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Experiences
with on-farm testing in maize variety evaluation in Uganda
G.
Bigirwa, J. Kikafunda, J. Imanywoha,
P. Kibwika, S. Mugo, M. Siambi, D. Beck &
A.O. Diallo
High seed prices and the
unavailability of improved seed are major reasons why farmers continue
to grow local and unimproved maize varieties. To overcome this problem,
farmers were involved in grouping and evaluating improved maize
varieties using the mother-baby trial methodology to identify varieties
of their choice and later allow them to begin producing their own seed
of improved, open pollinated varieties. Farmers seeking hybrid varieties
were directed to the companies producing seed of selected varieties.
Activities entailed testing sets of improved varieties and hybrids under
optimal and sub-optimal fertilizer conditions in mother trials and under
farmer conditions in baby trials for three cropping seasons in two
maize growing districts of Uganda. The varieties were commercial
cultivars and elite experimental maize in the advance stages of testing.
Four open pollinated varieties, SADVILA, Longe 1, Longe 4, and SADVEB
consistently performed well across fertility levels, locations and
seasons. Hybrids SC 715, SC 627, and Longe 2H were identified as
suitable for growing by farmers and researchers. The criteria for choice
of varieties by farmers at green maturity were cob size, cob filling
time-to-maturity, at harvest, it was grain size, cob filling and cob
size. This paper will present results from variety performance including
farmer evaluations from the mother-baby trials.
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