Integrated Pest Management

Weeds are considered the primary pest by farmers in all of the region's rice-growing ecologies. We have developed a methodology for rapid screening of varieties for their ability to out-grow weeds in the early part of the crop cycle. 

 Weed-competitive NERICA varieties have been identified which can reduce the need for weeding by over 50% -- a bonus for women and children who usually do this work, freeing their time for other activities. 

Characterization of the diversity of rice blast fungus and rice yellow mottle virus (which devastate rice crops over much of the region), is enabling us to identify suitable screening sites to develop varieties with durable resistance. 

Control of African rice gall midge has been improved with the release of the tolerant variety Cisadane in southeast Nigeria. The midge is a mosquito-like insect whose larvae bore into rice shoots destroying the crop's ability to produce grain.

The following publication is available on-line.

CISADANE - Gall-midge tolerant variety released in Nigeria as FARO 51 in 1998 (pdf version)