Knowledge Center Catalog

On-farm seed multiplication of open pollinated maize varieties using farmer group approach

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublication details: Nairobi (Kenya) KARI|CIMMYT : 2002Description: p. 418-422ISBN:
  • 970-648-120-6
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 338.16 FRI
Summary: Maize (Zea mays L.) is a priority crop in the smallholder farming community in Eastern Tanzania. One of the major constraints limiting optimum production of maize is the use of low quality planting seed. To date, only 2-4% of the farming community in the rural areas can access improved commercial varieties. High cost of certified seed, limited distribution and limited awareness of the existence of good quality seed are among the reasons for low availability of improved seed in rural Tanzania. Poor road conditions contribute to low accessibility as well. On-farm seed production introduced in Central and Northern Kilosa used farmer group approach. Three-year experience indicated that 1f is possible to produce seed of open pollinated maize varieties on-farm. In maize-dominated cropping systems, a modified isolation by distance technique of saturating the 200-meter isolation with the same seed quality can be used. However, this technique requires large amounts of seed and hence the initial cost for procuring seed is also high. The paper suggests that the areas of seed storage, distribution and marketing be given due attention.
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Maize (Zea mays L.) is a priority crop in the smallholder farming community in Eastern Tanzania. One of the major constraints limiting optimum production of maize is the use of low quality planting seed. To date, only 2-4% of the farming community in the rural areas can access improved commercial varieties. High cost of certified seed, limited distribution and limited awareness of the existence of good quality seed are among the reasons for low availability of improved seed in rural Tanzania. Poor road conditions contribute to low accessibility as well. On-farm seed production introduced in Central and Northern Kilosa used farmer group approach. Three-year experience indicated that 1f is possible to produce seed of open pollinated maize varieties on-farm. In maize-dominated cropping systems, a modified isolation by distance technique of saturating the 200-meter isolation with the same seed quality can be used. However, this technique requires large amounts of seed and hence the initial cost for procuring seed is also high. The paper suggests that the areas of seed storage, distribution and marketing be given due attention.

English

0410|AGRIS 0401|AL-Maize Program

Juan Carlos Mendieta

CIMMYT Publications Collection


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