Modelling surface runoff using the soil conservation service-curve number method in a drought prone agro-ecological zone in Rwanda

Runoff farming is reported to improve land productivity and crop yields in hot and dry climates.This study was conducted to assess the available rainwater that can be harvested in a conserved catchment in a drought prone agro-ecological zone.The study was carried out in the Cyili sub-catchment,southern province of Rwanda,which has an irregular rainfall pattern and unexploited runoff water.Soil Conservation Service-Curve Number method (SCS-CN),CROPWAT model version 8 and Hazen model with an average daily rainfall data recorded from 1971 to 2016 were applied to estimate the runoff and water requirements in the study area.Findings of the study revealed that more than half rainfall water received in the catchment was lost through runoff (229.8 mm) and effective rainfall was lower (246.9 mm) than the actual crop water requirement for maize (330 mm).The expected seasonal surface runoff volume to be harvested by the farmers was 3008 m3 ha-1 per season and 1.29 × 106 m3 per season for the entire whole sub-catchment (430 ha).Based on Hazen model,the return period of low rainfall (dry spell) event would be expected every 2 years with a 98% probability of occurrence.Cyili sub-catchment has higher potential runoff volume to stabilize the deficit of water demand in the period of short rainy season.This suggests that rainwater harvesting through supplementary irrigation is an option to improve the crop yield in the dry period as well as in the annual dry season.

Molecular Marker-Assisted Backcrossing of Anthracnose Resistance Genes into Common Beans (<i>Phaseolus vulgaris</i>L.) Varieties

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, is a major disease of common bean and results in high yield loss. Due to the high degree of pathogenic variability of the fungus and the continual emergence of new races, genetic resistance in the host is not durable. Gene pyramiding using Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) is proposed as a viable approach to improve the durability of major genes conditioning resistance to anthracnose. In this study a common bean line Urugezi x AND 1062 susceptible to anthracnose but already improved for Pythium root rot resistance was improved for anthracnose resistance through a backcross breeding program. Genotypic selection was done in Rubilizi laboratory in Kigali, Rwanada whereas phenotypic selection was conducted in an anthracnose hotspot at Rwerere, a research Centre of the Rwanda Agricultural and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB). Analysis of variance for effect of bean varieties and anthracnose isolates on disease expression showed significant differences (p < 0.001) among varieties and isolates and for the interaction between isolates and varieties. Developed BC2F1 plants were 41% of them resistant and 59% susceptible to anthracnose. However, the observed proportion of 26 resistants and 37 susceptible in BC2F1 plants didn’t fit the goodness of fit of the expected proportion of 75 resistants to 25 susceptible. Only 41% of BC2F1 plants inherited the resistance genes and were phenotypically resistant. Presence of SCAR-markers, SAB3 and SBB14, in the developed resistant lines h suggested successful resistance transfer of anthracnose resistance genes.