Nkurunziza Gelase ISABU/Maize

 Burundi area: km 2  Population in 2008:  More than 90%: agricultural people  Cereals as maize: main crop in Burundi  Principal known deseases of maize in Burundi: MSV, Common Rust, Turci, GLS,  MSV is a dangerous desease because it is diffucult to control and the resistant varieties degenerate very quickly

 About MLND: - Not sure if there is MLN in Burundi - Overlook the symptoms of MLN - High probality to have it in Burundi  Need to confirm that MLN exits or no by analysis  Opportunities: phyto laboratory, staff

 Sample collected and analysed: 2 possibilities of results:  MLND do not exist in Burundi: strategies to convert its entry in the country  MLND exist in Burundi: strategies to fight against its propagation or to manage it

 Educate farmers about the disease: symptoms, its scale, mode of propagation, its means of control, etc.  Early alert systems: if a farmer suspected of similar symptoms, he must inform the agricultural services  Promote and popularize the rotation system that prevents its spread: avoid previous crops based cereals, would prevent virus survival on intermediate hosts

 Popularize the best system and planting date: not spread over the seedlings in the same site, even if irrigation is possible or even if it rains all year  Avoid imported germplasm or seed from countries where the disease exists  Conduct research on the selection or development of MLN resistant varieties

 Train the farmers about the disease: symptoms, its scale, mode of propagation, strategies for control, etc.  Promote and popularize the rotation system that prevents its spread: avoid previous crops based on cereals would prevent virus survival on intermediate hosts

 Conduct research on the selection or development of resistance varieties  Collaborate with international research institutes working on maize  Disseminate MLND resistant varieties