Early indicators show seed priming approach is helping farmers
5 August 2010
RIU Best Bet StopStriga aims to promote a two stage process to tackle Striga - a parasitic weed that devastates maize crops across broad tracts of Africa. The first part of the process involves farmers being trained in priming (soaking) seeds with a phosphate solution to give seeds the best possible start. Real IPM's product name for this is Gro Plus.
In April 2010, a group of 77 farmers were provided with prototype Gro Plus packs and instructions on how to use them.
A follow-up telephone survey in July 2010 reached 50 of these farmers. All reported the process of priming to be easy to follow and 49 reported benefits from seed priming, which included:
The impact of seed priming on yields is being assessed as these farmers harvest their crops.
At the same time the Real IPM Company organised a demonstration plot at Siaya's Agricultural Training Centre. Local farmer, George Karanja (pictured below) who visited the demonstration plot, commented:
"Priming seed over night benefits the crops. It's amazing - here we are three months later and the crops are two metres high."
At the open day, held in early July 2010, farmers were keen to use the technique in the forthcoming short rains planting season. The project is planning to roll-out seed priming to an additional 2,500 farmers during the short rains this year.
Andy Ward of RIU said:
5 August 2010
RIU Best Bet StopStriga aims to promote a two stage process to tackle Striga - a parasitic weed that devastates maize crops across broad tracts of Africa. The first part of the process involves farmers being trained in priming (soaking) seeds with a phosphate solution to give seeds the best possible start. Real IPM's product name for this is Gro Plus.
In April 2010, a group of 77 farmers were provided with prototype Gro Plus packs and instructions on how to use them.
A follow-up telephone survey in July 2010 reached 50 of these farmers. All reported the process of priming to be easy to follow and 49 reported benefits from seed priming, which included:
- faster emergence of seedlings
- better growth rates
- less signs of phosphate deficiency at the seedling stage
The impact of seed priming on yields is being assessed as these farmers harvest their crops.
At the same time the Real IPM Company organised a demonstration plot at Siaya's Agricultural Training Centre. Local farmer, George Karanja (pictured below) who visited the demonstration plot, commented:
"Priming seed over night benefits the crops. It's amazing - here we are three months later and the crops are two metres high."
At the open day, held in early July 2010, farmers were keen to use the technique in the forthcoming short rains planting season. The project is planning to roll-out seed priming to an additional 2,500 farmers during the short rains this year.
Andy Ward of RIU said:
"The StopStriga product has two elements: phosphate fertiliser for seed priming which will augment the germination and crop establishment and a mycoherbicide for controlling the parasitic Striga weed.
Whilst the registration of the mycoherbicide and the awareness raising amongst farmers is progressing well, the Real IPM Company have realised that they could proceed faster with the commercialisation of the seed priming element. Therefore in the coming season selected farmers will be provided with simple instructions on seed priming and how to use the Gro Plus product.
If the product trials are as successful as the pilots and the treatment proves to be popular amongst farmers, then it could be made commercially available to retailers in time for the main cereal cropping season in 2011. A critical decision for Real IPM is how to price the Gro Plus to position it appropriately in the market."
| How Striga affects small-scale farmers - featuring Real IPM. February 2010. |  |
