The Kenya Plant Health Inspection Service has advised farmers to practice crop rotation to control the deadly maize necrosis disease in the South Rift region.
This disease has been affecting crops for over 13 years.
Cephis seed inspector Wilson Sitiney said maize planted in disease-infected fields would be affected unless farmers planted another crop.
He addressed journalists in Narok town after government experts toured the district and sensitized farmers on the need for best crop cultivation and the use of certified seeds.
“Farmers should not plant maize in the same field for many years. It is important for them to rotate crops such as green beans, sorghum and potatoes for healthy soil and better yields,” Sitienei said. Ta.
He added that once a corn crop is harvested, the pests spend part of their life cycle burrowing into the soil, so they don't disappear completely.
“When corn is replanted, the pests attack the young, germinating crop that is still in the soil and transfer the disease to the next corn crop,” he says.
Research has shown that spraying corn seeds with strong insecticides has no effect, and the crop is likely to become infected whether the seeds are sown or not.
However, Sitienei said the ferocity of the maize disease had weakened due to prolonged rainfall in the country, adding that the disease spreads during prolonged periods of drought.
He advised farmers to ensure they plant certified seeds to fight diseases and get maximum profit from their crops, thereby addressing food security issues and creating jobs.
“We advise farmers to be careful and ensure that every package of seeds they buy has a code on it so farmers can check the quality of their kefis,” he said. .
“Certified seeds have a label on them. Farmers can scratch the label and find a number that allows them to check if the seeds are genuine. Planting the right seeds is the best way for farmers to It will help you get the best results.”
During the tour, the team visited Ntulere, Nkaretta, Sogu, Ngosuani, Olorurunga and Sasuwa to ensure that both farmers and sellers were dealing with the right seeds.
Narok is one of the country's leading maize producing districts.
The disease was first reported in the county in 2011, and symptoms on infected plants include corn leaves turning yellow and drying from the outer edges toward the midrib.
MLND can cause plant dwarfing and premature senescence, which then causes the entire plant to dry out and die.
