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Multi-location testing of improved varieties of maize on farmers fields in Northern and Central Mozambique

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublication details: Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) CIMMYT : 1997ISBN:
  • 92-9146-025-7
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 633.15 EAS No. 5
Summary: The yields of maize on family sector farms in Mozambique are often limited because farmers do not have seed of improved varieties. To address this problem, World Vision International - Mozambique commenced a multilocation trials program to evaluate available varieties of the principle crops grown by the family sector. This paper examines the results of the on-farm trials carried out as part of this evaluation process and the extent and nature of the variety by locality interaction. The variance due to variety by locality interactions is of similar magnitude to the variety variance. A hybrid variety was found to be highest yielding overall, followed by the two improved open-pollinated varieties Matuba and Manica. The results also indicated that the two open-pollinated varieties could be distributed to different localities as their relative performance varied across locations. However, the performance of these two varieties was superior to the regional variety in most farmers' fields. There appeared to be some similarities in the way localities discriminated among varieties on the basis of agroecological zone, but there was no consistency in this. A second set of experiments was designed to evaluate different management techniques and to demonstrate these techniques to farmers. The following recommendations are made with regard to the management of farmers' fields on the basis of the results of the 1994/95 rainy season's on-farm trials: weeding one time during the season (15 days after emergence); measures to control stem borer in maize are only necessary when pest incidence is high; seeding rates of four or five seeds per hill without thinning (farmer practice) will produce reliable yields under most conditions, with the exception of those locations where rainfall is high and the growing season is long - under these conditions a seeding rate of four seeds per hill thinned to two plants per hill is recommended; if farmers have access to and can afford fertilizer then an application of 25 kg/ha of both nitrogen and phosphorus will ensure a positive yield response. There is some locality by treatment interaction and therefore some slight adjustments in recommendations may have to be made in some localities. However. there was little to no treatment by variety interaction
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The yields of maize on family sector farms in Mozambique are often limited because farmers do not have seed of improved varieties. To address this problem, World Vision International - Mozambique commenced a multilocation trials program to evaluate available varieties of the principle crops grown by the family sector. This paper examines the results of the on-farm trials carried out as part of this evaluation process and the extent and nature of the variety by locality interaction. The variance due to variety by locality interactions is of similar magnitude to the variety variance. A hybrid variety was found to be highest yielding overall, followed by the two improved open-pollinated varieties Matuba and Manica. The results also indicated that the two open-pollinated varieties could be distributed to different localities as their relative performance varied across locations. However, the performance of these two varieties was superior to the regional variety in most farmers' fields. There appeared to be some similarities in the way localities discriminated among varieties on the basis of agroecological zone, but there was no consistency in this. A second set of experiments was designed to evaluate different management techniques and to demonstrate these techniques to farmers. The following recommendations are made with regard to the management of farmers' fields on the basis of the results of the 1994/95 rainy season's on-farm trials: weeding one time during the season (15 days after emergence); measures to control stem borer in maize are only necessary when pest incidence is high; seeding rates of four or five seeds per hill without thinning (farmer practice) will produce reliable yields under most conditions, with the exception of those locations where rainfall is high and the growing season is long - under these conditions a seeding rate of four seeds per hill thinned to two plants per hill is recommended; if farmers have access to and can afford fertilizer then an application of 25 kg/ha of both nitrogen and phosphorus will ensure a positive yield response. There is some locality by treatment interaction and therefore some slight adjustments in recommendations may have to be made in some localities. However. there was little to no treatment by variety interaction

English

9712|AGRIS 9702

Jose Juan Caballero

CIMMYT Publications Collection


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