With over 5 million hectares of its land planted with this crop and a per capita consumption of 128 kg, tanzania is one of the largest producers and consumers of maize in eastern and southern africa. Transboundary plant pests and diseases affect food crops, causing significant losses to farmers and threatening food security the spread of transboundary plant pests and diseases has increased dramatically in recent years. A predatory beetle, teretriosoma nigrescens was introduced to east and west africa and has reduced the problem of severe infestation of lgb in grain stores. Common plant diseases in east africa fusarium stalk rot of maize diplodia stalk rot of maize acp302.
The usg feed the future ftf initiative targets 19 developing countries, of which five are located in east africa, i. Globalization, trade and climate change, as well as reduced resilience in production systems due to decades of agricultural intensification, have all. A manual on the most important pests and diseases of the major food crops grown by smallholder farmers in africa. Farmers in kenya, tanzania and uganda are using a new basket of options to fight a maize disease know as grey leaf spot gls. The coinfection is the one that results in intensive to complete. Maize farmers in east africa have a new basket of options riu validated rnrrs output. The disease is caused by maize chlorotic mottle virus mcmv in combination with viruses of genus potyvirus, mostly sugarcane mosaic virus scmv.
Distribution of common maize diseases and molecular. Ohio agricultural research and development center, 6268. East african standard, the partner states shall adopt, without deviation from the approved text of the standard, the east african standard as a national standard and withdraw any existing national standard with similar scope and purpose. Maize is an important food and income security crop that supports livelihood of millions of smallscale farmers in uganda. It was introduced into east africa by explorers from portugal and the persian gulf, obilana and asnani. Reaction of maize germplasm to common foliar diseases and. Recent activity seeking to limit spread of the disease is reliant on effective diagnostics. Maize is intensively cultivated in the southern highland, lake, and northern zones of tanzania. A new race race t of the southern corn leaf blight pathogen cochliobolus heterostrophus emerged in 1969 that was. Literature shows an attainable yield of 1814 kgacre10 for rain fed maize in subsaharan africa under good agricultural practices.
Maize lethal necrotic di sease mlnd is a new disease in east africa, first reported in kenya in 2011 and then spread to t anzania, uganda and rw anda. Pdf maize is an important food crop in kenya and is susceptible to a wide range of diseases. More maize is eaten per person in africa than in any other part of the world. Most diseases covered are economically significant or have the potential to become so. Cabbage growing tips for a good head start monsanto africa. Maize became an important crop in africa only after 1900 when different types l7ere introduced by the dutch in south africa saunders, 1930. In subsaharan africa, excluding south africa, the highest growth in maize area, yields, and production from 1961 over the entire period has been in west africa, and the least has been in southern africa where yields have stagnated at a little over 1 tha. Farmers can also plant soybeans at a later time in the year, if weather and the growing season allows soybeans take at least 60 days to grow. He said that the control of the disease will restore and improve the livelihood of maize farmers, mostly in east and southern africa. Maize farming and production business in africa is a highpotential opportunity for the continent. Kenya says tanzania, uganda are distorting maize market. Riu maize farmers in east africa have a new basket of options. Maize research cimmyt develops and distributes improved maize inbred lines and hybrids to partners worldwide.
They tested and approved the practices in farmer field schools, and. The leafy stalk of the plant produces pollen inflorescences and separate ovuliferous inflorescences called ears that yield kernels or seeds. Subsistence grain production is essential for the growing population of africa. Maize streak, maize stripe and maize mosaic virus diseases. The disease is caused by maize chlorotic mottle virus mcmv in combination with viruses of genus potyvirus, mostly sugarcane chlorotic mottle virus scmv. Measurement of yield losses caused by maize streak disease. This work improves the food security, incomes and livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers and their families in the tropics and subtropics of africa. Maize lethal disease threatens maize farmers in naivasha. Pdf maize lethal necrotic disease mlnd is a new disease in east africa, first reported in kenya in 2011 and then spread to tanzania. Characterising maize viruses associated with maize lethal.
Proceedings of the international maize virus disease colloquium and workshop. Tanzanias increase in maize yield in 2010 followed the introduction of fertilizer vouchers and tax exemptions in 2009. Maize training manual for extension workers in uganda. Maize also known as corn in some countries is one of the most common and important food crops across africa. Maize lethal necrosis disease is a devastating and widely spread viral disease in. Promising crop biotechnologies for smallholder farmers in. Aflatoxins are reported to be prevalent through the west and east africa. The usaid regional mission for east africa ftf strategy targeted both the maize and livestock value chains. A new challenge for maize scientists in east africa. Traditional diagnostics applied on samples with typical field symptoms of mln have often given negative results using elisa or pcr for mcmv. Information is provided for each disease against a standard set of items, designed to cover interests in all aspects of seed technology.
An alarming threat to food security emerged when a new, unidentified disease was first discovered in the southern rift valley of kenya, causing 40100% crop losses, and spread to other maize growing areas in the country. Maize occupies more than 33 million ha of ssas estimated 200 million ha of cultivated land. Maize is the staple food crop for subsistence farmers in east africa. Rice is also suffering damage from diseases such as rice blast, bacterial blight, and brown leaf spot, along with damage from pests such as white stem borer, african rice midge, and rice.
Differences in household income and other characteristics according to. Pdf distribution of common maize diseases and molecular. Africa is the center of origin and also a major producer of several cereals like sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, teff and african rice. It has caused great concern because plants are killed and little or no grain is produced. Eastern and southern africa use 85% of harvested maize as food, while africa as a whole uses 95%, compared to other world regions that use most of their maize as animal feed. It is widely eaten in various forms and more than 900 million africans depend on maize every year because it is often cheaper than.
Diamond back moth dbm, aphids, while common diseases include black rot, fusarium ringspot. Maize lethal necrosis disease mlnd is a new viral disease for africa. We take a circumspect view of maize technical change in the region. The text is divided according to the four causal agents for maize diseases. Maize streak, maize stripe and maize mosaic virus diseases qj in. Gichuki of kenya agricultural research institute kari. Maize yield trends and agricultural policy in east africa. Maize is the main staple food in subsaharan africa. Some of the previous studies reported that 90 % of east african maize samples showed the evidence of high level of aflatoxins, and some parts of west africa the exposure of aflatoxins is as high as 99 % doko et al. Maize balance in kenya, tanzania, and uganda, average 200607200809 7 table 7. National agricultural spending increased from 2007 to 2010, but then dropped, as have yields.
Cold winters can be an asset in reducing the beetle population. Kwazulunatal and mpumalanga, it is common and causes serious yield. Fungal diseases are presented in the following sequence. Mlnd has also spread rapidly into tanzania, uganda and south sudan in the meantime. Maize is by far the most widely grown cereal crop more than 300 million people out of approximately 1 billion people in subsaharan africa depend on it as their main food source. World war i, when disease in millet led to famine and millet seed was consumed rather than planted.
Mauritius and reunion, but mstpv has caused very little damage. It is currently probably the most widespread leaf disease on maize in south africa and although especially severe in the eastern parts of the country e. Data from the east africa grain council eagc shows that 111,000 tonnes of maize grain were traded in the region in the fourth quarter of 2018, with uganda, tanzania and kenya accounting for 57 per cent, 32 per cent and nine per cent of the total exports respectively. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable or starch. Considering the low average maize grain yields that are still pervasive in farmers fields, meeting the projected increase demand for maize grain in africa presents a challenge. This publication provides a database on all diseases of maize, caused by fungi, bacteria, mycoplasmas, spiroplasmas, and viruses. Spread via insect vectors, mln can cause up to 100% yield loss. Maize lethal necrosis disease mln is an emerging disease in east africa caused by the introduction of maize chlorotic mottle virus mcmv. Moreover, south africa s smallholder or noncommercial farmers planted 755,366 hectares of maize in 193637 production season, and only harvested 218 000 tonnes, with poor yields of. Status and epidemiology of maize lethal necrotic disease. Aggregate maize balance of east africa region, 000 tons 7 table 8. Successful maize production depends on the correct application of production inputs that will sustain the environment as well as agricultural production.
Maize lethal necrosis disease in east africa youtube. Maize diseases in east africa new disease noted in 2011 samples tested in various labs in africa us. Within the region, uganda is the biggest exporter of maize to her regional counterparts shipping,73,347 mt in 2015 representing 80% of total imports while tanzania accounted. Botryosphaeria festucae teleomorph diplodia ear rot. Maize is an important food crop in kenya and is susceptible to a wide range of diseases. Another major cereal, maize, has overtaken these traditional cereals while wheat is widely cultivated in north africa and in sudan and ethiopia. Northern corn leaf blight nclb is a common leaf disease and occurs in all maize growing areas of the world. Devastating maize disease emerges in east africa plant. Do not include crops of the same family in the rotation sequence because of nematodes and other pests and diseases plant certified disease free seed treated with an approved. The main thrust of the current management strategy is to prevent the introduction of the disease through sound surveillance and early destruction of diseased plants. Our activities in africa are wide ranging and include. An immigrant crop, maize is today the most widelygrown staple food of subsaharan africa and an important wage good in many countries. According to the researcher 5 mln tolerant hybrids have been released in east africa. Maizes transition to a major crop in kenya occurred during.
Maize is the most important cereal crop and a staple food in subsaharan africa. Fungal infection and aflatoxin contamination in maize. Nematodes nematodes may be a problem in some maize growing areas and can be brought under control by cultural practices e. The most successful types, which eventually moved into east africa, were hickory. Promising crop biotechnologies for smallholder farmers in east africa. Lesotho has the highest consumption per capita of maize in the world 174kgperson. Maize lethal necrotic disease mlnd is a new disease in east africa, first reported in kenya in 2011 and then spread to tanzania, uganda and rwanda. And maize lethal necrosis mln virus poses a new threat to maize production in east africa. Maize in eastern and southern africa food and agriculture.
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