Knowledge Center Catalog

Combating head smut of maize caused by Sphacelotheca reiliana through resistance breeding

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublication details: Nairobi (Kenya) KARI|CIMMYT : 2002Description: p. 110-112ISBN:
  • 970-648-120-6
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 338.16 FRI
Summary: Head smut of maize and sorghum caused by Sphacelotheca reiliana was recognized as a constraint to maize and sorghum production in Kenya nearly 50 years ago. However, the only control methods recommended over the years were roguing and crop rotation. With the decreasing size of farms due to population pressure these methods are no longer feasible. Over the last five years, there has been a concerted effort to develop resistant maize types in an effort to control this important disease and to reduce yield losses. Over 580 maize genotypes were screened for head smut resistance at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Muguga. These entries were mainly inbred lines and populations from CIMMYT Harare and a few entries from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IIT A) Nigeria and CIRAD. Most of the 580 entries were susceptible but a few were rated moderately resistant, highly resistant and some rated immune. Some of the lines rated immune and those rated highly resistant were used in the breeding of single crosses, three-way crosses and double cross hybrids. The resulting hybrids are high yielding and have resistance to S. reiliana. Further evaluation of these hybrids is being carried out in the farmers' fields in a participatory manner to enhance the rate of adoption by the farmers in the disease prone parts of Kenya.
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Head smut of maize and sorghum caused by Sphacelotheca reiliana was recognized as a constraint to maize and sorghum production in Kenya nearly 50 years ago. However, the only control methods recommended over the years were roguing and crop rotation. With the decreasing size of farms due to population pressure these methods are no longer feasible. Over the last five years, there has been a concerted effort to develop resistant maize types in an effort to control this important disease and to reduce yield losses. Over 580 maize genotypes were screened for head smut resistance at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Muguga. These entries were mainly inbred lines and populations from CIMMYT Harare and a few entries from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IIT A) Nigeria and CIRAD. Most of the 580 entries were susceptible but a few were rated moderately resistant, highly resistant and some rated immune. Some of the lines rated immune and those rated highly resistant were used in the breeding of single crosses, three-way crosses and double cross hybrids. The resulting hybrids are high yielding and have resistance to S. reiliana. Further evaluation of these hybrids is being carried out in the farmers' fields in a participatory manner to enhance the rate of adoption by the farmers in the disease prone parts of Kenya.

English

0410|AGRIS 0401|AL-Maize Program

Juan Carlos Mendieta

CIMMYT Publications Collection


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