TY  - PRO
AU  - Ngwira,P.
AU  - CIMMYT|EARO
AU  - De Vries,J.
AU  - Kanaventi,C.M.
AU  - Pixley,K.V.
ED  - Centro Internacional de Mejoramiento de Maiz y Trigo (CIMMYT), Mexico DF (Mexico)
TI  - Major maize disease problems and farmer's varietal preferences in Malawi
SN  - 92-9146-065-6
PY  - 1999///
CY  - Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
PB  - CIMMYT|EARO
KW  - Curculionidae
KW  - Disease resistance
KW  - AGROVOC
KW  - Maize
KW  - Malawi
KW  - Maturation
KW  - Pest resistance
KW  - Pests of plants
KW  - Plant diseases
KW  - Precocity
KW  - Research projects
KW  - Zea mays
KW  - Plant breeding
KW  - CIMMYT
N2  - Farmers' preferred traits in maize varieties and their perception of current varieties were determined through a survey conducted in four Agricultural Development Divisions (ADDs) in Malawi during the months of January to March 1998. In addition, a maize disease status appraisal was done in a parallel survey during the same period. The maize disease appraisal led to the reprioritization of maize disease problems in the country. Most preferred traits among small scale, large scale (progressive) and influential farmers were; early maturity, high yielding, resistance to weevils, tolerance to drought, and resistance to maize streak virus (MSV) disease. Large scale (progressive) farmers (those that cultivated >0.5 ha. of maize and have grown maize for > 5 years), in addition to the above traits also preferred multiple cobing, good tip cover, large grain size, ear rot resistance and large cob size traits in a variety. Few farmers expressed the need to have a hybrid variety that could be recyclable. Epiphytotics of Turcicum leaf blight (Helminthosporium turcicum) and grey leafspot (Cercospora zeae-maydis) were observed in alllocations that were surveyed. The sudden outbreak of grey leafspot places this disease among the priority maize djsease problems in addition to turcicum leaf blight and MSV. A new disease, Bacterialleaf stripe (Pseudomonas andropogonis), was recorded. This disease was observed for the first time in the Shire Valley and Blantyre ADDs
ER  -