AFRICA BIOSCIENCES CHALLENGE FUND

This document is licensed for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. February Year2016

Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) disease: a threat to food security, income and smallholder farmer livelihoods in Kenya

The challenge Maize is one of the most important crops in Eastern Africa. Maize is a food security crop as well as an important commercial enterprise in Kenya. It is also staple food crop in Tanzania and Rwanda. About 90% of the Kenyan population depends on the crop directly or indirectly in terms of food, labor, and income. The national consumption per capita is 98kg in Kenya. Kenya produces 25,000 tons against a national demand of 35,000 tons (Ministry of Agriculture Biannual report, 2012).

The emergence of Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) disease, however, has exacerbated maize yield losses. Since the first report of MLND in Kenya (Wangai et al., 2012), the disease has spread fast and affected up to 300,000 maize farmers in the country. In the worst hit Rift valley of Kenya, at least 70% of the maize crop has been affected in the last three years. The disease affected 75,000 Ha in the Long Rain season of 2012, leading to yield losses of between 50% - 100% and an estimated financial loss of KShs. 2 billion (approximately $23.3 million) to small holder farmers. MLN threatens to significantly reduce maize production in the country. Some farmers in Rift valley and Coast have altogether abandoned maize faming.

The research The research study seeks to identify and determine the genetic diversity of MLN causing viruses in South Rift, parts of North Rift and Coast regions in Kenya. The research will also determine the potential host plants for Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) and synergistic potyviruses in the MLN disease complex.

Expected outcome Development of an MLN distribution map with specifics on viral strains, incidence and prevalence to inform farmers, seed growers and researchers. Information on genetic diversity status of the viruses causing MLN will be used by breeders to design relevant breeding programmes for MLN resistance/tolerance. This information will also be used for development of specific primers for MLN viruses for accurate molecular diagnostics of infection. All possible synergistic potyviruses and host plants will be determined to facilitate development of effective management strategies.

Partner institutions • Institute of Biotechnology Research (IBR), Jomo

Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)

• BecA-ILRI Hub • Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service

(KEPHIS)

For more information on this project, contact Francis M Mwatuni, Officer In charge, Plant Quarantine and Biosecurity Station, Kephis Muguga. (fmwatuni@kephis.org); or Dr. Francesca Stomeo, scientist, the BecA-ILRI Hub (f.stomeo@cgiar.org)

The Africa Biosciences Challenge Fund (ABCF) is the main delivery mechanism for the BecA-ILRI Hub’s capacity building program. The ABCF provides fellowships to researchers from national agricultural research systems (NARS) in Africa to undertake bioscience research-for-development projects using high-end facilities and technologies at the BecA-ILRI Hub. For more information on capacity building at the BecA-ILRI Hub, send email to w.ekaya@cgiar.org or v.aloo@cgiar.org

Biosciences eastern and central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub PO Box 30709 Nairobi 00100 Kenya Tel:+254 0 422 3805 BecA-Hub@cgiar.org | http://hub.africabiosciences.org