Read the latest news from the just concluded Stress Tolerant Maize for Africa (STMA) initiative. This issue highlights the impact the project has had on farmers in sub-Saharan Africa, how it has helped build resilience of Africa’s smallholder farmers and how the improved maize varieties will enable partners to reach farmers on time to plant and produce maize during the COVID-19 crisis in different countries in SSA. You will also get to read about farmers getting an opportunity to select the stress tolerant varieties they prefer and why varietal taste matters.

Download the bulletin here.

Amondo, E., Simtowe, F., Rahut, D.B., Erenstein, O., 2019. Productivity and production risk effects of adopting drought-tolerant maize varieties in Zambia. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management 11, 570-591. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-03-2018-0024

Awata, L. A. O., Ifie, B. E., Tongoona, P., Danquah, E., Jumbo, M. B., Gowda, M., Marchelo-D’ragga, P. W., Sitonik, C., & Suresh, L. M. (2019). Maize lethal necrosis and the molecular basis of variability in concentrations of the causal viruses in co-infected maize plant. Journal of General and Molecular Virology, 9(1), 1-19.

Awondo, S.N., Kostandini, G., Setimela, P., Erenstein, O., in press. Multi-Site Bundling of Drought Tolerant Maize Varieties and Index Insurance. Journal of Agricultural Economics. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.12344

Buchaillot MB, Gracia-Romero A, Vergara-Diaz O, Zaman-Allah M, Tarekegne A, Cairns JE, Prasanna BM, Araus JL, Kefavuer SC. 2019. Evaluating maize genotype performance under low nitrogen conditions using RGB UAV phenotyping techniques. Sensors 19, 1815.

Chaikam V, Gowda M, Nair SK, Melchinger AE, Boddupalli PM. Genome-wide association study to identify genomic regions influencing spontaneous fertility in maize haploids. Euphytica. 2019 Aug 1;215(8):138.

Chaikam V, Molenaar W, Melchinger AE, Boddupalli PM. Doubled haploid technology for line development in maize: technical advances and prospects. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 2019:1-7.

Chaikam, V., Gowda, M., Nair, S.K. et al. (2019) Genome-wide association study to identify genomic regions influencing spontaneous fertility in maize haploids Euphytica (2019) 215: 138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-019-2459-

Katengeza, S.P., Holden, S.T., Lunduka, R.W., 2019. Adoption of Drought Tolerant Maize Varieties under Rainfall Stress in Malawi. Journal of Agricultural Economics 70, 198-214. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1477-9552.12283

Lunduka, R.W., Mateva, K.I., Magorokosho, C., Manjeru, P., 2019. Impact of adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties on total maize production in south Eastern Zimbabwe. Climate and Development 11, 35-46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2017.1372269

Nair S, Chaikam V, Gowda M et al. Genetic dissection of maternal influence on in vivo haploid induction in maize . The Crop Journal. 2019 (in press)

Simtowe, F., Amondo, E., Marenya, P., Rahut, D., Sonder, K., Erenstein, O., 2019. Impacts of drought-tolerant maize varieties on productivity, risk, and resource use: Evidence from Uganda. Land Use Policy 88, 104091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104091

Simtowe, F., Marenya, P., Amondo, E., Worku, M., Rahut, D.B., Erenstein, O., 2019. Heterogeneous seed access and information exposure: implications for the adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties in Uganda. Agricultural and Food Economics 7, 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-019-0135-7

Sitonik, C., Suresh, L.M., Beyene, Y. et al. (2019) Theor Appl Genet (2019) 132: 2381. Genetic architecture of maize chlorotic mottle virus and maize lethal necrosis through GWAS, linkage analysis and genomic prediction in tropical maize germplasm https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-019-03360-x

Tigist Mideksa Damesa, Jens Möhring, Manje Gowda, Yoseph Beyene, Kassa Semagn, Hans-Peter Piepho, 2019 Comparison of weighted and unweighted stage-wise analysis for genome-wide association studies and genomic selection – Crop Science

Wegary, D., Teklewold, A., Prasanna, B.M. et al. (2019) Molecular diversity and selective sweeps in maize inbred lines adapted to African highlands. Sci Rep 9, 13490 (2019) https://doi:10.1038/s41598-019-49861-z

Wender et al 2019, Performance and Yield Stability of Maize Hybrids in Stress-prone Environments in Eastern Africa,  The Crop Journal (Accepted)

Araus JL, Kefauver SC, Zaman-Allah M, Olsen, Cairns JE. 2018. Phenotyping: New Crop Breeding Frontier. In: R. A. Meyers (ed.), Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2493-6_1036-1

Das B, Atlin GN, Olsen M, Burgueño J, Tarekegne A, Babu R, Ndou E, Mashingaidze K, Moremoholo L, Ligeyo D, Matemba-Mutasa R, Zaman-Allah M, San Vicente, Prasanna BM, Cairns JE. 2018. Identification of low N tolerant donors for maize breeding in sub-Saharan Africa. Euphytica 215, 80.

Yuan Y, Cairns JE, Babu R, Gowda M, Makumbi D, Magorokosho C, San Vicente F, Olsen M, Prasanna BM, Lu Y, Zhang Y. 2018. Genome-wide association mapping and genomic prediction analyses reveal the genetic architecture of grain yield and flowering time under drought and heat stress conditions in maize. Frontiers in Plant Science 9:1919.

Teklewolda H., Adam, R., Marenya, P. What explains the gender differences in the adoption of multiple maize varieties? Empirical evidence from Uganda and Tanzania. 2020. World Development Perspectives. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wdp.2020.100206

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Highlights:

• Drought-tolerant maize variety is an adaptive response to climate variability.

• Adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties increases crop yield.

• Adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties increases market participation.

• Adoption of drought-tolerant maize varieties increases farm income.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104524

Abstract: Drought and high temperatures are major threats to sustainable food production and consequently the livelihoods of the majority of Africans who depend on fragile agricultural systems. As a response to these threats, climate-smart agricultural technologies, such as drought-tolerant maize (DTM) varieties, have been developed and promoted on the continent.

It is well-known that the adoption of improved technologies generally impacts positively on the wellbeing of adopters. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the impact of any technology or intervention is always an empirical question. Therefore, this study sought to determine the factors that influence the adoption of DTM and subsequently estimate how yield, commercialization intensity, and farm income are affected by adoption. To establish causation, we relied on observations from 200 farm households in the northern region of Ghana and estimated an instrumental variable regression.

Consistent with findings reported in the literature, we found that DTM adoption is primarily driven by access to seed, extension service, labor availability, and location of farm households. In addition, we found that DTM adoption positively impacts on yield and commercialization intensity. The magnitude of impact is not trivial. For example, the yield of farm households increased by more than 150% (936 kg/ha) following DTM adoption. These results imply that policy-makers and development practitioners must support research and promotion of climate-smart agriculture to improve adoption and welfare indicators, such as yield and commercialization.

Access the report here.

The Stress Tolerant Maize in Africa (STMA) project team in Nigeria used street theater to drum up messages on how to mitigate stresses affecting maize production in the country. The messages targeted mainly the youth, informing them that with the right stress-resilient seed varieties and the application of recommended agronomic practices, they can turn farming into a lucrative and livelihood improving enterprise. The messages were developed by the STMA team in collaboration with the Adopted Village Project of the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), the Nigerian Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (NIFAAS) and the Theatre and Performing Arts Department of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Local troupes displayed their skills in song, dance and drama to relay messages on the need for youth to venture into climate-smart agriculture to overcome challenges of drought, current and emerging pests and diseases, as well as improve their yield.

Seven such performances were enacted at various markets and streets in Nigeria between August and November 2019. The theme of the street performance was, “Smart people, smart farming”. Since 2017, the STMA team has effectively used this unique campaign method to mobilize communities in rural areas to take adopt stress tolerant maize seed varieties for improved yields and livelihoods.

Melaku Gedil and Abebe Menkir. 2019. An Integrated Molecular and Conventional Breeding Scheme for Enhancing Genetic Gain in Maize in Africa. Published in Frontiers. Plant Sciences and accessible here

Adu, G. B., Badu-Apraku, B., Akromah, R., Garcia-Oliveira, A. L., Gedil, M., Awuku, F. J. 2019. Genetic diversity and population structure of early-maturing tropical maize inbred lines using SNP markers, published  in PloS ONE, volume 14, number 4 and accessible here  

Badu-Apraku, B., Talabi, A. O., Fakorede, M., Fasanmade, Y., Gedil, M., Magorokosho, C., Asiedu, R. 2019. Yield gains and associated changes in an early yellow bi-parental maize population following genomic selection for Striga resistance and drought tolerance, published in BMC Plant Biology, volume 19, number 129, and accessible here.

Bankole, F., Menkir, A., Olaoye , G.*, Olakojo, O.*, Gedil, M. 2019. Association studies between grain yield and agronomic traits of a MARS maize (Zea mays L.) population under drought and non-stress condition, published in Acta Agriculturae Slovenica, volume 114, and accessible here.

Kammo, E. Q., Suh, C., Mbong, G. A., Djomo, S. H., Chimi, N. L. L., Mbeungang, D. L., Mafouasson, H. A., Meseka, S. K. and Menkir, A. 2019. Biological versus chemical control of fall armyworm and Lepidoptera stem borers of maize (Zea mays), published in Agronomie Africaine, volume 31, number 2, and accessible here.

Kolawole, A. O., Menkir, A., Blay, E., Ofori, K. and Kling, J. G., 2019. Changes in heterosis of maize (Zea mays L.) varietal cross hybrids after four cycles of reciprocal recurrent selection, published in Cereal Research Communications, volume 47, number 1, and accessible here .

Sangare, A., Menkir, A., Ofori, K. and Gracen, V., 2019. Studies on estimation of heterosis for striga resistance in maize test crosses in Mali, published in Journal of Genetics, Genomics & Plant Breeding, volume 3, number 3, and accessible here

Akaogu, I. C., Badu-Apraku, B., Tongoona, P., Ceballos, H., Gracen, V. E., Offei, S. and Dzidzienyo, D. 2019. Inheritance of Striga hermonthica adaptive traits in an early-maturing white maize inbred line containing resistance genes from Zea diploperennis. published in Plant Breeding, and accessible here  

Annor, B., Badu-Apraku, B., Nyadanu, D., Akromah, R. and Fakorede, M. 2019. Testcross performance and combining ability of early maturing maize inbreds under multiple-stress environments, published in NATURE Scientific Reports, volume 9, and accessible here .

Nelimor, C., Badu-Apraku, B., Nguetta, S. P., Tetteh, A. Y. and Garcia-Oliveira, A. L. 2019. Phenotypic characterization of maize landraces from Sahel and Coastal west Africa reveals marked diversity and potential for genetic improvement, published in Journal of Crop Improvement, and accessible here .

Obeng-Bio, E., Badu-Apraku, B., Ifie, B. E., Danquah, A., Blay, E. and Annor, B. 2019. Genetic analysis of grain yield and agronomic traits of early provitamin A quality protein maize inbred lines in contrasting environments,  published in The Journal of Agricultural Science, and accessible here.

Nelimor, C., Badu-Apraku, B., Tetteh, A. Y.* and Nguetta, A. S. 2019. Assessment of genetic diversity for drought, heat and combined drought and heat stress tolerance in early maturing maize landraces, published in Plants, volume 8, and accessible here.

Badu-Apraku, B., Fakorede, M., Talabi, A. O., Oyekunle, M., Aderounmu, M., Lum, A. F., Ribeiro, P. F., Adu, G. B. and Toyinbo, J. O. 2019. Genetic studies of extra-early provitamin-A maize inbred lines and their hybrids in multiple environments, published in Crop Science, and accessible here.  

Badu-Apraku, B. and Akinwale, R. O. 2019. Biplot analysis of line X tester data of maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines under stress and nonstress environments. Published in Cereal Research Communications, volume 47, number 3, and accessible here.

Oyinbo, O., Mbavai, J. J., Shitu, M. B., Kamara, A., Abdoulaye, T. and Ugbabe, O. O. 2019. Sustaining the beneficial effects of maize production in Nigeria: does adoption of short season maize varieties matter?  Published in Experimental Agriculture, and accessible here  

Kadjo, D., Ricker-Gilbert, J., Shively, G. and Abdoulaye, T. 2019. Food safety and adverse selection in rural maize markets. Published in Journal of Agricultural Economics, and accessible here .

Assfaw Wossen, T., Alene, A., Abdoulaye, T., Feleke, S. and Manyong, V. 2019. Agricultural technology adoption and household welfare: measurement and evidence, published in Food Policy, and accessible here