Strategies to avert entry of MLNin Ethiopia

Berhanu Tadesse and Legess Wolde Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research

Bako National Maize Research

ASARECA strategic plan for MLN disease for eastern and central AfricaJacaranda hotel, Nairobi, Kenya,

21-23 august, 2013

Maize Lethal Necrosis disease

• Appeared in East Africa in 2011• It is already in Kenya, Uganda,

Tanzania, and recently in south Sudan and Rwanda

• No report in Ethiopia• With the current trend, it can be

disseminate to other countries• It is an potential danger in the region– Food security– Economy– Employment

Maize in Ethiopia

Country Area (Ha)Production (tons)

Yield (t/ha

Burundi 119,478.00 140,536.00 1.2Ethiopia 2,013,044.00 6,069,413.00 3.0Kenya 2,159,322.00 3,600,000.00 1.7Malawi 1,650,000.00 3,618,699.00 2.2Rwanda 253,698.00 573,038.00 2.3Uganda 1,094,000.00 2,734,000.00 2.5Tanzania 4,118,117.00 5,104,248.00 1.2Zambia 1,074,658.00 2,852,687.00 2.7Zimbabwe 960,000.00 1,000,000.00 1.0South Africa 3,250,000.00 12,500,000.00 3.8• It is the most important food crop• 1st in production and second in areas• More than 9 million house holds are growing maize

Arid dry landMoist dry landPotential areasSemi-arid dry landWater bodiesSub-moist dry land

MoA, 2005

Possible entry points

Source: Google maps

• The cropping system doesn’t favor• The area is not well

known for maize production

• Long dry season

Strategies

• Nationally no strategy

developed

• But our institute has two

strategies:

1.Prevention

2.control

Prevention strategy• Difficult: because insect transmitted• Prevent introduction by planting materials• % of seed transmission is very– Grain importation: no data– Seed import

• No seed introduction except breeder seed (seed co and pioneer)

– Trial• Working in close collaboration with CIMMYT • CIMMYT is producing seed in MLND free areas• CIMMYT sends trials seed to non-MLND countries

grown in CIMMYT-Zimbabwe

• We grow introduced materials only under quarantine fields

Control strategy• These are strategies to minimize its effect if

the disease happens – Elite inbred lines, popular hybrids and OPVs sent

to CIMMYT for screening• 84 elite lines including parents of popular hybrids• 13 popular hybrids and OPVs

– Requested CIMMYT’s promising inbred lines and pre-commercial hybrids• We requested all hybrids, single crosses and parental

lines• We will make the crossing in the up-coming off-season

starting in October, 2013• In the 2014 main season, we will go for release

– Single cross parent of one of our released three way cross hybrid happened to be MT for MSV

Future plan

• We highly invest on research to develop MLN resistant varieties in collaboration with CIMMYT and other partners

• Conduct periodic survey in possible entry points

• Establish quarantine system for imported maize materials including trial seeds

• Training of researchers, seed producers and other relevant stakeholder to create awareness about the disease

Thank you!