Seed Systems Research Abstracts from the Biotechnology, Breeding and Seed Systems Conference

Involving farmers in varietal selection: Experiences from the seed project work in western Kenya

M. Siambi, G. Odhiambo, S. Mugo, O. Odongo, A. Diallo, D. Beck & H. DeGroote

Development and dissemination of improved maize varieties and related production technologies that will lead to increased food production and improved farm-family livelihoods remains a major challenge for researchers. Farmers in marginal environments, where maize productivity is low due to several constraints, may rarely benefit from improved germplasm that cannot tolerate these stresses. Recognizing this fact, a collaborative project involving CIMMYT and KARI was developed to disseminate open pollinated maize varieties in western Kenya. The Mother and Baby trial approach was used for the on-farm evaluation of improved varieties that were provided by breeders of different institutions and private seed companies. During the long rainy season 2001, 28 varieties were evaluated at nine sites in South Nyanza (five districts), four sites in Bondo district, and two on-station sites. In the following seasons the project expanded to sites in Siaya and Busia. Farmers were given the opportunity to evaluate the different varieties at grain filling stage and at maturity, based on criteria developed through questionnaires. Early maturity and yield components were major criteria used by farmers to select varieties. Some of the varieties selected by farmers also ranked among the best ten from the Mother trial data. Low soil fertility and Striga infestation were very severe at some of the sites. From the two seasons’ data, it can be concluded that farmer evaluations complement varietal development and on-farm experimentation which will lead to faster diffusion of new varieties in the region.