000 03548nab a22004217a 4500
001 G97520
003 MX-TxCIM
005 20230630201230.0
008 220502s2012 xxc|||p|op||| 00| 0 eng d
022 _a1916-9752
022 _a1916-9760 (Online)
024 8 _ahttps://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v4n6p27
040 _aMX-TxCIM
041 0 _aeng
090 _aCIS-6926
100 1 _a Mhike, X.
_8001713025
_gGlobal Maize Program
_95285
245 1 3 _aAn appraisal of farmer variety selection in drought prone areas and its implication to breeding for drought tolerance
260 _aCanada :
_bCanadian Center of Science and Education,
_c2012.
500 _aPeer review
500 _aOpen Access
520 _aMaize production and productivity among small scale farmers of southern Africa is limited mainly by drought and low soil fertility. This study aimed at assessing how farmers prioritize selection of varieties for planting under drought stress and how this could help improve the breeding approaches for varieties for resource constrained farmers in marginal environments. A survey was conducted in two drought prone districts of Zimbabwe. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire, key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The study revealed that farmers have limited options for drought tolerant varieties available on the market. Contrary to breeders, farmers in drought prone areas do not consider disease resistance as an important trait. The farmer preferred traits include, high yield potential, drought tolerance, early maturity, and good performance even under poor soil conditions. Drought tolerance associated traits such as resistance to leaf rolling, tassel blast, general plant recovery to stress and stay green characteristics were identified as the most important traits but most of the varieties currently available on the market do not have these traits. The farmers were willing to make trade-offs among traits like taste or disease resistance for increased yield potential when selecting varieties to grow. Traits preferences or ranking and possible trade-offs were specific to specific areas and groups of farmers. In this study farmers still planted the traditional varieties or landraces because they are drought tolerant, taste better and can be propagated from farm saved seed. These findings show that farmers have limited options on drought tolerant varieties on the market and that scientists need to tap into farmer knowledge, especially on possible trade offs, trait ranking and germplasm for use in developing better adapted varieties which are specific to target farmers. Policies and seed systems analysis on variety availability, distribution and marketing channels also need to be strengthened.
526 _aMCRP
_bFP1
536 _aGlobal Maize Program|Socioeconomics Program
546 _aText in English
594 _aINT2923|INT2714
595 _aCSC
650 7 _aDrought tolerance
_91082
_2AGROVOC
650 7 _aFarmers
_91654
_2AGROVOC
650 7 _aIndigenous knowledge
_911065
_2AGROVOC
650 7 _aProductivity
_91756
_2AGROVOC
700 1 _aOkori, P.
_94444
700 1 _9549
_aKassie, G.T.
700 1 _aMagorokosho, C.
_gFormerly Global Maize Program
_8INT2714
_9854
700 1 _aChikobvu, S.
_93120
773 0 _tJournal of Agricultural Science
_gv. 4, no. 6, p. 27-43
_dCanada : Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2012.
_w56848
_x1916-9752
856 4 _uhttp://hdl.handle.net/10883/2251
_yOpen Access through DSpace
942 _cJA
_2ddc
_n0
999 _c29771
_d29771