. Mengistu; Yemane Tsehaye; Addis Aberha; Dereje A. Aberra. 2020. "Variability among Ethiopian durum wheat genotypes grown under different climatic conditions of Tigray for some agronomic and grain-quality traits." Journal of Crop Improvement 35, no. 2: 184-203.

Journal article
Published: 05 July 2019 in Plant Genetic Resources: Characterization and Utilization
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Variety selection from locally adapted crops is the major climate change adaptation strategy of farming communities. There are several justifications for re-thinking for the sustainable use of crop biodiversity in our breeding programs. Thirty-one durum wheat farmers' varieties (FVs), together with five improved check varieties, were characterized in Tigray during 2014 and 2015 main cropping seasons. The genotype effect explained most of the variations in measured traits, which enabled us to identify superior and stable genotypes for wider adaptation as well varieties with more local adaptation. The genotypes and test locations imposed a highly significant (P < 0.001) effect on both phenological and quantitative traits. A yield advantage of 14.3% was obtained from top performer FV over top performer improved variety, Asassa. Of the tested FVs, 27.8% were superior for grain yield (GY) than improved varieties and 19.4% of these superior FVs were more stable and adaptable than the improved varieties. Besides giving higher GY with spatial stability, they qualify for industrial requirements with high-grain protein (>13%) and gluten (>33%) contents. FVs such as G10, G16, G21, G22 and G30 have wider adaptability and are suitable for production in all tested areas. As outcome of this study, two superior FVs, G10 (208304) and G30 (8208), were nationally released for commercial production for their productivity, stability and grain quality. Utilizing the diverse durum wheat FVs can effectively improve productivity and adaptability. Wheat breeders need to revisit these resources to improve adaptation of wheat production to the changing climatic conditions.

ACS Style

Dejene K. Mengistu; Afewerki Y. Kiros; Jemal N. Mohammed; Yemane Tsehaye; Carlo Fadda. Exploitation of diversity within farmers' durum wheat varieties enhanced the chance of selecting productive, stable and adaptable new varieties to the local climatic conditions. Plant Genetic Resources: Characterization and Utilization 2019, 17, 401 -411.

AMA Style

Dejene K. Mengistu, Afewerki Y. Kiros, Jemal N. Mohammed, Yemane Tsehaye, Carlo Fadda. Exploitation of diversity within farmers' durum wheat varieties enhanced the chance of selecting productive, stable and adaptable new varieties to the local climatic conditions. Plant Genetic Resources: Characterization and Utilization. 2019; 17 (5):401-411.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dejene K. Mengistu; Afewerki Y. Kiros; Jemal N. Mohammed; Yemane Tsehaye; Carlo Fadda. 2019. "Exploitation of diversity within farmers' durum wheat varieties enhanced the chance of selecting productive, stable and adaptable new varieties to the local climatic conditions." Plant Genetic Resources: Characterization and Utilization 17, no. 5: 401-411.

Journal article
Published: 29 May 2019 in Computers and Electronics in Agriculture
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In recent years, agricultural extension services in developing countries have increasingly introduced modern information and communication technologies (ICT) to deliver advice. But to realize efficiency gains, digital applications may need to address heterogeneous information needs by targeting agricultural advisory contents in a household-specific way. We explore the feasibility of an automated advisory service that collects household data from farmers, for example through the keypads of conventional mobile phones, and uses this data to prioritize agricultural advisory messages accordingly. To reduce attrition, such a system must avoid lengthy inquiry. Therefore, our objective was to identify a viable trade-off between low data requirements and useful household-specific prioritizations of advisory messages. At three sites in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania independently, we collected experimental preference rankings from smallholder farmers for receiving information about different agricultural and livelihood practices. At each site, we identified socio-economic household variables that improved model-based predictions of individual farmers’ information preferences. We used the models to predict household-specific rankings of information options based on 2–4 variables, requiring the farmer to answer between 5 and 10 questions through an ICT interface. These predicted rankings could inform household-specific prioritizations of advisory messages in a digital agro-advisory application. Household-specific “top 3” options suggested by the models were better-fit to farmers’ preferences than a random selection of 3 options by 48–68%, on average. The analysis shows that relatively limited data inputs from farmers, in a simple format, can be used to increase the client-orientation of ICT-mediated agricultural extension. This suggests that household-specific prioritization of agricultural advisory messages through digital two-way communication is feasible. In future digital agricultural advisory applications, collecting little data from farmers at each interaction may feed into learning algorithms that continuously improve the targeting of advice.

ACS Style

Jonathan Steinke; Jerusha Onyango Achieng; James Hammond; Selamawit Sileshi Kebede; Dejene Kassahun Mengistu; Majuto Gaspar Mgimiloko; Jemal Nurhisen Mohammed; Joseph Musyoka; Stefan Sieber; Jeske van de Gevel; Mark van Wijk; Jacob van Etten. Household-specific targeting of agricultural advice via mobile phones: Feasibility of a minimum data approach for smallholder context. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 2019, 162, 991 -1000.

AMA Style

Jonathan Steinke, Jerusha Onyango Achieng, James Hammond, Selamawit Sileshi Kebede, Dejene Kassahun Mengistu, Majuto Gaspar Mgimiloko, Jemal Nurhisen Mohammed, Joseph Musyoka, Stefan Sieber, Jeske van de Gevel, Mark van Wijk, Jacob van Etten. Household-specific targeting of agricultural advice via mobile phones: Feasibility of a minimum data approach for smallholder context. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture. 2019; 162 ():991-1000.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jonathan Steinke; Jerusha Onyango Achieng; James Hammond; Selamawit Sileshi Kebede; Dejene Kassahun Mengistu; Majuto Gaspar Mgimiloko; Jemal Nurhisen Mohammed; Joseph Musyoka; Stefan Sieber; Jeske van de Gevel; Mark van Wijk; Jacob van Etten. 2019. "Household-specific targeting of agricultural advice via mobile phones: Feasibility of a minimum data approach for smallholder context." Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 162, no. : 991-1000.

Journal article
Published: 14 August 2018 in Journal of Cereal Science
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A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of seeding rate and foliar application of micronutrients and their synergistic effects on grain yield and quality traits of durum wheat. A split-split plot design was used with varieties assigned to the main plot, micronutrient to the sub plots and seeding rates to the sub-sub plots. Varieties were sown at seeding rate of 100, 125, 150 and 175 kg ha−1 and treated with ZnSO4 and FeSO4, applied foliarly at 25 kg ha−1 during anthesis stage. Significant differences among seeding rates, varieties and micronutrients and some of their interactions were observed. Higher seeding rate increased grain and biomass yields by 23.5% and 21.5%, respectively. Increasing seed rate from 100 to 175 kg ha−1 has reduced protein, gluten and Zeleny contents by 8.7%, 10.8% and 9.1%, respectively. FeSO4 × seeding rate interaction improved quality traits better than ZnSO4 interacted with seeding rate. Application of ZnSO4 and FeSO4 has increased Zn and Fe concentrations in the harvested grain. Agronomic biofortification could be an approach to overcome health problem related to Zn and Fe deficiency if used in combination with crop varieties with known genetic response to applied micro fertilizers.

ACS Style

Anteneh A. Melash; Dejene K. Mengistu; Dereje A. Aberra; Alemtsehay Tsegay. The influence of seeding rate and micronutrients foliar application on grain yield and quality traits and micronutrients of durum wheat. Journal of Cereal Science 2018, 85, 221 -227.

AMA Style

Anteneh A. Melash, Dejene K. Mengistu, Dereje A. Aberra, Alemtsehay Tsegay. The influence of seeding rate and micronutrients foliar application on grain yield and quality traits and micronutrients of durum wheat. Journal of Cereal Science. 2018; 85 ():221-227.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Anteneh A. Melash; Dejene K. Mengistu; Dereje A. Aberra; Alemtsehay Tsegay. 2018. "The influence of seeding rate and micronutrients foliar application on grain yield and quality traits and micronutrients of durum wheat." Journal of Cereal Science 85, no. : 221-227.

Journal article
Published: 01 June 2015 in The Crop Journal
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The phenotypic diversity of 274 Ethiopian durum wheat accessions was analyzed, taking their geographic origins into account. The aim was to assess the extent and patterns of agronomically important phenotypic variation across districts of origin and altitude classes for major qualitative traits using diversity index and multivariate methods. Eight qualitative and three quantitative traits were scored for 2740 plants and analyzed for diversity. The Shannon–Weaver diversity (H′) index was used to estimate phenotypic diversity. The estimated H′ ranged from monomorphic for glume hairiness to highly polymorphic for other traits. The highest (0.86) H′ was obtained for seed degree of shriveling, possibly indicating the differential responses of the genotypes to water deficit during later growth stages. With respect to district of origin, the highest (0.72) and lowest (0.44) H′ values were obtained for the Bale and SNNP districts, respectively. With respect to altitude, the highest (0.76) and lowest (0.62) H′ values were recorded for altitudes 1600–2000 and >3000m above sea levels, respectively. Principal components analysis explained substantial variation contributed by district of origin and altitude range. Genotypes were clustered into three groups by districts of origin and altitude class, with relatively strong bootstrap values of 57 and 62 for the former and latter, respectively. It could be concluded that Ethiopian durum wheat landraces are very diverse both within and among districts of origin and altitude classes. This wealth of genetic diversity should be exploited for wheat improvement of yield and for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, particularly terminal drought

ACS Style

Dejene K. Mengistu; Afeworki Y. Kiros; Mario E. Pè. Phenotypic diversity in Ethiopian durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) landraces. The Crop Journal 2015, 3, 190 -199.

AMA Style

Dejene K. Mengistu, Afeworki Y. Kiros, Mario E. Pè. Phenotypic diversity in Ethiopian durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) landraces. The Crop Journal. 2015; 3 (3):190-199.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Dejene K. Mengistu; Afeworki Y. Kiros; Mario E. Pè. 2015. "Phenotypic diversity in Ethiopian durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) landraces." The Crop Journal 3, no. 3: 190-199.