Integrated management of Striga hermonthica, stemborers, and declining soil fertility in western Kenya

2008 ◽  
Vol 107 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Vanlauwe ◽  
F. Kanampiu ◽  
G.D. Odhiambo ◽  
H. De Groote ◽  
L.J. Wadhams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Striga Hermonthica ◽  
Western Kenya

scholarly journals Soil Maize Cultivar-related Challenges on Striga hermonthica Infested Fields in Western Kenya

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Celestine Manyasi ◽  
Dennis Ochieno ◽  
Francis Muyekho ◽  
John Muoma ◽  
Mwikali Pamela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Water Hyacinth ◽  
Unit Area ◽  
Germination Percentage ◽  
Cattle Manure ◽  
Striga Hermonthica ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Yellow Seed ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Maize Varieties

Maize production in Western Kenya is constrained by Striga hermonthica and declining soil fertility. Integrated Striga Management (ISM) packages have been proposed. An ISM field experiment assessed combination of 4 maize varieties with 5 levels of soil fertility amendments. Imazapyr Resistant (IR) maize and local yellow seed Shipindi had highest germination percentages of 90% and 81% respectively, compared to commercial white seed Duma and local white seed Rachar. Duma had significantly large plants in terms of leave size and plant height; and taking least time to silking and tasseling while producing heaviest cobs and grains per plant. Synthetic fertilizer (DAP+CAN) was associated with the least germination percentage, but produced the largest plants with many leaves, took the shortest time to silking, and produced highest cob weight and grain weight, with very low S. hermonthica infestations regardless of the maize varieties. Cattle manure (CM) and water hyacinth compost containing cattle manure culture (HCM) and Effective Microbes™ (HEM) had the highest S. hermonthica population per unit area. Maize grown with water hyacinth compost containing Effective Microbes™ (HEM) positively influenced cob weight than those receiving cattle manure (CM) and the controls; while being associated with the highest numerical increase in grain yield/area. Alternative soil fertility interventions based on these observations are therefore proposed.

scholarly journals Maize Landraces are Less Affected by Striga hermonthica Relative to Hybrids in Western Kenya

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles A. O. Midega ◽  
John Pickett ◽  
Antony Hooper ◽  
Jimmy Pittchar ◽  
Zeyaur R. Khan
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Striga Hermonthica ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Continuous Cropping ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Pot Experiments ◽  
Artificial Infestation ◽  
Cropping Seasons

Production of maize in western Kenya is severely constrained by the parasitic weed striga. Although productivity of maize can be improved through adoption of improved varieties, adoption of such varieties remains low in the region, as the majority of smallholder farmers still grow unimproved open-pollinated varieties (landraces). The performance of two improved hybrid varieties was evaluated against six landraces in striga-infested soils in western Kenya. The varieties were planted in plots under natural striga infestation and were supplemented with pot experiments under artificial infestation. Striga emergence was lower in landraces than in the hybrid varieties in both field and pot experiments. Similarly, height of maize plants at harvest and grain yields were higher in the landraces than in the hybrids. After three continuous cropping seasons, in all treatments, striga seedbank density increased two to seven times. Seedbank increase was higher with hybrids and two of the landraces, ‘Rachar' and ‘Endere'. These results provide an insight into the potential role landraces could play in efforts toward an integrated management approach for striga in smallholder cropping systems. They also highlight the need to develop hybrid maize lines with local adaptation to biotic constraints, specifically striga.

Farmers' perspectives on the biotic constraint of Striga hermonthica and its control in western Kenya

2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
EVANS ATUTI ATERA ◽  
KAZUYUKI ITOH ◽  
TETSUSHI AZUMA ◽  
TAKASHIGE ISHII
Keyword(s):  
Striga Hermonthica ◽  
Western Kenya

scholarly journals Mitigating Striga hermonthica parasitism and damage in maize using soybean rotation, nitrogen application, and Striga-resistant varieties in the Nigerian savannas

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 620-632
Author(s):  
Alpha Y. Kamara ◽  
Abebe Menkir ◽  
David Chikoye ◽  
Abdullahi I. Tofa ◽  
Aminu A. Fagge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Management ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Striga Hermonthica ◽  
Nitrogen Application ◽  
N Application ◽  
Resistant Varieties ◽  
Moisture Deficit ◽  
Maize Varieties ◽  
Control Technologies ◽  
On Farm

AbstractStriga hermonthica infestation causes significant losses of maize yield in the Nigerian savannas and several technologies have been developed and promoted to control Striga in maize. However, since no single technology has been found to be effective against Striga, integrated management is needed to achieve satisfactory and sustainable Striga control. Both on-station and on-farm trials were undertaken from 2013 to 2015 in Bauchi and Kano States of Nigeria to evaluate the performance of integrated Striga control technologies. In the on-station trials, a soybean–maize rotation did not suppress Striga in maize in either location. However, nitrogen application suppressed and reduced Striga infection, except in Bauchi in 2014. The soybean–maize rotation accompanied by N application reduced Striga damage in both locations. On farmers’ fields, rotating soybean with maize significantly reduced Striga infection. At the same time, the use of maize varieties with a combined tolerance to drought and resistance to Striga parasitism also increased maize grain yield on farmers’ fields, probably due to three factors: a reduction in Striga infection, reduced effects of a mid-season moisture deficit, and increased uptake of nutrients from the soil. We concluded that the use of Striga-resistant maize varieties in combination with the application of N fertilizer and rotation with soybean could increase the productivity of maize in Striga-infested fields in the Nigerian savannas.

Exploring diversity in soil fertility management of smallholder farms in western Kenya

2005 ◽  
Vol 110 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 166-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Tittonell ◽  
B. Vanlauwe ◽  
P.A. Leffelaar ◽  
K.D. Shepherd ◽  
K.E. Giller
Keyword(s):  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Soil Fertility Management ◽  
Smallholder Farms ◽  
Western Kenya ◽  
Fertility Management
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