Resistência de Dois Genótipos Híbridos de Brachiaria spp. ao Ataque Combinado de Quarto Espécies de Cigarrinha das Pastagens (Homoptera: Cercopidae) [Resistance of Two Hybrid Genotypes of Brachiaria spp. to the Combined Attack of Four Species of Spittlebug (Homoptera: Cercopidae)] Poster.  

Keywords: Brachiaria; Feed grasses; Cercopidae; Pest insects; Aeneolamia reducta; Aeneolamia varia; Zulia pubescens; Zulia carbonaria; Genotypes; Pest resistance; Genetic resistance; Genetic markers; RAPD; PCR; Antagonism; Plant breeding; Forage; Molecular techniques; Colombia

[Multi-purpose Forage Species: Options for Central American Producers] Smallholder farmers and technicians will find this tool useful for selecting forage species depending on local climate and soil conditions. The booklet contains easy-to-understand information on forage species on offer to farmers in Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua, taking into account those forage species most used in the areas covered by CIAT's Tropical Forages Project. The booklet was developed under the project " Farmer Participatory Research in Action: Selection and Strategic Use of Multipurpose Forage Germplasm by Smallholders in Production Systems in Hillsides of Central America", financed by BMZ/GTZ. The publication has five sections: (1) grasses, (2) herbaceous legumes, (3) cover legumes and green manures, (4) shrub legumes, and (5) other species of interest. Specific information is provided on the different forage species and their multiple uses over a broad range of production systems. The inclusion of color photographs facilitates the differentiation of species, and tables quickly provide the reader with a summary of the uses and characteristics of each species.  

Keywords: Feed crops; Feed grasses; Feed legumes; Varieties; Uses; Plant establishment; Crop management; Productivity; Seed production; Plant propagation; Forage; Hillsides; Central America.

ISBN:958-694-048-9

Agricultural development workers can take advantage of farmers being natural experimenters, that is, always trying out new ideas and technologies to improve their farming practices. By adopting participatory approaches in their research and extension work, development workers can help small farmers living in remote areas tackle the issues involved in low-input, upland production systems. The booklet provides starting points in terms of ideas, practical tips, and basic tools. The booklet is a new title in the CIAT in Asia Research for Development Series. Other titles available in this series are: "How to Select the Best Varieties to Offer Farmers in Southeast Asia", and "How to Grow, Manage, and Use Forages". All language versions of the books (currently English, Indonesian, Lao Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese and soon to include Burmese and Khmer) are available from the CIAT office in Vientiane. Individuals and organizations from both developing and developed countries may request a free hardcopy of the book. Orders for multiple copies are sold at US$5 per copy (which includes postage).  

Keywords: Participatory research; Agricultural development; Farmers; Indigenous knowledge; Extension activities; Partnerships; Decision making; Appropriate technology; Rapid rural appraisal; Innovation adoption; Technology transfer; Asia

To most smallholder livestock producers in Southeast Asia, planted forages are much more than simply a new variety of a crop with which they are already familiar. 'Planting forages' is an entirely new concept, requiring major changes in the way farmers think about and manage their crop-livestock systems. Such significant changes do not happen easily unless there are strong pressures for change...and these pressures are coming fast in Southeast Asia, in the form of disappearing traditional feed resources and rapidly increasing demand for livestock products. The most promising way to support the emergence of significant impacts from forages in smallholder livestock systems comes from matching the best varieties available with participatory approaches to research and extension. Since 1995, CIAT has been working with national partners throughout the region to apply this approach in six countries of Southeast Asia. To date two studies have documented and assessed the economic and social impacts of the new forage technologies on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. This publication refers to the second study carried out in Mindanao, Philippines, and Tuyen Quang, Vietnam. Participatory evaluation tools together with conventional survey techniques were used to compare the livestock production systems of early and recent forage adopters. Results were stratified by wealth categories and other important cultural factors. The studies document the scale of social and economic impacts and highlight lessons that have emerged for future development.  

Keywords: Feed crops; Pasture improvement; Socioeconomic environment; Animal husbandry; Innovation adoption; Farming systems; Economic analysis; Participatory research; Asia; Philippines; Viet Nam

Poster. 

Keywords: Brachiaria; Seed treatment; Acremonium implicatum; Seedborne organisms; Plant diseases; Endophytes; PCR; Forage; Colombia

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