1. Status of a new maize disease in Rwanda Gafishi Kanyamasoro Martin Nairobi, 21-23 August, 2013

2. Importance of maize in Rwanda Maize is among priority crops in Rwanda Crop intensification program (CIP) policy in Rwanda is aiming at boosting priority crops productivity and improving food security This is achieved through use of fertilizers and improved seeds in consolidated lands

3. Importance of maize in Rwanda Maize production has tremendously increased (from101.659MT in 2007 to 525.6679MT in 2011) Maize is ahead of other major grain crops in Rwanda in terms of production This is due to new agriculture policy where farmers in consolidated land receive free seed and pay only for 50% of mineral fertilizer

4. Sources of improved seeds The seed maize used in Rwanda is from: Local maize OPVs Purchased hybrid seeds from seed companies

5. New outbreak of a maize disease February 2013, a new and strange disease was reported in Gisesero site, Musanze District/ Northern Province Researchers went to the site for assessment The maize was showing quite new disease symptoms A series of meetings organized on this issue

6. Symptoms of the disease  Premature drying of husks  Leaf yellowing starting mainly with young ones  Necrosis  Poor development of grains on the cob  Some cases of maize plant stunting  Some cases of dead heart  Leaves turn Purple for some plants

7. Symptoms of the disease Premature drying of husks

8. Symptoms of the disease Necrosis from margins inwards Yellowing starting from young leaves

9. Symptoms of the disease Poor seed development Poor seed set

10. Spread of the disease The disease spreads very fast It reached the Western province and new sites in the Northern zone It starts to show very severe symptoms A quick assessment in affected areas revealed 20% up to complete crop loss Around 630 ha of maize were affected in the highlands

11. Spread of the disease cont’d An assessment was conducted on 3-7 June 2013 22 sites situated all in highlands were found infected

12. Measures taken Awareness creation to:  Sector agronomists  CIP focal persons  Local authority  Policy makers  Sample collection and sent to UK for analysis

13. Sample analysis and results The results from FERA were positive by TaqMan PCR for MCMV and negative for SCMV Negative by ELISA for MDMV and WSMV The results were the same both for Pool9A & PAN691

14. Disease management Farmers were advised to:  Destroy maize fields with high disease incidence  Uproot and remove from the field all suspected maize plants  Spray with insecticide the maize fields with low disease incidence to control vectors  Spray with insecticide on host plants  Plant non-cereal crops in infected fields and surrounding areas

15. Strategies in place  Carry out a survey in order to know the current status at Country level and take appropriate measures  Create awareness to non-affected areas  Stop importing seed from affected Countries  Breeding for resistance in collaboration with other research institutions and international centres  Analysis of more samples to confirm MLN in Rwanda

16. Challenges  Uprooting maize increases labour and thus hardly accepted by farmers  Farmers prefer to cut diseased maize plants  Effort is put on consolidated land but little or nothing done for maize planted in people’s kitchen gardens  Free movement of green maize from infested areas to the place of consumption

17. Most farmers sell the diseased maize crop to cattle keepers Charcoal made from the maize stovers in Rubavu District western zone A farmer explaining to CIP FP that the diseased maize is collected and used to make charcoal (at the left)

18. Conclusion  MCMV is present in the highlands of Rwanda  The analysis has not yet confirmed the presence of MLN in Rwanda  There are symptoms looking like those of MLN  Further sample analysis is needed  Strategies to stop the disease from spreading to new locations should be put in place  Breeding for resistance is the sustainable solution to this disease

19. Thank you for your attention