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The
African rice: Economic importance in Mali and sources of resistance to
stress
F.
Cisse & Y.
Doumbia
Rice cultivation in Mali is based upon three main systems that produce
approximately 717,000 tons per year. The three systems are irrigated
systems, deep water with control, and natural and semi-controlled
submersion in the inland Niger river delta and lowland systems in the
southern part of the country. The floating and deep water rice systems
represent a potential of 500,000 ha. Segou, Mopti, Tombouctou and Gao
Regions have this type of rice cultivation system. Two species of rice
are grown in this ecosystem : Oryza
sativa and Oryza glaberrima. This last species is an important crop in the
inland Niger River Delta. In Mopti Region, cultivated area in natural
submersion is estimated at 100,000 ha, most of which is O. glaberrima. In Tombouctou Region O. glaberrima varies
annually from 15,000 to 30,000 ha. In spite of this important potential,
the natural submersion rice cultivation contribution in national
production is very low, less than 10%. Among factors explaining this low
potential production we can cite the O.
glaberrima low yield linked to grain shattering at ripening, poor
cultural techniques land management, insufficient rainfall and lack of
water in the Niger River. However, several cultivars among this species
have been recognized as source of résistance to
drought, diseases and insects. To enable their use in breeding
program the Rockefeller Foundation funded for missions for glaberrima
prospection. About 160 cultivars have been collected and are being
characterized for their use in future varietal improvement programs.
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