RA 00183.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

Grain Legumes and Oilseeds Program
in the Gambia
S. Drammeh 1
The Gambia is located on the western coast of Africa, extending like a finger 487 km into the
Republic of Senegal. Stretching across 10 690 km 2 , it has a population of approximately 800
000 with a population growth rate of 3.5% per annum and a population density of 65 per km 2 .
Groundnut cultivation accounts for 50% of the land under cultivation.
P a s t a n d P r e s e n t R e s e a r c h A c t i v i t i e s
Groundnut research in the Gambia probably started with the introduction of the cultivar
28-206, an erect cultivar from Senegal.
Research activities on groundnuts have been well documented in annual reports prior to
1980. Most of the work done was on varietal screening. However, trials were also conducted
on fungicides, fertilizer (mainly potash), seed dressing, time of sowing and spacing, cropping
methods, Cercospora leaf spots, and moisture gradients. Most of the results from these trials
were either inconlusive or never got to the people they were intended for. A number of
national and international variety trials have been conducted since 1980 on time of sowing,
groundnut response to fertilizer, leaf spot (Cercospora spp) control, seed dressing, sowing
depth, stand establishment, and multilocational variety trials. Results are reported in annual
reports.
By 1989, the Grain Legumes and Oilseeds Program (GLOP) in collaboration with ICRI-
SAT, had developed its genetic base which it still continues to broaden. Based on research
results, the program has succeeded in promoting the variety 73-33 which is now widely
grown in the Gambia. Two promising groundnut varieties, Robut 33-1 (Kadri-3) and ICGS(E)
52, are undergoing their second year of screening under farmer-planted and farmer-managed
multilocational testing. During the 1989 cropping season, our major focus was on
varietal screening.
We planted the ICRISAT Multilocational Advanced Groundnut Variety Trial in which some
lines outyielded the local 28-206. The trial arrived late and hence the yield potential of 28-206
was not tested under its optimum condition. However, ICGS 83708 which has the same
growth duration as 28-206 outyielded 28-206 in the same trial.
The National Agricultural Research Board (NARB) defined research areas that required
attention and groundnut was given top priority. The details of this policy are contained in a
paper entitled "Agricultural Research Policy for the Gambia".
1. Research Officer, Grain Legumes and Oilseeds Programme, Department of Agricultural Research, Yundum
Station, The Gambia.
Citation: ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics). 1991. Summary Proceedings of
the Second ICRISAT Regional Groundnut Meeting for West Africa, 11-14 Sep 1990, ICRISAT Sahelian Center,
Niamey, Niger. Patancheru, A.P. 502 324, India: ICRISAT.
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