Source: CropBiotech Net

Striga, a parasitic weed, has invaded approximately 200,000 hectares of Kenyan cropland, resulting in losses of about 800 million Kenyan shillings each year. The weed is a pest of cereal crops, particularly maize.

The most recent weapon in the fight against Striga is a new hybrid maize called Ua Kayongo, which is coated with the Strigaway herbicide. Ua Kayongo is Imazapyr Resistant maize (IR-maize), also known as the Clearfield system, whose resistance is based on a naturally occurring herbicide resistance in maize, and which was later incorporated into Kenyan maize varieties by African plant breeders at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI). The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), in partnership with several NGOs, research organizations, and seed companies, acts as distributor.

Ua Kayongo will be distributed to over 16,000 households, and AATF’s partners will conduct several farmer field days and other activities, including a traveling workshop in June 2005.

For more information, contact the AATF at aatf-information@cgiar.org or visit www.africancrops.net/striga.