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Ua Kayongo Hybrid Maize
A New Approach to Controlling Parasitic Striga for Kenyan Maize Producers |
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Questions and Answers on Striga and Ua Kayongo
What is Striga? It is a parasitic weed that infests farms growing cereals. It affects plant growth by attaching itself to the crop roots allowing it to feed on and damage the host plant.
What are the local names of Striga? The Luo call it ‘Kayongo’ and the Luhya ‘Oluyongo’.
Which crops/fields are susceptible to Striga infestation? Striga attacks maize, millet, sorghum, upland rice, sugarcane and Napier grass throughout sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya, Striga is worst on farms in the Lake Victoria basin below 1400 m elevation.
How does Striga spread? Striga seeds are very small and easily carried on shoes or field tools, by livestock or in run-off and eroded soil. It is also possible to spread Striga through contaminated host seed. Striga seeds remain dormant and viable in the soil for up to 20 years leading to continuous infestation.
How does Striga damage the affected crop? The weed attaches itself to the roots of host plants and "sucks out" the nutrients and moisture necessary for plant growth. It also produces phytotoxic substances that cause leaves to turn yellow or bronze.
What is the impact of Striga on maize production in western Kenya? Yield loss due to Striga damage ranges from 20-80% in a given field resulting in total losses of about 300,000 tons per year.
What is Ua Kayongo hybrid maize? Ua Kayongo hybrid maize is coated with StrigawayTM herbicide that kills the germinating Striga as they attempt to infect the maize plant. This technology is also known as Imazapyr-Resistant maize or Clearfield system.
How does Ua Kayongo hybrid maize control the spread of Striga? The imazapyr herbicide acts at the time of Striga attachment to the maize root and so prevents the attachment of the Striga on the maize plant. The herbicide also kills non-germinated Striga seeds in the soil surrounding the maize seedling. The maize can become clear of Striga throughout the season.
Are fields planted with Ua Kayongo managed differently from the current practices? Ua Kayongo is planted and managed in the same way that farmers currently grow their maize. Ua Kayongo can be intercropped with legumes, but planted in different holes as the herbicide may affect the legume seed. For long-term control of Striga, Ua Kayongo may be combined with other Striga management technologies such as Push-Pull or MBILI.
Is Ua Kayongo only treated with StrigawayTM herbicide? No, Ua Kayongo is also treated with a fungicide (Thiram) and an insecticide (Lindane) as are all other commercial maize seed.
What returns can be expected from Ua Kayongo? Investment in a 2 kg bag of Ua Kayongo seed can result in 50 to 100 kg MORE maize in Striga infested fields resulting in benefit:cost ratios of about 25:1. A bag of Ua Kayongo treated with StrigawayTM herbicide costs about KSh 30 more, but is more than worth the extra price if your farm is affected by Striga.
Does Ua Kayongo hybrid maize have residual effects in the fields where it is grown? Strigaway is applied to Ua Kayongo seeds at a rate of only 1.5 grams per kilogram, becomes absorbed within the maize root and will have no effect the following season.
Where can Ua Kayongo hybrid maize seed be obtained? Starting in the short rains 2005-2006, Ua Kayongo seed will become commercially available from Kenya Seed, Lagrotech and Western Seed Companies.
Is the Ua Kayongo maize genetically modified? Ua Kayongo is not a GMO! The technology relies on herbicide resistance derived from a naturally occurring gene that was later bred into maize hybrids suitable for Kenyan conditions. More and better Ua Kayongo hybrids will be released in the future.
Which precautions do farmers need to take when handling Ua Kayongo hybrid maize? Farmers should wash their hands after handling Ua Kayongo. They should also not handle other seeds before they wash off the StrigawayTM herbicide as this may affect germination of the other crops.
Why do Ua Kayongo seedlings sometimes become yellow 14 to 21 days after emergence? This is the Yellow Flush that results from the initial absorption of StrigawayTM signaling that the maize is now defended against Striga. The Yellow Flush is most obvious under warmer growing conditions and seldom lasts more than one week.
Where can one obtain information on Ua Kayongo maize? Information can be obtained from AATF and its partners CIMMYT, KARI-Kibos, SACRED-Africa and SCODP, as well as the three seed companies marketing Ua Kayongo (Kenya Seed, Lagrotech, Western Seed). More information can be obtained over the internet at www.cimmyt.cgiar.org, www.africancrops.net/Striga and www.aatf-africa.org.
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Format Home l Striga Home l Mobilizing Farmers l Striga Threats l Know your Enemy l First Defense Striga Management l Ua Kayongo l Establish Ua Kayongo l Questions on Striga Striga Swahili l Striga Luo l Striga Luhya l Contact Details © 2005.
African Agricultural
Technology Foundation's (
AATF
Striga Management Project ). |
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