RAB warns farmers on maize virus

Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) has urged farmers to report any signs and symptoms of lethal necrosis maize disease in their gardens in order to avoid its spread.The virus has been reported in neighbouring countries of Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. The disease was first spotted in Kenya in September 2011.It has since been reported in 14 districts in Uganda and South Sudan, Tanzania and Rwanda.The RAB Deputy Director General, Innocent Musabyimana, told The New Times that about 100 tonnes of Hybrid Pannar maize seeds which were distributed to farmers in the Northern Province were found infected with a a virus called Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus (MCMV), which is normally the initial stage of the deadly virus.Farmers in Gakenke, Gicumbi, Musanze, Rulindo and Burera districts reported the disease outbreak between July and August.“But this was spotted and farmers and were immediately given the right varieties,” Musabyimana said.The seeds were distributed by various companies, including Seedco, a Zimbabwean-based company with an office in Kigali, Pannar, from South Africa and a Kenya firm.“There is a team of agriculture experts who are sampling the suspected hybrid seeds and examining them before supplying the seeds to farmers,” he said.According to Musabyimana, symptoms of the disease are detected in the initial stages after planting. He urged farmers to be on alert.Some of the symptoms are stunted growth, premature aging of the plants and dying of leaf margins.Farmers are advised to just uproot and burry the affected crops to prevent the virus spread.The disease is said to be transmitted by small insect vectors which can easily be blown by wind, beetles, thrips and leaf hoppers.Facts about maize Statistics from RAB show that countrywide, maize is grown on 250,000 hectares and every season at least 600,000 tonnes are harvested.Maize is a staple or second tier staple food crop in eastern and central Africa region. It is believed to be key to national food security.

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RAB warns farmers on maize virus