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CIMMYT releases 22 new maize inbred lines for the tropics and subtropics

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CIMMYT is pleased to announce the release of 22 new CIMMYT maize lines (CMLs). The CMLs were developed at various breeding locations of CIMMYT Global Maize Program by multi-disciplinary teams of scientists. These lines are adapted to the tropical/subtropical maize production environments targeted by CIMMYT and the partner institutions. CMLs are freely available to both public and private sector breeders worldwide under CIMMYT’s standard material transfer agreement (SMTA).

Prior to their release, the CMLs are intensively evaluated for per se performance (especially under abiotic and biotic stresses) and performance in hybrid combinations (combining ability). Release of a CML does not guarantee high combining ability or per se performance in all environments; rather, it indicates that the line is promising or useful as a hybrid component or as a parent for pedigree breeding for one or more target mega-environments. The descriptions of the lines include heterotic group classification, along with information on their specific combining ability with widely-used CIMMYT lines. Instances where CMLs within a given heterotic group have good combining ability with other lines from the same heterotic group are also cited; the resulting hybrids may be useful either as single-cross products or as female parents of three-way or double-cross hybrids. Some of the new releases and previously-released CMLs have already been used as parents of successful hybrids or improved open pollinated varieties (OPVs) by public and private sector institutions. A brief description of each of the 22 new CMLs is presented below (the information in parentheses for each CML is the line code).
Further details about the lines are provided in CML540-561 Details. A limited quantity of seed of the CMLs can be obtained by sending a request to the CIMMYT Germplasm Bank.

CML540-561
CML540-561-Details

Download table in XSLX format

CML540 (CZL00009)
An early-maturing, drought tolerant late-maturing resistance to maize streak virus (MSV), turcicum leaf blight (TLB), common rust (PS), and gray leaf spot (GLS). This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group A line and combines well with CML395 and CML444. The line is producible as a male or female parent.

CML541 (CZL0717)
An early-maturing, white-grained, flint inbred late-maturing resistance to MSV and good drought tolerance. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group B line and combines well with CML312 and lines derived from the Zimbabwe Early White A (ZEWA) synthetic. The line is a component of the commercial OPV ZM309, which has been released for commercial cultivation in several African countries.

CML542 (CZL0723)
An early-maturing, drought tolerant late-maturing resistance to MSV. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group A line and combines well with CML395, CML444, and lines derived from Zimbabwe Early White B (ZEWB) synthetic. The line is a component of the commercial OPV ZM309, which has been released in several African countries. The line is usable either as a male or female parent.

CML543 (CKL05003)
A late-maturing inbred line with white, semi-dent grain. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group B line and combines well with CML442, CKL5005 and CKL5017. The line also combines well with group B tester CML444. The line was developed from sources combining MSV resistance and drought tolerance. It has excellent combining ability for grain yield, and is resistant to TLB, and tolerant to MSV, GLS and Diplodia ear rot. CML543 has moderate resistance to maize lethal necrosis (MLN). The line can be used as either a male or female for seed production.

CML541-CZL0717CML544 (CZL0610)
An intermediate-maturity, white-grained, semi-dent inbred line that has moderate-to-high levels of resistance to common midaltitude foliar diseases – MSV, TLB, GLS, Phaeosphaeria leaf spot (PLS) and PS. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group B line and combines well with CML488, CML443, and CML312. The line also combines well with group B tester CML202. It has moderate-to-excellent combining ability, especially under drought and low soil N. The line can be used as male or female for seed production, and has been used in several commercial hybrids in eastern and southern Africa.

CML545 (CZL0619) An early-maturing, white-grained, dent-type inbred line that has high levels of resistance to common mid-altitude foliar diseases (MSV, TLB, GLS, PLS, PS) and tolerance to low soil N and flowering stage drought. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group A line and combines well with CML488, CML395, CML443, and CML441. The line also combines with the group A line CML548. The line exhibits excellent combining ability, especially under low soil N stress. The line is best used as a male in three-way hybrid formation, although it can also be used as a component of early-maturing single-cross females. It has been used in one commercial hybrid in southern Africa.

CML546 (CZL0713)
An intermediate-maturity, white-grained, large semi-flint type inbred line with adequate levels of resistance to common mid-altitude foliar and ear diseases, especially MSV and GLS, and tolerance to low soil N stress. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group B line and combines well with CML197, CML312, and CML488. The line also combines well with group B tester CML202. The line exhibits excellent per se productivity, has good standability, and is a good combiner under both optimum and abiotic stress conditions. It can be used as a male or female parent, and is a component of one commercial hybrid in southern Africa.

CML547 (CZL00003)
An intermediate-to-late-maturing, large white-grained, semi-flint inbred line with adequate levels of resistance to TLB, GLS, and PLS. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group B line and combines well with CML197, CML312, and CML488. The line also combines well with group B testers CML202 and CML444. The line is drought tolerant and a good general combiner across optimum and abiotic stress conditions. It exhibits average per se productivity but has excellent plant type and standability. The line is best used as a component of intermediate-to-late-maturing single-cross females and has been used in several commercial hybrids in eastern and southern Africa.

CML550-CLWN201

CML548 (CZL054)
A white-grained, semi-flint, intermediate-maturity inbred line with good levels of resistance to MSV, TLB, GLS, PLS and PS, and moderate resistance to MLN. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group A line and combines well with CML489 and CML444. The line also combines well with group A testers CML197, CML312, and CML545. The line is drought tolerant, has good per se productivity, and is an excellent combiner under optimum conditions and drought stress. It is best used as a male parent in three-way hybrid formation, although it can also be used as a parent of single-cross females. The line has been used as a parent in one commercial hybrid in southern Africa.

CML549 (CLWRCW105)
A late-maturing, white semi-dent tropical late-maturing excellent overall combining ability in optimal, low N, and drought conditions. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group A line and combines well with CML494 and CML550. The line also combines with group A tester CML498. The line has good resistance to foliar diseases and ear rots, and can be used as a seed parent for single-cross hybrids due to its high per se yield.

CML550 (CLWN201)
An intermediate-maturity, white flint tropical line with excellent combining ability under low N and drought conditions, but average performance under optimal conditions. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group B line, and combines well with CML495, CML549, and CML552. The line can be used as a donor for low N stress tolerance. The line has good per se yield and could be used as female parent. It has moderate susceptibility to maydis leaf blight and TLB.

CML551 (CL02720)
A late-maturing, yellow flint tropical line with excellent combining ability across optimal and drought stress conditions. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group B line, and combines well with CML286, CLRCY017, and CLRCY041. The line has good per se yield and resistance to ear rots, but is susceptible to TLB and stem lodging. It is more suited for use as a female seed parent than as a male parent.

CML552 (CLRCW99)
 A late-maturing, white semi-flint tropical line with excellent combining ability under both optimal and high density conditions. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group A line, and combines well with CML494, CML550, and CLWN247. The line can be used either as a male or female parent in seed production.

CML553-CLWN201CML553 (CLWN206)
A late-maturing, white flint, tropical line with excellent combining ability across optimal and stressed environments. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group A line, and combines well with CML494, CML550, and CLWN247. The line has excellent resistance to ear rots, but is slightly susceptible to maydis leaf blight. Due to its lower-than-average per se yield, it is best used as a male parent for hybrid seed production.

CML554 (CLQRCWQ131)
A late-maturing, white flint, QPM tropical line with excellent combining ability under optimal conditions and abiotic stress. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group A line, and combines well with CML503, CLRCWQ130, and CLRCWQ122. The line has good per se grain yield, good endosperm modification, and resistance to TLB. The line is best suited for use as a female seed parent.

CML555 (CLQRCWQ26) An intermediate-maturity, white-grained, semi-flint, QPM tropical line with excellent combining ability under low N conditions. This line is classified a CIMMYT heterotic group A line, and combines well with CML503, CLRCWQ130, and CLRCWQ123. The line has excellent per se yield, good endosperm modification, and is usable either as a seed or pollen parent.

CML556 (CLQRCWQ123)
A late-maturing, white grained, semi-dent, QPM line with excellent combining ability under optimal, low N, and drought conditions. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group B line, and combines well with CML491, CML553, and CML554. The line has good per se yield and can be used either as a male or female parent.

CML557 (CLQRCWQ48)
 A late-maturing, white-grained, semi-flint, QPM line with excellent combining ability under optimal conditions and very good performance under low N and high density stress. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group AB line and combines well with CML491, CML554, and CML555. The line has good root strength, excellent per se yield, and good endosperm modification. It can be used as either as a male or female parent.CML549-CLWRCW105

CML558 (CETL08003) A late-maturing, white-grained, flint-type highland line with resistance to the most important highland diseases, especially TLB and PS. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group AB line. The line combines with materials from both the Kitale and Ecuador highland groups. The line has excellent combining ability and good per se yield, and can be used either as a female or male parent for hybrid seed production. It has been used as a parent in one three-way cross released in Ethiopia.

CML559 (CKIRL08062)
 An intermediate-maturity, white grained line adapted to the mid-altitude ecologies of eastern and southern Africa. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group AB line as it combines well with CML442, CML204, and CML312. The line is resistant to spotted stem borer (Chilo partellus) and African stem borer (Busseola fusca), the major field insect pests of eastern and southern Africa, and also has appreciable levels of resistance to MSV and other common foliar diseases, including TLB and GLS.

CML560 (CKIRL08104)
An intermediate-maturity, white-grained inbred line adapted to the midaltitude ecologies of eastern and southern Africa. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group B line as it combines well with CML312, CML202, and CML442. The line is resistant to spotted stem borer (Chilo partellus) and African stem borer (Busseola fusca). The line also has appreciable levels of resistance to MSV and other common foliar diseases, including TLB and GLS.

CML561 (CETL08001)
An intermediate-maturity, white-grained, flint-type highland line well-adapted to the midaltitude ecologies of eastern Africa. This line is classified as a CIMMYT heterotic group B line with resistance to TLB and PS. The line has excellent combining ability, per se productivity, and can be used both as a female or male parent. The line is being used as a parent in one three-way cross hybrid released in Ethiopia.

Are mobile phones helping farmers?

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mobile-phones2Mobile phones promise new opportunities for reaching farmers with agricultural information, but are their potential fully utilized? CIMMYT’s agricultural economist Surabhi Mittal and IRRI’s economist Mamta Mehar argue that institutional and infrastructural constraints do not allow farmers to take full advantage of this technology. In India, agro-advisory service providers use text and voice messaging along with various mobile phone based applications to provide information about weather, market prices, policies, government schemes, and new technologies. Some service providers, such as IKSL, have reached more than 1.3 million farmers across 18 states of India. But what is the real impact of such services? Are messages available at the right time? Do they create awareness? Do they strengthen farmers’ capability to make informed decisions? Are they relevant to his or her farming context?

Mittal and Mehar say there is still a long way to go. While farmers get information through their mobile phones, it is often general information irrespective of their location and crops, which is information they cannot effectively utilize. In 2011, CIMMYT conducted a survey with 1,200 farmers in the Indo-Gangetic Plains; the survey revealed the farmers needed information on how to address pest attacks and what varieties better adapt to changing climatic conditions. Instead, they received standard prescriptions on input use and general seed varietal recommendations. To provide the information farmers really need, dynamic databases with farmers’ land size, cropping pattern, soil type, geographical location, types of inputs used, variety of seed used, and irrigation must be developed.

Sustainability is another problem. Such agro-advisory projects require continued financial assistance; when money runs out, the project ends and the people are again left without information, feeling cheated and without trust for any similar project that may come in the future. There is a need to assess the willingness of farmers to pay for these services and develop sustainable business models, say Mittal and Mehar. Furthermore, it has been shown that the benefits of mobile phone services are not reaching the poor, as they do not have access to the technology despite its increasing availability. The main beneficiaries of the mobile phone revolution are the ones with skills and infrastructure, and the poor are thus left even further behind.

mobile-phonesWhat can be done? Agro-advisory providers need to develop specific, appropriate, and timely content and update it as often as necessary. This cannot be achieved without a thorough assessment of farmers’ needs and their continuous evaluation. To ensure timeliness and accuracy of the provided information, two-way communication is necessary; Mittal and Mehar suggest the creation of helplines to provide customized solutions and enable feedback from farmers. The information delivery must be led by demand, not driven by supply. However, even when all that is done, it must be remembered that merely receiving messages over the phone does not motivate farmers to start using this information. The services have to be supplemented with demonstration of new technologies on farmers’ fields and through field trials.

For more information, see the full article published on the AESA website. This work is based on the ongoing research at CIMMYT’s Socioeconomics Program funded by CCAFS.

‘The 50 PACT’ Conference: collaborate for better food security in South Asia

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The-50-PACTFarmers need to be more involved in developing and refining technology. This was one of the key conclusions of a technology working group comprised of leading Asian scientists, representatives of farmer groups and entrepreneurs who met during “The 50 Pact,” an international conference jointly organized by the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to celebrate 50 years of Dr. Norman Borlaug’s first visit to India. Held in New Delhi during 16-17 August, the event brought together more than 200 participants from agriculture institutions, the government, think tanks, industry, and civil society of various countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Germany, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the United States.

South Asia is the most populous region in the world and several models predict that this region is going to be dramatically impacted by climate change. “We must devise new ways to feed more people with less land, less water and under more difficult climate change conditions,” said Thomas Lumpkin, Director General of CIMMYT, highlighting a significant challenge that requires critical innovations, collaborations and commitments to solve food insecurity and strengthen agriculture in South Asia. This sentiment was echoed by others in the opening session of the conference, including S. Ayyappan, director general of ICAR, government of India, R.S. Paroda, president of Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), R.B. Singh, president of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), Swapan Datta, ICAR and Marianne BĂ€nzinger of CIMMYT. Remembering their personal interactions with Dr. Borlaug, “the Nobel laureate with a heart for the poor,” and his association with CIMMYT and India, they also felt the need to make a pact to bring about a second green revolution in the South Asia region. M.S. Swaminathan, a legendary figure in Indian agriculture, paid tribute to Dr. Borlaug for his immense contribution in agriculture during the opening ceremony. “From Bengal famine to Right to Food Act of India, it has been a historic transition and Dr. Borlaug played a very important role in this transition through his work in the last 50 years,” Swaminathan said. Jeanie Laube Borlaug, chairperson of BGRI and the daughter of Dr. Norman Borlaug, presented Swaminathan with the Dr. Norman Borlaug Award.

The-50-PACT2Technology and innovations will play a key role
Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka will have to work together to find regional solutions to food insecurity. Representatives from these countries talked about different agricultural developments during the post-green revolution period and emerging challenges and opportunities. They also highlighted how the BISA, with its mandate, furthers research on farming systems in addition to focusing on an eco-regional approach involving other CG centers. Utilizing all technologies, including molecular breeding, biotechnology, precision agronomy, and mobile-based decision making will be crucial. The session on technology highlighted this and also pushed for greater involvement of farmers at every step of new technology development. It is important to capture the process of adoption of innovation by farmers and use new technology to provide feedback to the researchers. The group advocated for increased political will and a better policy environment on the adoption of GM crops. Making agriculture profitable is important for producers and the entire agricultural value chain. Ramesh Chand of ICAR said that his recent analysis in India shows the real farm income is not declining, but the income gap between agricultural and non-agricultural income is widening. Agricultural infrastructure is not well developed, investments are low and land fragmentation is increasing. These are major concerns for this sector. The participants talked about a need for an enhanced cyber infrastructure for crop research, open access to agriculture database, and strengthening the value chain balancing the role of market, price, and technologies.

Greater regional synergy needed
More emphasis on synergy, partnerships, farmer’s welfare, productivity, profitability, and nutrition will be critical to address the problem of hidden hunger and food security in this region. Other areas to focus on include providing access to and the use of cutting edge research and new technologies that are not yet available in the region, ensuring commitments from governments and other donors for investments in agricultural research, advocating for a policy environment that embraces new technologies and invests in agricultural research, building a regional platform of collaboration with partners from all sectors, research centers, governments, the scientific world, and the farming community who share our mandate to transform farmers’ lives in the region.

Farming systems design: to feed a changing world

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Farming-systems2Farming systems all over the world face complex problems in terms of production, such as natural resource depletion, climate change, increasing food demand, and volatile prices. Farmers have to adapt to continuously changing conditions to produce food. ‘Farming systems design’ is an approach that aims at modifying designs of farming systems to sustainably increase the overall productivity and profitability of the systems—and, hopefully, the welfare of individual farming families—while considering interactions in the system. Interactions are important features of farm system structure and operation. They may occur between the various components, including crop-crop, crop-livestock, and farm-household as well as on-farm-off-farm activities as they compete for the same resources.

More than 70 papers on systems research were recently presented at the 4th International Farming Systems Design Symposium in Lanzhou, China. CIMMYT researchers were represented by Bruno GĂ©rard, director of the Conservation Agriculture Program, and CIMMYT agronomists Santiago LĂłpez Ridaura, Tek Sakpota, Isaiah Nyagumbo, and Jack McHugh. The conference took place from 19- 22 August and was organized by WHEAT CRP Chinese partner Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences and others. Research with a farming systems perspective can have various objectives ranging from increasing the amount of knowledge about farming systems to solving specific problems in the farming system. If it is commonly agreed that cross-links between disciplines and participatory approaches are needed to provide solutions, “there is no silver bullet approach to be expected,” said keynote speaker David Norman, professor emeritus of agricultural economics at Kansas State University and pioneer in the field of Farming Systems Research (FSR). “The most important is to take into account the whole farming system and bring together all stakeholders,” Norman explained. “If a project works on one crop, like CIMMYT on maize for instance, FSR would look at how maize impacted if they have livestock, the influence on livestock components, etc. The reductionist approach would look at how improving productivity of one item without considering the whole farming system.”

Farming-systems3For Peter Carberry, chair of the Program Committee and deputy director at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), “this conference is about bringing those who are interested in a more integrative science together, and have all the different disciplines articulating possibilities for the future in terms of agriculture and farming.” One of the benefits of the conference for him is that among the 300 participants, there were 200 Chinese researchers and students, some who may not have been exposed to this thinking before. “We have a mix of people who are familiar with Farming Systems Design and others who are just starting learning about it; it is a great opportunity,” Carberry said. LingLing Li, professor at Gansu Agricultural University and keynote speaker, shared a similar point of view. “This platform is a really good start for all experts and students involved in Farming Systems Design, as we do not yet have many scientists doing this type of research in China,” Li said.

On day one and two, there were several presentations on Africa and on the Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Systems for Food Security in Eastern and Southern Africa (SIMLESA) program led and mentored by CIMMYT. “SIMLESA has been innovating in so many different ways, firstly about systems and farming systems, participatory approaches and new experiments in research methodology by targeting not only productivity but also reduced risks, which we have heard a lot in this conference. Because for farmers risks are sometimes more important than total yields,” said John Dixon, senior advisor in the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and principal regional coordinator for Africa. Important questions raised throughout the conference included how to get better participation with farmers, how to get the private sector involved for marketing through innovation platforms, how to manage risks and how scientists can work much better at systems productivity to understand better nutrition, as one of the outcomes, “to better feed our future farmers,” Dixon insisted. On the last day, a special session brought together Australian and Chinese farmers to discuss farming operations. This opportunity to exchange information and share experiences related to climate risks, prices or yields created enthusiasm on both parts.

Strengthening maize technicians’ capacity in Mozambique

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Maize technicians received a training course in Mozambique.
Maize technicians received a training course in Mozambique.

Forty participants from various agricultural research stations, private seed companies, and communitybased seed production schemes attended a training course for maize technicians during 8–12 July in Chimoio, Mozambique.

The objective of the course was to update maize technical staff on seed production and implementation of on-station and on-farm trials. The training included practical sessions as well as theoretical lectures on seed production, breeding for biotic and abiotic stresses, and trial lay-out using the alpha lattice design.

The course was organized under the auspices of Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA), Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Systems for the Eastern and Southern Africa (SIMLESA), and USAID Mozambique in collaboration with the Instituto de Investigação Agråria de Moçambique (IIAM). During the course, SIMLESA representatives emphasized on-farm testing using the mother baby trial and the principles of conservation agriculture. USAID-Mozambique and DTMA focused on the importance of producing quality seed and scaling up seed to reach smallholder farmers.

Mozambique has recently released two drought tolerant maize hybrids and one early maturing open pollinated variety (OPV) under the DTMA project. With very few seed companies in the country, most of the seed in Mozambique is sourced from the informal seed sector. The training session came at a crucial stage, as several communities are ready to begin production of newly released OPVs. The course was coordinated by Peter Setimela and Cosmos Magorokosho from CIMMYT-Zimbabwe, and David Mariote and Pedro Fato from IIAM.

Announcing Borlaug100

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On 25 March 1914, a man who would change the face of agriculture around the world was born. Dr. Norman Borlaug, tireless hunger fighter and one of only six people to have won the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Gold Medal, and the Nobel Peace Prize, would celebrate his 100th birthday next year.

To celebrate his life and legacy and inspire a new generation to carry on his work, CIMMYT is holding Borlaug Summit on Wheat for Food Security at the Universidad de La Salle, Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico, from 25-28 March 2014. Dr. Borlaug’s 100th birthday presents an opportunity to not only celebrate his legacy, but also discuss the present and launch a new agricultural renaissance.

Dr. Borlaug began working in Mexico in the 1940s. He lead CIMMYT’s Wheat Program from 1963 to 1979 and remained a resident part-time consultant until his death. He spent most of his working life in Mexico researching and developing new types of high-yielding, disease-resistant wheat varieties. It is here that he became known as the “Father of the Green Revolution.”

The summit will bring together thought leaders, policymakers, and representatives of leading agricultural research-for-development organizations, both public and private. This premier gathering brings together science, policy, and business from developed and emerging markets to illustrate wheat’s potential. Borlaug100 participants will visit the Campo Experimental de Norman E. Borlaug (CENEB) and celebrate Dr. Borlaug’s 100th birthday with a traditional carne asada—as Dr. Borlaug loved—on 25 March. The birthday celebrations will be followed by a conference at the Universidad de La Salle (26-28 March) during which participants will hear inspiring and insightful talks about the history and future of wheat as a crop.

Howard Buffett is the keynote speaker for the event. Other confirmed speakers include Louise Fresco, Catherine Bertini, Per Pinstrup-Andersen, Robert Paarlberg, Rachel Laudan, Steve Jennings, Peter Raven, David Nyameino, and Ronnie Coffman. These events will be preceded by the Borlaug Global Rust Initiative Technical Workshop during 23-24 March. Registration for the event will open in September.

For more information and updates, visit the newly launched Borlaug100 website and follow hashtag #Borlaug100 on Twitter and other social media. We would like to thank Jenny Nelson and Petr Kosina, the main organizers of the event, for their hard work!borlaug100_logo-new

Tanzanian seed company holds field days to popularize drought tolerant maize varieties

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Farmers gather during a field day hosted by a seed company in Tanzania.
Farmers gather during a field day hosted by a seed company in Tanzania.

Yield is one of the key things farmers consider when deciding what seed to buy. Farmers in Arusha, Tanzania shared this fact during a field day held by Suba Agro Trading & Engineering Company. The seed company held two field days in June in Arusha and Moshi to give farmers the chance to examine new drought tolerant maize hybrids, TZH536 and TZH538, in the field.

Farmers often get information on what variety to plant based on what they observe doing well in fields in their locale, the advice they receive from other farmers, and the information they receive from the agrovets they buy seed from. About 30 farmers drawn from the Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Moshi districts attended the Moshi field day, as well as local agricultural extension workers and civic leaders from the area. The meeting was held just in front of the field by the roadside, so as the discussions were going on, farmers were able to see the maize being referred to. The maize was labeled and Suba Agro field staff also cut some plants and exposed the cobs for the farmers to see their yield potential.

In Arusha, the field day was held on a Saturday which was market day. Many people popped in to learn about the new maize varieties before returning to the market to buy or sell wares. “Comparing what I see on this [demonstration] field with what is on the neighboring plot, I can see it is drought tolerant,” said Mariamu Hemedi, a local farmer. “We can see that it has not been watered—there is no tap or well here but the maize has thrived. Now we want to know how it is when it is shelled,” Hemedi added. As participants walked through the field examining the cobs, Sarah Muya, an administrator and assistant to the managing director at Suba Agro encouraged them to taste the grains from the green cobs. “It has a good taste,” she said while offering a cob to taste.

Farmers identified the double cobbing in TZH538 as a key feature they liked because it demonstrated they would get higher yields. “When farmers get good yields, it contributes to development as the extra money gained from selling surplus grain contributes to other development initiatives,” said Eliahidi Mvambi, another farmer. W. S. Chonya, the company’s product development manager, told farmers to buy seed early to be prepared for the rain. Muya advised farmers to ensure they buy certified seed and keep receipts of all their seed purchases to enable them trace the source of ‘bad’ seed. “Take up farming as a business,” Muya said, advising farmers to invest in inputs such as improved seed and fertilizer.

Rose E. Moshi, the ward agricultural extension officer, spoke at the event and urged the seed company to ensure the new seed varieties were distributed in the area before the start of the planting season. “Sometimes farmers identify good seed but when they go to the shops, it is unavailable,” Moshi said. She also spoke on the importance of seed purity, citing it as one of the key challenges farmers face. Chonya then explained the features on Suba Agro seed packets to the farmers, highlighting the quality of the paper and the Tanzanian flag at the top of the pack to help farmers identify and avoid counterfeit seed. “Now that you have seen how this seed performs in a farmer’s field, we request you to be our ambassadors in your villages,” Chonya said. The company is in the process of multiplying the seed for these varieties in preparation for the next planting season. The company also participated in agricultural shows in August in Arusha, Mbeya and Morogoro to give more farmers information about its products.

Cereal Systems Initiatives for South Asia-Mechanization and Irrigation project launched

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CIMMYT and International Development Enterprises (iDE) announced the initiation of the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia-Mechanization and Irrigation in Bangladesh
CIMMYT and International Development Enterprises (iDE) announced the initiation of the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia-Mechanization and Irrigation in Bangladesh

In south-western Bangladesh, the world’s largest delta with plentiful fresh surface water, more than 600,000 hectares of land are fallowed without crop in the dry season.

Responding to this problem, CIMMYT and International Development Enterprises (iDE) are pleased to announce the initiation of the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia-Mechanization and Irrigation (CSISA-MI) project to sustainably intensify cropping on fallow and low-productivity lands. This US$13-million, five-year project, supported by the Feed the Future Initiative and administered by the USAID mission in Bangladesh, was launched on 1 July 2013.

CSISA-MI is a sister initiative falling under the CSISA-Bangladesh program, connecting CIMMYT, IRRI, and WorldFish as partners. The MI initiative aims to unlock agricultural productivity in southern Bangladesh by conducting research and market development to increase the availability and adoption of resource-conserving irrigation equipment, and to scale farm machineries to respond to rural labor scarcity and high costs, while also encouraging crop management practices based on conservation agriculture (CA). Southern Bangladesh is constrained by numerous factors, including farmers’ inability to invest in resource-conserving and productivity-enhancing machinery, high cost of water pumping, and lack of awareness about the potential for dry season crops like wheat, maize, sunflower, and legumes.

CSISA-MI responds to these problems by developing smart business models to link farmers with agricultural service providers, and service providers with machinery and irrigation equipment dealers, to boost the use of irrigation and machinery for CA throughout the region. The project will also bridge the gap between the public and private sectors by facilitating partnerships with the government of Bangladesh and private sector partners engaged in irrigation, agricultural mechanization, and extension.

CSISA-MI will create broad access to low-cost surface water irrigation and smart agricultural machinery and other services to enable farmers to optimize water, labor, time, seed, and fertilizer use in their fields during the dry season. Research topics will focus on the improvement of irrigation water use efficiency and agricultural water management as well as enhancement of the use of fuel-saving axial flow pumps (AFPs) and other equipment for surface water irrigation. Further research and the development of value chains will focus on seed-fertilizer drills compatible with two-wheeled tractors for strip tillage, bed planters, multi-crop reapers, and rice transplanters used to reduce turn-around time between crops.

Machineries and cropping practices will be fine-tuned to the diverse agro-ecological conditions of the region through on-farm action research and experimentation in farmers’ fields. CSISA-MI harnesses the power of the market to align incentives toward large-scale, smart-technology adoption. The initiative has already made significant progress. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with leading firms, including RFLP ran Group and ACI Agribusiness, have been signed to accelerate the commercial availability of AFPs, bed planters, and seed-fertilizer drills.

CIMMYT welcomes new partner in MasAgro

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Left: Belisario Domínguez Méndez, Director General of Productivity and Technological Development for Mexico Subsecretary of Agriculture, SAGARPA; middle: Tom Short, Deputy Director General of CIMMYT Corporate Services; Javier Valdés, Director General of Syngenta México.
Left: Belisario Domínguez Méndez, Director General of Productivity and Technological Development for Mexico Subsecretary of Agriculture, SAGARPA; middle: Tom Short, Deputy Director General of CIMMYT Corporate Services; Javier Valdés, Director General of Syngenta México.

CIMMYT and leading agribusiness Syngenta MĂ©xico signed an agreement this month to work together in efforts aimed at sustainably increasing crop production in Mexico while protecting the environment and contributing to food security.

Syngenta will collaborate with CIMMYT to do research on conservation agriculture in four experimental platforms. The new project follows the same logic and goals of MasAgro, the Sustainable Modernization of Traditional Agriculture, which CIMMYT implements in coordination with Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries, and Food (SAGARPA). MasAgro aims to build the capacities of small-scale farmers to encourage the adoption of sustainable farming practices and technologies that may help increase maize and wheat output, in line with Mexico’s recently announced “Crusade Against Hunger.”

The three-year agreement will focus on improving maize productivity, generating more income for farmers, protecting natural resources, and combining Syngenta’s expertise with local knowledge to work directly with farmers. Syngenta and CIMMYT will also develop joint research protocols and offer courses in crop protection and adequate use of agrochemicals.

Soil conservation and protecting the biodiversity of undergrowth, small animals and beneficial insects will be another focus of the agreement. Both organizations have also expressed their interest in improving communication and information technologies (ITCs) in the agricultural sector.

Representatives from Syngenta and SAGARPA visited CIMMYT’s El BatĂĄn campus to see its conservation agriculture trial plots and germplasm bank before signing the agreement on 14 August 2013. Javier ValdĂ©s, Director General of Syngenta MĂ©xico, said during the ceremony that the agreement shows the company’s commitment to food security and sustainability. “We will continue to promote the formation of important publicprivate partnerships like the one we’re celebrating today to increase the productivity of crops like maize and wheat, which will help with economic, social and environmental development in rural communities in the country,” he said.

CIMMYT has worked on projects with Syngenta in the past. This new collaboration has been developing for years and is an example of cooperation between an international research organization and a private business. Scientific collaboration is essential for making maize production in Mexico sustainable and profitable for resource-constrained farmers, said Bram Govaerts, Deputy Director of CIMMYT’s Global Conservation Agriculture Program.

Govaerts said he thought the new partnership would have the same success as other CIMMYT programs worldwide. Belisario Domínguez, the director general of productivity and technological development for SAGARPA, said the vision of MasAgro is essential to the government’s national fight against hunger. Domínguez congratulated the two groups for forming the alliance and said that similar projects will promote the growth of the agricultural sector.

NSIMA: Seeding hope for smallholder farmers through partnerships

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DSC_6274_loading-maize-seed-for-transportationTo achieve food security, smallholder farmers in Southern Africa require access to improved seed and inputs for higher yields. “Seed is one of the key movers in agricultural development,” says John MacRobert, New Seed Initiative for Maize in Southern Africa (NSIMA) leader, indicating the importance of going beyond developing improved seed varieties to encompass their dissemination, promotion, and adoption in developing strategies around seed development. These issues, together with NSIMA’s to date progress (the project is in its third phase) and strategies for the next phase, were discussed at a meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, during 7-9 August 2013. About 50 participants from institutions collaborating on the project led by CIMMYT and funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) were present; among them were representatives from national agricultural research institutes, seed companies, and institutions of higher learning from Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

“Some of the challenges of the maize crop can be addressed by research,” said Moses Mwale, Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) director, during the opening ceremony. “The rest can be addressed by other players in the maize sector,” he added, emphasizing the importance of collaboration within the maize seed value chain. Challenges such as variable distribution of rainfall, low soil fertility, and heat and drought stress can be addressed by improved varieties from CIMMYT-led projects including the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) and Improved Maize for African Soils (IMAS). Other climate-change related issues in small-scale farming could be confronted via conservation agriculture. For example, cover crops and crop residue left on the soil help to retain moisture and thus mitigate the impact of droughts.

DSC_6239_Seed-Cos-Edgar-Rupende-addressing-participantsBut do smallholder farmers have access to the new seeds, technologies, and information? The answer is often no. “Integrating stress tolerant maize and legumes, such as pigeon peas, beans, and cowpeas, leads to sustainable production systems. We need effective seed road maps to enhance access and availability of improved maize and legume seeds,” CIMMYT regional director for Southern Africa Mulugetta Mekuria said, giving an example of one such gap in the system.

Seed companies and community-based organizations producing seed play a very significant role in fixing these issues. Nelson Munyaka from the SDC Seeds and Markets Project spoke of the success of Zaka Superseeds, a nascent seed company that transformed from a community seed enterprise. MacRobert agreed: “In Benin and Congo, where we do not have seed companies, the community seed producers could learn from Zaka’s experience and grow into full-fledged seed businesses with the proper structures.” DTMA project leader Tsedeke Abate added that mainstreaming drought tolerant maize varieties in the product portfolio of seed enterprises could have a significant impact.

Policy makers in the seed value chain must be engaged as well. “Many projects do not seem to believe in smallholder ability,” said consultant Michael Jenrich. The policies that govern the seed trade tend to vary among the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. An SDC-funded initiative to implement harmonized seed laws in all SADC countries to facilitate easier intra-regional seed movement is currently under way. “So far, 10 countries have signed the memorandum of understanding,” said K C Kawonga, SADC Seed Centre interim coordinator. Such laws would enhance seed trade and contribute to food security by ensuring farmers’ access to improved seed, especially during times of disaster.

DSC_6338_plaque-for-Malawi“Private sector players steer away from smallholders viewing them as high risk because of their poor infrastructure, lack of credit, and land tenure, while governments may not view them as a viable investment,” Jenrich summarized the lack of interest in smallholders’ problems. Zaka Superseeds proves them wrong; cooperating with smallholders can, in fact, be beneficial for seed companies, as they can work more closely with the community consuming their seed. Zaka, for example, is removing a product from its selection after consultations with the community during which they found out the discussed maize variety has a long maturity period and is thus undesirable.

The meeting ended on a high note with the announcement of the 2012 DTMA Breeding and Dissemination Awards winners. Malawi won first prize for both categories; the breeding award runners-up were Zambia and Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe also took second position in drought tolerant technologies dissemination.

The struggle of maize against climate change in Zimbabwe

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usar-esta-foto-Foto-2“Maize production is likely to suffer the most due to climate change compared to other crops in Southern Africa,” said CIMMYT physiologist Jill Cairns, who presented on CIMMYT work under the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) at the FAO Agriculture Coordination & Information Forum in Harare, Zimbabwe, on 25 July 2013. During her presentation on future climate scenarios in Zimbabwe, Cairns focused on adaptation strategies to climate change, temperature and rainfall projections for 2050, and climate change implications for maize production.

CIMMYT’s ongoing research in Zimbabwe shows an increase in extreme temperature events and the intensity of droughts, which are conditions likely to reduce harvests and affect the suitability of current crops. Discussing the key adaptation strategies for Zimbabwe, including improved varieties, redefined agro-ecological zones, new policies, and better management, Cairns stressed that the initial climate change projections are not downscaled enough to make decisions at the country level. This is important as agricultural responses to climate change cannot be determined and priorities for adaptation strategies cannot be set without the ability to accurately predict future climate scenarios.

The major climate-related threats to maize in Zimbabwe right now are low rainfall and drought stress under high temperatures. “CIMMYT research in Southern Africa has shown that maize production linearly decreases with every accumulated degree above 30 degrees,” said Cairns. “While the amount of rainfall during the maize growing season in the drought-prone areas may increase slightly, it is unlikely to translate into higher yields as evapotranspiration will increase under higher temperatures.”

The challenges are not easy to tackle, but there are opportunities to offset losses. To mitigate the effect of increased temperature, maize lines with tolerance to combined drought and heat stress need to be developed. Such lines have been already identified and can be used to adapt maize production to climate change in Southern Africa.

The presentation, prepared by Cairns with significant input from CIMMYT specialist in geographic information systems, Kai Sonder, was well received by the FAO representatives.

Learning to breed insect-resistant maize at CIMMYT-Kenya

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IMG_2264“The trip was an eye opener for me. We have no mass rearing facility in Ethiopia; neither do we practice artificial infestation of stem borers. We only undertake natural infestation for our trials, which does not give uniform infestation, leading us to wrong conclusions,” said Midekssa Ardessa from Bako Agricultural Research Center at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), who visited CIMMYT-Kenya during 21-27 July 2013 with a team of scientists from Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Mozambique, to gain hands-on experience in breeding insect-resistant maize. “We are now very knowledgeable on mass rearing of stem borers and on running an insectary after our visit and practical sessions at the CIMMYT Katumani Insectary,” added Abiy Dibaba from EIAR’s Melkasa Agricultural Research Center. “At the CIMMYT Kiboko Postharvest Lab, we learned a lot about maize weevils and the larger grain borer, and how to screen maize for resistance against these postharvest pests.”

The visit, organized and facilitated by the Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA III Conventional) and the Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) projects, aimed to build capacity in maize breeding for insect resistance using conventional approaches, insect resistance screening, and management of field and lab infestations. Participants came from EIAR; Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI); Selian Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), Tanzania; National Biological Control Program, Tanzania; Ministry of Agriculture, Tanzania; National Crops Resources Research Institute (NACRRI) of the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), Uganda; and National Institute of Agronomic Research (IIAM), Mozambique.

“The visit provided an opportunity for the scientists to understand IRMA’s and WEMA’s research work in Kenya and a forum to share experiences in mass rearing, breeding, and pest control among participating countries,” said Stephen Mugo, CIMMYT principal scientist/maize breeder and IRMA and WEMA projects coordinator. It is also a learning process for CIMMYT scientists, he added. The team visited CIMMYT insect pests resistant germplasm nurseries and trials at the Embu, Kirinyaga University College, and Kiboko sites where they learned how to set up, infest, manage, and take data on stem borer trials and nurseries. At the KARI-Katumani IRMA III Conventional collaborative stem borer mass rearing facilities, participants learned to set up, equip, and manage stem borer mass rearing; in Kiboko they focused on the set up, management, and data collection for storage pests screening. The field and lab practical sessions were facilitated by CIMMYT scientist/entomologist Tadele Tefera.

IMG_2327The annual IRMA project’s program has trained more than 50 scientists since its inception in 2009. “Most of us talk very easily and confidently about insect rearing. However, it is quite a challenge when we engage in the practical aspects,” said Tefera. “What we have exposed you to is just a tip of the iceberg in the business of mass rearing of insects. There is still a lot to learn, much of it by yourself as you engage in the practical aspects of it.” The participants appreciated the effort taken by the organizers. One of them, Egas Nhamucho of IIAM, said: “Infestation of maize with stem borers was a real learning point for me, a real delicate task of picking out very tiny 10 insect larvae, ensuring that you do not pierce and kill them with the camel brush, and carefully and strategically placing them on each maize plant. The practical sessions really made me appreciate some of the tasks we have always taken for granted.”

Concluding the event, CIMMYT scientist/maize breeder Yoseph Beyene called on the participating scientists to ensure that as many people as possible get access to the knowledge they gained. “Invest in people to effectively and successfully undertake your research,” he said.

WEMA project manager Sylvester Oikeh thanked CIMMYT scientists for the support they provided to the Ugandan team in setting up the Namulonge Insectary. “I am looking forward to other countries emulating Uganda and setting up their insectaries,” Oikeh added.

Strengthening CIMMYT cooperation with Russia

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Left to right: Vladimir Shamanin, Alex Morgounov, Sergey Petukhovskiy, Hans Braun, and Nina Kazydub.
Left to right: Vladimir Shamanin, Alex Morgounov, Sergey Petukhovskiy, Hans Braun, and Nina Kazydub.

CIMMYT Global Wheat Program director Hans-Joachim Braun and winter wheat breeder Alex Morgounov attended the G-20 Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists in Moscow, Russia, on 24-25 July 2013 where they presented on CRP WHEAT and the cooperation between CIMMYT and Russia. The G-20 meeting adopted a declaration stating the importance of cooperation in agricultural research and defining future priority areas and directions for this cooperation. The meeting also emphasized the involvement of the Russian Federation in international agricultural research and development. In 2013, Russia supported CRP WHEAT with US$1.1 million, part of which was allocated to the Kazakhstan-Siberian Network on Wheat Improvement (KASIB) for spring wheat improvement and part to Strategic Initiatives related to biotic and abiotic stresses. The funds utilization and strengthening of cooperation with Russian scientists were discussed with Sergey Kiselev, director of Eurasian Center of Food Security at Lomonosov Moscow State University, and Ivan Savchenko, vice president of the Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Following the meeting, Braun and Morgounov visited Omsk in Western Siberia on 26 July to sign a sub-grant agreement between CIMMYT and Omsk State Agrarian University on technical coordination of KASIB activities; development of shuttle breeding germplasm for Russian cooperating institutions; and expansion of training and visits between the university and CIMMYT, and attendance of regional and international conferences for Russian scientists.

The subsequent field visits to the university and Siberian Agricultural Research Institute demonstrated the value of regional germplasm exchange and improved adaptation of the shuttle germplasm developed for the region in Mexico and Turkey. “The shuttle breeding program, initiated in early 2000s to incorporate rusts resistance into local material, finally bears fruit as several advanced lines competitive with local checks have been identified and will be considered as variety candidates in the near future,” said Morgounov. As Northern Kazakhstan and Western Siberia jointly cultivate almost 20 million hectares of high latitude spring-planted wheat, this area plays a significant role in global wheat supply.

Focus on heat stress resilient maize for Asia

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HTMA-meetingScientists from the Heat Stress Tolerant Maize for Asia (HTMA) project and representatives from collaborating public and private sector institutions from the region, Purdue University, and CIMMYT gathered together during 30-31 July 2013 in Kathmandu, Nepal, for the 1st HTMA Annual Progress Review and Planning Meeting. The meeting was jointly organized by the National Maize Research Program (NMRP) and CIMMYT to discuss progress to-date and future HTMA work plans. HTMA, supported by USAID under the Feed the Future initiative, is a public-private alliance targeting resource-poor people in South Asia who rely on growing maize for subsistence or income in rainfed conditions and whose welfare is directly dependent on maize yields and negatively affected by crop failures.

K.B. Koirala, National Maize Coordinator for Nepal, welcomed all participants and highlighted the importance of the public-private alliance through HTMA, especially for addressing such complex issues as developing and distributing heat stress resilient maize. CIMMYT Global Maize Program director B.M. Prasanna reiterated the need for and importance of maize breeding for heat-stress resilience in his opening remarks, while USAID’s Larry Beach stressed the project’s significance in addressing the emerging effects of climate change.

The first day was devoted to an annual progress review, which was initiated by senior maize physiologist and CIMMYT and HTMA project leader P.H. Zaidi, who presented updates on the project execution and status of progress during the project’s first year. The following session, chaired by Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) executive director D.B. Gurung, covered membrane lipid profiling in relation to heat stress; identifying quantitative trait loci (QTL) for heat-stress tolerance and component traits by joint linkage analysis; association mapping for heat tolerance; latest marker statistics on genotyping-by-sequencing; genomic selection for heat stress tolerance; and development of target populations for rapid-cycle genomic selection. The afternoon session was chaired by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) chairman Iftikhar Ahmad and focused on phenotyping for heat-stress tolerance; crop modeling and the IMPACT model component; a road map for development and distribution of heat resilient maize; seed distribution systems; and seed companies’ perspectives on target markets.

During day two, participants discussed and developed a workplan and activities for the second year of the project for each collaborating institution. This was followed by a special session on “Exploring linkages & synergy among USAID-funded projects in South Asia.” Representatives from various ongoing projects in the region, including the Hill Maize Research Project (HMRP), Cereal System Initiative for South Asia (CSISA), and HTMA, as well as NARC and the Nepalese Ministry of Agriculture, joined in the lively discussion, which helped to identify opportunities for potential linkages among the region’s initiatives and a synergy between them. The linkages could offer a win-win situation for all stakeholders.

The meeting was concluded with an HTMA project steering committee meeting chaired by B.M. Prasanna. The committee members expressed their satisfaction with the strategy, ongoing activities, and the progress being made.