Browsing by Author "Tembo, Lenon"

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    Citron watermelon characterisation and trait analysis in Kalahari sands
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2025-06-13) Tembo, Lenon; Maphosa, Mcebisi
    Background: Citron watermelon, a drought-tolerant and nutrient-dense crop requiring low input, holds potential for enhancing food security under climate change conditions. However, it remains under-researched, with low productivity levels. Aim: To agro-morphologically characterise citron watermelon accessions and identify trait relationships relevant for variety development. Setting: The experiment was carried out at a Lupane State University Farm with Kalahari sands in Zimbabwe. Methods: A randomised complete block design field experiment, with three replications, was conducted over two consecutive seasons. Results: The accessions displayed wide diversity in fruit shape, skin colour and seed colour. Fruit yield ranged from 18.5 t/ha to 190.2 t/ha, exhibiting a strong positive correlation with the number of fruits per plant (R = 0.99) and individual fruit weight (R = 0.98). Path analysis confirmed that these traits exerted the highest direct effects on yield. Principal component analysis revealed that the first three components explained 89.85% of the total variation between accessions. Conclusion: The significant variation and trait correlations observed offer opportunities for effective parental selection and early genetic gains in breeding programmes. There is scope to improve yield-determining traits, such as the number of fruits per plant and individual fruit weight, forming a strong basis for initiating a breeding programme for this crop. Contribution: Promising accessions identified in this study can be utilised as parental lines for citron watermelon improvement.
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    Efficacy of Lippia Javanica Leaf Powder and Combretum Imberbe Wood Ash Against the Larger Grain Borer (Prostephanus Truncatus) in Stored Maize
    (Taylor & Francis, 2026-06-26) Chihumbiri, Lorraine Yeukai; Musabayana, Zivanayi; Zhou, Mandhlenkosi; Mathema, Ndabanye; Tembo, Lenon; Zanamwe, Pesanai
    Prostephanus truncatus is a major storage pest responsible for substantial maize grain losses. This study evaluated the efficacy of Lippia javanica leaf powder and Combretum imberbe wood ash in controlling P. truncatus in stored maize. The study consisted of two separate trials, each with six treatments, replicated thrice and arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The treatments for the first trial consisted of four dosages of L. javanica (2, 4, 6, 8 g) applied to 200 g of maize grain, the untreated control and Actellic Gold Dust. The second trial treatments consisted of four dosages of C. imberbe (2, 4, 6, 8 g) applied to 200 g of maize grain, an untreated control and Actellic Gold Dust. Each experimental unit was infested with 10 adult Prostephanus truncatus, and assessments were conducted at 7, 14, and 21 days after treatment. The efficacy of L. javanica leaf powder and C. imberbe in the control of P. truncatus was assessed by determining insect mortality, insect reproduction, mean grain weight loss, and mean grain damage. Both biopesticides significantly (p < 0.05) increased adult insect mortality and suppressed reproduction compared to the untreated control. The highest mortality (90%) was observed at 8 g for both botanicals and reproduction was reduced by 5–85% relative to the control for L. javanica and 10–92% for C. imberbe, depending on dosage. The findings demonstrate that L. javanica and C. imberbe are promising bioinsecticides for maize protection against P. truncatusa especially for smallholder farmers.
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    Estimation of yield and yield-related genetic parameters in citron watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides)
    (Taylor & Francis, 2025-08-11) Tembo, Lenon; Maphosa, Mcebisi
    This study aims to improve citron watermelon, an underutilized African crop. Despite its climate resilience and economic importance, the estimation of yield-related genetic parameters remain unexplored. Ten high-yielding accessions were crossed in a bi-parental mating design to develop five hybrids that were evaluated together with their parents in a randomized complete block design, replicated thrice. Traits such as fruit yield, length and weight displayed the greatest potential to respond to selection owing to high heritability (61.64, 73.80% and 59.00%, respectively) and genetic advance (4585.09, 77.32 and 73.27%, respectively). Fruit weight, rind thickness and yield showed significant positive heterosis (p < .05) in hybrids 7 × 8 and 1 × 2, indicating their potential for heterotic improvement. Hybrids 1 × 2 and 3 × 4 were the best cross combinations for elevated Vitamin C levels and rind thickness for both forms of heterosis. Gene number estimates revealed a range from minor to oligogenic control, with fruit weight controlled by 5.81 genes using Wright’s estimator. Total soluble solutes had the lowest number of genes in all hybrid combinations coupled with a low genetic advance of 0.44, displaying a low response to selection using this population. This study highlights several traits that have the potential to improve citron watermelon productivity.
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    Growth and Yield Yesponse of Cabbage (Brassica Oleracea Var.Capitata ‘Star 3011’) to Different Liquid Organic Manure Types and Their Combinations
    (Taylor & Francis, 2026-04-26) Zhou, Mandhlenkosi; Musabayana, Zivanayi; Tembo, Lenon; Mathema, Ndabanye; Zanamwe, Pesanai
    The application of organic liquid manures is deemed a viable alternative to the application of inorganic fertilisers in vegetable production. this study was carried out to evaluate the effect of different types of liquid manure and their combinations on the growth and yield of cabbage, cultivar Star 3301. the study was conducted during the2020–2021 and 2021–2022 seasons at the Tshaka Maoko Organic Nutrition Garden in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe. the experiment was arranged in a randomised complete block design with nine liquid manure treatments, namely, cattle, poultry, green groundnut, combinations of cattle-poultry, cattle-green groundnut, poultry-green groundnut, cattle-poultry-green groundnut, a negative control and a positive control. liquid manure types and their combinations significantly affected cabbage growth and yield attributes, including days to heading, days to horticultural maturity, head diameter and head weight. the negative control showed the lowest values in all the attributes measured. The combination of cattle-poultry-green groundnut liquid manure showed the best performance and was comparable to the positive control and the poultry-green groundnut liquid manure. Crops treated with these treatments took a short time to form heads and to reach maturity and had heavy and large heads. The single liquid manure treatments showed intermediate performance. Among the single liquid manures, cattle liquid manure was the least effective. It was concluded that combining organic liquid manure, such as a combination of extracts from cattle, poultry and green groundnut, could be used as an alternative to inorganic fertilisers in cabbage production.
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    The effect of pre-soaking common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) seeds in gibberellic acid solution on germination and seedling growth
    (Horticultural Association of Kenya (HAK), 2024-12-01) Zanamwe, Pesanai; Tembo, Lenon; Madzaramba, Tendai Hardwork
    Poor seed germination and early seedling growth often limit common bean production. Pre-treatment with plant hormones, such as gibberellic acid (GA3), can improve germination and seedling vigour in many plants. However, its effects on common bean seeds are not well understood. This study evaluated GA3’s potential to promote germination and seedling growth in common beans. Laboratory germination tests and greenhouse trials were conducted using two varieties, Gloria and Nua45. Seed from each variety was divided into two groups and the other group was soaked in 60 ml/L GA3 solution for 5 min and the other group was left untreated and used as a control. Treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design with three technical and two biological replicates. Data on germination percentage were collected every 24 hours for 120 h, along with measurements of rootlet length, seedling vigour indices, root length, shoot length, and dry weight. Results indicated that GA3-treated Nua45 seeds had significantly higher germination percentages than untreated seeds after 48, 72, and 96 h, while treated Gloria seeds showed lower germination than untreated seeds within the same time frames. By 120 h, both treated and untreated seeds of both varieties reached a minimum of 90% germination. Nua45 seeds treated with GA3 showed significantly greater rootlet length (5.29 cm) than untreated seeds (4.12 cm), while Gloria seeds showed no significant difference in rootlet length between treated (2.49 cm) and untreated seeds (2.86 cm). For Nua45, GA3-treated seedlings had higher shoot length (46.7 cm), dry weight (4.10 g), and seedling vigour index II (3.7) than untreated seedlings (28.5 cm, 2.34 g, and 2.25, respectively). In contrast, untreated Gloria seedlings had greater root length (35.1 cm) than treated seedlings (14.4 cm), with no shoot length difference. These findings suggest that pre-soaking Nua45 seeds in GA3 solution enhances germination and growth, while pre-soaking Gloria seeds reduces them. These findings suggest a hormone-genotype interaction effect warranting further study.