Maize production constraints, traits preference and current Striga control options in western Tanzania: farmers’ consultation and implications for breeding
Striga spp. severely affect maize yields in Tanzania causing yield losses varying from 20% to 100%. The use of Striga resistant varieties is an economical and environmentally friendly option that can be easily adopted by smallholder farmers. Uptake of newly developed varieties would be high if the b...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2019-11-01
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| Series: | Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and Plant Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2019.1652680 |
| _version_ | 1797684395883102208 |
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| author | John Lobulu Hussein Shimelis Mark Laing Arnold Angelo Mushongi |
| author_facet | John Lobulu Hussein Shimelis Mark Laing Arnold Angelo Mushongi |
| author_sort | John Lobulu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Striga spp. severely affect maize yields in Tanzania causing yield losses varying from 20% to 100%. The use of Striga resistant varieties is an economical and environmentally friendly option that can be easily adopted by smallholder farmers. Uptake of newly developed varieties would be high if the breeding process is inclusive and consultative to farmer preferred traits and preferences. The aim of this study was to identify farmers’ maize production constraints, current Striga control options, trait preference and perceptions among smallholder farmers in western Tanzania. Surveys were conducted in four districts, namely Igunga, Shinyanga rural, Urambo and Uyui during the 2017/2018 cropping season. Data were collected from 324 farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire (166), focus group discussions (158) and field observations. The major maize production constraints reported by farmers were; drought (97.2%), Striga infestation (93.1%), insect pests in field (90.1%) and in stores (72.7%). The main Striga control options described by farmers across the studied districts were: hoe weeding, uprooting, manure application and crop rotation in descending order. Only 59% of the farmers used the seed of improved maize varieties of either hybrids or open-pollinated varieties (OPV) which are Striga susceptible and the remaining used home saved seed. A breeding programme aiming at improving maize varieties for Striga resistance, including farmers’ preferred traits, should be designed and executed to control Striga infestations thus improving maize production, productivity and profitability in western Tanzania. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:29:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-411b351ad2ad49ba9dc3e444771bee00 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0906-4710 1651-1913 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T00:29:02Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-411b351ad2ad49ba9dc3e444771bee002023-09-15T10:26:25ZengTaylor & Francis GroupActa Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and Plant Science0906-47101651-19132019-11-0169873474610.1080/09064710.2019.16526801652680Maize production constraints, traits preference and current Striga control options in western Tanzania: farmers’ consultation and implications for breedingJohn Lobulu0Hussein Shimelis1Mark Laing2Arnold Angelo Mushongi3University of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalUniversity of KwaZulu-NatalTARI – Ilonga CentreStriga spp. severely affect maize yields in Tanzania causing yield losses varying from 20% to 100%. The use of Striga resistant varieties is an economical and environmentally friendly option that can be easily adopted by smallholder farmers. Uptake of newly developed varieties would be high if the breeding process is inclusive and consultative to farmer preferred traits and preferences. The aim of this study was to identify farmers’ maize production constraints, current Striga control options, trait preference and perceptions among smallholder farmers in western Tanzania. Surveys were conducted in four districts, namely Igunga, Shinyanga rural, Urambo and Uyui during the 2017/2018 cropping season. Data were collected from 324 farmers using a semi-structured questionnaire (166), focus group discussions (158) and field observations. The major maize production constraints reported by farmers were; drought (97.2%), Striga infestation (93.1%), insect pests in field (90.1%) and in stores (72.7%). The main Striga control options described by farmers across the studied districts were: hoe weeding, uprooting, manure application and crop rotation in descending order. Only 59% of the farmers used the seed of improved maize varieties of either hybrids or open-pollinated varieties (OPV) which are Striga susceptible and the remaining used home saved seed. A breeding programme aiming at improving maize varieties for Striga resistance, including farmers’ preferred traits, should be designed and executed to control Striga infestations thus improving maize production, productivity and profitability in western Tanzania.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2019.1652680striga infestationstriga dispersalstriga controlwestern tanzaniatrait preferencemaize breeding |
| spellingShingle | John Lobulu Hussein Shimelis Mark Laing Arnold Angelo Mushongi Maize production constraints, traits preference and current Striga control options in western Tanzania: farmers’ consultation and implications for breeding Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica. Section B, Soil and Plant Science striga infestation striga dispersal striga control western tanzania trait preference maize breeding |
| title | Maize production constraints, traits preference and current Striga control options in western Tanzania: farmers’ consultation and implications for breeding |
| title_full | Maize production constraints, traits preference and current Striga control options in western Tanzania: farmers’ consultation and implications for breeding |
| title_fullStr | Maize production constraints, traits preference and current Striga control options in western Tanzania: farmers’ consultation and implications for breeding |
| title_full_unstemmed | Maize production constraints, traits preference and current Striga control options in western Tanzania: farmers’ consultation and implications for breeding |
| title_short | Maize production constraints, traits preference and current Striga control options in western Tanzania: farmers’ consultation and implications for breeding |
| title_sort | maize production constraints traits preference and current striga control options in western tanzania farmers consultation and implications for breeding |
| topic | striga infestation striga dispersal striga control western tanzania trait preference maize breeding |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2019.1652680 |
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