Amaranth (Amaranthus L.) species are grown for their grain or leaves and contribute to farmers’ livelihoods and nutritional food security. Leafy amaranth (LA) is consumed widely as a vegetable in Kenya. An assessment of current farmers’ knowledge of pest management practices provides information about future educational needs. Six-hundred LA farmers were interviewed, focus group discussions with farmers, and interviews with key informants were completed in four Kenyan counties. The majority (71%) of survey respondents grew LA on less than 0.25 acre (<0.1 ha) and 59.2% were female. Constraints of LA production differed by counties surveyed. Farmers indicated insects and birds were important in Kiambu and Kisumu counties, whereas in Vihiga and Kisii, capital, markets, and land area for production were important. Farmers stated and ranked importance of the insects they observed during LA production. Eighty-seven percent stated aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae), as a major pest and 96.8% ranked aphids as the number-one insect pest of LA in all four counties. Two other pests of LA included cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (0.8%) and spider mites, Tetranychus spp (Trombidiformes; Tetranychidae) (0.7%). Forty-two percent of all LA farmers managed aphids, with 34% using synthetic insecticides and 8% using nonsynthetic methods. Biological controls and host-plant resistance were not mentioned. Educational programs that train farmers about integrated pest management (IPM) in LA production are needed. Future research should determine successful IPM strategies for aphids on LA to reduce insecticide use and improve sustainability and nutritional food security for small-landholder farmers and consumers.

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Protein malnutrition is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries where the cost and availability of animal protein remain prohibitive. Grain amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus L) has the potential to substitute expensive animal protein. Its production and consumption is however low in Kenya. Nitrogen is a key limiting element in grain amaranth production. This study investigated the effects of different rates of inorganic nitrogen and cattle manure on the growth and yield of grain amaranth over a period of two years. Inorganic fertilizer at the rate of 100 kg N/ha significantly delayed flowering. Grain yield showed a linear response to inorganic and organic N application. Regression analysis projected the optimum inorganic fertilizer and manure application rates of 87.5 kg N/ha and 9 t/ha respectively with yield of 1.84 t/ha. The highest profitability was achieved at the optimum manure and fertilizer rates. The projected manure and inorganic fertilize rates may however not be affordable by the small-scale farmers. Thus a follow-up study to test the combined effect of inorganic and organic fertilizers is recommended.

Tomato cultivars (Heinz 1370, MT 56, and Nuru F1), fungicide application (±), staking (±), and mulching (±) were tested for their effect on yield, disease severity, and gross margin in tomato production in the Kamuli District of Uganda. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with a factorial and split-plot arrangement in field plots in two growing seasons during 2013. Total and marketable fruit number, marketable fruit weight, gross margin, and disease severity, assessed using the area under disease progress curve, were measured. Disease-resistant and open-pollinated ‘MT 56’ in combination with fungicide application and soil mulch provided the highest marketable fruit number and marketable fruit weight and had a positive gross margin in the first growing season. A combination of ‘MT 56’ and treatments without applying fungicide and soil mulch resulted in the only positive gross margin in season two. Application of fungicides reduced disease severity (early blight, Alternaria solani Sorauer) for all cultivars in season one and for ‘Heinz 1370’ and ‘Nuru F1’ in season two, but did not affect disease severity for ‘MT 56’ in the second season. Using soil mulch reduced the severity of early blight disease, but decreased the gross margin when purchased. Staking did not affect yield, disease severity of plants, and decreased the gross margin. Cultivar MT 56 had the highest gross margin and marketable fruit and least disease severity, and seeds should be made available to small-landholder tomato farmers in Uganda to enhance their sustainable livelihoods.

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