Annual report - CGIAR Research Program on Maize, 2016.
Abstract
This annual report summarizes the activities and achievements made by the CGIAR Research Programme on Maize (MAIZE) during 2016. During this year, MAIZE made strong progress on both of its research strategies, stress resilient and nutritious maize, and sustainable intensification of maize-based systems. At least 5 556 493 hectares were under improved MAIZE-derived technologies or management practices as a result of CGIAR Research Program (CRP) research; directly reaching 11 405 929 smallholder farmers. In total, 111 improved maize varieties, based on CIMMYT/IITA germplasm, were released through MAIZE partners in 2016; these include: 76 in sub-Saharan Africa (24 in eastern Africa; 12 in southern Africa; 40 in West Africa); 27 in Latin America (19 in Mexico; 1 in Honduras; 2 Nicaragua; 2 Ecuador; 3 Bolivia); and 8 in Asia (4 in India; 2 in Nepal; 2 in Bangladesh). Besides high and stable yield potential, some of the special traits stacked in these varieties include drought tolerance, nitrogen use efficiency, tar spot complex resistance, Quality Protein Maize, increased provitamin A content (through the CRP on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health), ear rot or mycotoxin resistance, and Turcicum leaf blight [Setosphaeria turcica] resistance. The two most significant achievements concerning development and deployment of drought- and heat-tolerant maize for Asia, and combining stress breeding and conservation agriculture to mitigate climate change are highlighted.
Key words
- CGIAR
- climate change
- conservation tillage
- crop yield
- disease resistance
- drought resistance
- fungal diseases
- germplasm
- heat tolerance
- improved varieties
- intensification
- maize
- maize ear rot
- maize leaf blight
- maize tar spot
- mycotoxins
- nitrogen
- nutritive value
- plant breeding
- plant diseases
- provitamins
- smallholders
- use efficiency
- varieties