Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Farmers? agony as disease ruins maize crop
A mysterious disease continues to cause anguish among farmers in Narok South while scientists admit knowing little about it.
By Jacob Ng?etich jngetich@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Friday, April 6 2012 at 22:00
IN SUMMARY
Leaves of affected plants turn yellow before the whole plant rots away within weeks
Mr Joseph Koech of Ilmotiook village in Narok South wonders what to do as he stares at his maize crop on his farm. Half of it has wilted instead of flowering. To make matters worse, the disease that has affected the maize seems to be spreading by the day.
...
Dr Johnson Irungu ? director of agriculture, Crop Management Directorate, in the Ministry of Agriculture ? said the problem with the maize in Bomet was serious.
?There is a team of researchers investigating the matter ? including the University of Nairobi, Egerton University and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre ? and they are expected to identify the problem,? said Dr Irungu. He said the disease could be fungal or viral.
?Samples of the crops were taken a month ago to the United Kingdom by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International for tests and the results are expected any time,? he said.
A team of Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) researchers collected samples from the field in February but they are yet to release results from their analysis.
...
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Farmers+agony+as+disease+ruins+maize+crop+/-/1056/1381564/-/i50wwe/-/
A mysterious disease continues to cause anguish among farmers in Narok South while scientists admit knowing little about it.
By Jacob Ng?etich jngetich@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Friday, April 6 2012 at 22:00
IN SUMMARY
Leaves of affected plants turn yellow before the whole plant rots away within weeks
Mr Joseph Koech of Ilmotiook village in Narok South wonders what to do as he stares at his maize crop on his farm. Half of it has wilted instead of flowering. To make matters worse, the disease that has affected the maize seems to be spreading by the day.
...
Dr Johnson Irungu ? director of agriculture, Crop Management Directorate, in the Ministry of Agriculture ? said the problem with the maize in Bomet was serious.
?There is a team of researchers investigating the matter ? including the University of Nairobi, Egerton University and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre ? and they are expected to identify the problem,? said Dr Irungu. He said the disease could be fungal or viral.
?Samples of the crops were taken a month ago to the United Kingdom by the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International for tests and the results are expected any time,? he said.
A team of Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis) researchers collected samples from the field in February but they are yet to release results from their analysis.
...
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Farmers+agony+as+disease+ruins+maize+crop+/-/1056/1381564/-/i50wwe/-/