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On-farm agronomic performance and farmer preference of quality protein maize grown under conservation agriculture in Southern Africa: a case for Zimbabwe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 May 2022

C. S. Nyakurwa ,
E. Gasura Open the ORCID record for E. Gasura [Opens in a new window] ,
S. Mabasa ,
J. T. Rugare  and
P. S. Setimela
C. S. Nyakurwa
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
E. Gasura*
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
S. Mabasa
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
J. T. Rugare
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Production Sciences and Technologies, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP 167, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
P. S. Setimela
Affiliation:
38A Harare Drive, Marlborough, Harare, Zimbabwe
*
Author for correspondence: E. Gasura, E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Maize is the most important staple food crop in southern Africa with human consumption averaging 91 kg/capita/year. Most smallholder farmers and weaning children depend on maize for much of the daily food requirements and it is the largest contributor of dietary proteins. Despite the development of quality protein maize (QPM) with high tryptophan and lysine content, stunting and kwashiorkor remain high in southern Africa partly due to low adoption of QPM varieties. The objective of this study was to compare the agronomic performance and farmer preferences of new generation of QPM with non-QPM varieties under conservation agriculture on-farm conditions. Eight QPM and four non-QPM varieties were tested on on-farm trials in Zimbabwe during the 2014/15 and 2015/16 cropping seasons at five different locations. Significant differences were detected among the genotypes for the measured traits in the two seasons. Similarly, genotype plus genotype × environment interactions were significant for both seasons for grain yield. Three QPM varieties, SC527, SC535 and SC643, recorded the highest and stable yield. Four QPM varieties, SC643, SC535, SC527 and MQ623, and a non-QPM variety, PAN413, were ranked high among farmers for overall ear characteristics as their most preferred varieties. The high-yielding and stable QPM varieties are likely to be adopted by farmers in southern Africa.

Keywords

Maize adaptabilityminimum tillagenutrition securityopaque-2 genevariety adoption
Type
Crops and Soils Research Paper
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 160 , Issue 3-4 , June 2022 , pp. 168 - 184
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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