ACTIVITY 1: VARIETY
DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION
(i) Pedigree
Inbred Line Development Program
A total of 41
S2 and 137 S3 lines were selected for their morphological
characteristics and advance a generation. The 41 S3 were test crossed
by isolation using 2 inbred line testers to assess their combining
ability. In addition sixty (60) ears were selected from 28 F2
populations generated from CIMMYT and national inbred lines. These
sixty ears were planted in an ear to row fashion in summer 2003/04 and
were evaluated for GLS and MSV under artificial conditions.
The 137 S4
lines were divided into 3 sets with two sets being evaluated in summer
2003/04 under artificial MSV and GLS infested conditions and for low
soil N tolerance in soil N depleted blocks at Harare Research
Station. The third set is currently (Winter 2004) being evaluated
under managed drought stress at Save Valley Experiment Station.
(ii) OPV
Development
One OPV was
developed in winter 2003 from 18 elite single crosses combined with
the population NIP25 being used as the pollen source. This OPV was
not characterized in summer 2003/04 because of late harvesting in
winter 2003 and was only planted on 25 May 2004 (Winter 2004) for its
first characterization.
Activity 2:
OPV SEED MULTIPLICATION AND MAINTENANCE
(i) Winter 2003
Farmer Training
A pilot on
training on maize OPV seed production and variety maintenance was done
n winter at Chisumbanje Experiment Station with 20 farmers and six
AREX frontline officers. The group was taught on aspects of community
based seed production techniques, that is, off season seed
multiplication in home gardens and conventional seed production during
the main growing season. During the training process ZM421 and ZM521
were used for training and were planted on 0.4ha each with one tonne
seed of each variety being produced at the end of the program.
(ii) Summer
2003/04
In September
2003 two (2) hectares of ZM421 and ZM521 were planted under irrigation
at Gwebi VTC to produce foundation seed for the expanded farmer
training programme that commenced in June 2004. A total of 2t of seed
was harvested in February 2004.
Moreover the
four synthetics that have been developed over the past two years were
planted I n isolation at Harare for seed increase and general variety
characterization. At least 200kg of seed of each variety was
harvested and will be used in trials and demonstration in the coming
season.
(iii) OPV
Variety Evaluation: Summer 2003/04
A total of 10
sites were planted to a trial of 12 varieties across the target
semiarid regions 3-5. Each trials set was accompanied by 4
demonstration sets of 4 varieties with enough seed to plant 100m2
of each demo variety. The season started very late with most trials
and demos being planted very late. Four field days were held in
Masvingo (Bvukururu), Chivi Central, Zvishavane and Chisumbanje.
Farmers liked SADVE (CIMMYT) and ZIM BULK E (National Program) and we
hope to do one season evaluation of ZIM BULK E before DUS evaluations
and release recommendations.
(iv) Farmer
Seed Multiplication Program
During summer
2003/04 season, the Principal Investigator together with one of the
collaborators and host to a trial set, the Ecumenical Foundation of
Zimbabwe did some training on Smallholder Farmer Seed Production
Training in Mushawasha area of Masvingo. ZM421 was planted to 5
hectares for the training, which was a success and a field was held
with proceedings being shown on state television.
Activity 3:
SEED TRAINING WORKSHOP
A national of
Trainers (TOTs) Seed Production and Variety maintenance workshop was
held from 16-20 February 2004 with 50 frontline extension officers and
provincial agronomists being trained. The training was done to equip
extension staff with knowledge for hands-on training of farmers on
maize OPV seed production and variety maintenance. Draft workshop
proceedings were published and further editing is in progress. A
follow up to this national training will be provincial training
workshop to increase the number of trained frontline personnel before
the countrywide farmer seed training program starts during the summer
2004/05 season. This large scale program has put to national task
force on seed training for consideration for supplementary funding
from the government.
The first
provincial training workshop was held in Masvingo from 14-18 June
2004. A total of 30 officers selected from areas of the pilot winter
2004 farmer training were trained with facilitation coming from the
TOTs from the February 2004 training, Seed Services (Seed
Legislation), Plant Protection Research (Seed Health) and CBI maize
breeder.
(i) Winter 2004
Seed Multiplication Training Program
The lowveld of
Zimbabwe (Chiredzi) was to 45ha of ZM421 and ZM521 with 80 smallholder
farmers being selected for this program. A target 80ha will be
planted as planting is still on going. The seed given to farmers came
from CBI OPV foundation seed multiplication program. A hands on
training program in two (2) selected irrigation schemes namely ARDA
Tshovani and Hippo Valley is currently on going. A second 80ha seed
training program started on 15 July 2004 at Mushandike Irrigation
Scheme (Masvingo). This involves 35 farmers with back stopping and
training coming from the trained frontline extension staff.
A total 160ha
maize OPV seed area was registered with the Seed Services for seed
inspection and the farmers were contracted to ARDA a seed production
and marketing parastatals. The program is in progress and promises to
be a success.
