by Kepher Otieno

After years of poor maize yields due to havoc caused to the crop by striga weed, farmers in western Kenya now have a reason to smile, thanks to a scientific breakthrough.

From early next year, farmers will buy a new maize variety resistant to drought and the striga weed — a parasitic weed that severely affects yields of maize and other crops. It usually strikes in a fortnight after maize germination.

Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari) Kibos centre Director, Kenneth Otieno says GAF4 matures within three months and yields three-five tons of grain per acre. The maize variety is tolerant to rust.

Short rains

The new variety of maize matures fast. Photo: Kepher Otieno

Because it matures within a short time the variety does well even during the short rains. "It is of high quality and low cost and can be integrated with other farming practices like intercropping ," Dr Otieno says.

"This is a great relief to us. Striga has for years demoralised and frustrated us," a small-scale farmer in Kisumu Paul Obuya .

"The weed has been a burden to us over the years. If it is true that the new maize variety is resistant to striga. Then we hank God," says Domnic Apiyo, another farmer.

They urged Kari to bring the variety to the market as soon as possible.

Otieno says Kari intends to distribute the seeds in the next planting season beginning net March to April.

"We are targeting the long rains. Right now more focus is still on field trials, which has shown promising results," says Otieno. Once the trials are complete, Kari will take the seeds to Kenya Seed for multiplication to ensure that the domestic supply was adequate.

The centre’s maize breeder, Henry Ngesa says the new maize variety yields between 12 to 20 bags of maize per acre and can survive in areas with low or minimal rainfall.

Mr Ngesa says one acre takes two bags of Diamonium Phosphate and one bag of Calcium ammonium Nitrate for top dressing.

Major diseases

The research focused on the development of high-yielding open-pollinated maize varieties with resistance to the prevailing major diseases.

An analysis of distribution and severity in 11 districts of western Kenya showed the weed to be increasing in the region in terms of areas and severity of infestation.

Kari had partnered with Kenya and Western Kenya seed companies who had already agreed to produce the seeds for sell to farmers.