Incorporating male sterility increases hybrid maize yield in low input African farming systems

Collinson, Sarah; Hamadziripi, Esnath; Ndegwa, Michael; Cairns, Jill E.; Albertsen, Marc C.; Ligeyo, Dickson; Mashingaidze, Kingstone; Olsen, Mike

doi:10.1038/s42003-022-03680-7

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The evaluation was superimposed on a set of trials with FNP varieties conducted in Kenya’s farmers’ fields in the long rainy seasons of 2017 and 2018 (Collinson et al. , 2022). The trial compared conventional hybrids with the FNP version of the same hybrid, with two replicates in each site.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a result, the technology increases yields under various environmental conditions, especially nitrogen stress (Collinson et al. , 2022; Fox et al. , 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Early in plant development, if nitrogen is limited, the nitrogen normally used for tassel and pollen development will be used for ear and kernel growth instead (Loussaert et al, 2017). As a result, the technology increases yields under various environmental conditions, especially nitrogen stress (Collinson et al, 2022;Fox et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Kenyan farmers appreciate the higher yield of 50% non-pollen producing Maize (Zea mays) hybrids

et al. 2023

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Summary Incorporating the dominant male sterile gene, Ms44, in new maize varieties results in 50% non-pollen producing (FNP) varieties. This makes the varieties more nitrogen efficient and increases yield directly by an average of 200 kg ha−1 across yield levels. However, as half of the plants do not shed pollen, the presence of Ms44 in an FNP variety is clearly visible. This technology can improve food production and security in the African maize-based agri-food systems, but only if accepted by farmers. Farmers were therefore invited to 11 on-farm, researcher managed trial sites of FNP varieties in Kenya over 2 years. They were asked to identify the traits they find important in evaluating maize varieties and to score the FNP varieties, as well as their conventional counterparts, on these criteria (including yield, resistance to pests, and cob size) and overall, using a five-point hedonic scale. In total, 2,697 farmers participated, of which 62% were women. Farmers mentioned many traits they find important, especially yield and related traits, early maturity, and drought resistance, but also tassel and pollen formation. In 2017, mid-season, participants scored FNP varieties lower than conventional varieties on tassel and pollen formation, indicating that farmers could distinguish the trait. FNP varieties still received higher scores for yield and overall evaluation. In mid-season 2018, participants no longer scored FNP varieties lower for pollen formation as they now understood the technology. In both years, at the end-season evaluation, scores for tassel formation were not different, but participants scored FNP varieties higher for yield and overall. We conclude that farmers recognized the FNP trait but did not mind it as they clearly favored its yield advantage. The FNP technology, therefore, has high potential not only to increase maize yields, food production, and food security in the agricultural systems of Africa but also to increase varietal turnover and the adoption of new, high-yielding, climate-smart maize hybrids.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a result, the technology increases yields under various environmental conditions, especially nitrogen stress (Collinson et al. , 2022; Fox et al. , 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Kenyan farmers appreciate the higher yield of 50% non-pollen producing Maize (Zea mays) hybrids

et al. 2023

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“…The production of hybrid seeds could greatly facilitate stable crop yield and ensure seed quality. For example, the application of male sterility technology in hybrid maize has benefited the smallholder farmers and breeders in Africa by increasing the yields and reducing seed production costs [199]. To expedite the lengthy process of producing male sterile lines for hybrid breeding, CRISPR-Cas9 has been employed in rice [200], wheat (Triticum aestivum) [201] and soybean (Glycine max) [202], thereby expanding the germplasm breeding pool for crop heterosis.…”

Section: Application Of Crispr-cas9 In Addressing Food Security Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

CRISPR-Based Genome Editing Tools: An Accelerator in Crop Breeding for a Changing Future

Zhang

Neik

Thomas

et al. 2023

IJMS

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Genome editing is an important strategy to maintain global food security and achieve sustainable agricultural development. Among all genome editing tools, CRISPR-Cas is currently the most prevalent and offers the most promise. In this review, we summarize the development of CRISPR-Cas systems, outline their classification and distinctive features, delineate their natural mechanisms in plant genome editing and exemplify the applications in plant research. Both classical and recently discovered CRISPR-Cas systems are included, detailing the class, type, structures and functions of each. We conclude by highlighting the challenges that come with CRISPR-Cas and offer suggestions on how to tackle them. We believe the gene editing toolbox will be greatly enriched, providing new avenues for a more efficient and precise breeding of climate-resilient crops.

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“…The main drivers of maize yield increase have been linked to input intensification (mainly fertiliser use and improved varieties) and the agricultural extension system Sheahan and Barrett, 2017). One of the maize intensification promotion strategies has been breeding for improved and stress-tolerant varieties that can increase maize yield and minimize yield loss from abiotic and biotic stresses (Collinson et al, 2022;Jones-Garcia and Krishna, 2021;Kosmowski et al, 2020). Since 1990, fifty-three improved maize varieties have been released in Ethiopia (Kosmowski et al, 2020).…”

Section: The Ethiopian Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maize yield gaps and their mitigation in Ethiopia: an integrated assessment

Assefa

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Ethiopia has achieved the second highest maize yield in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, farmers' maize yields are still much lower than on-farm and on-station trial yields, and only ca. 20% of the estimated water-limited potential yield. This article provides a comprehensive national level analysis of the drivers of maize yields in Ethiopia, by decomposing yield gaps into efficiency, resource and technology components, and accounting for a broad set of detailed input and crop management choices. Stochastic frontier analysis was combined with concepts of production ecology to estimate and explain technically efficient yields, the efficiency yield gap and the resource yield gap. The technology yield gap was estimated based on water-limited potential yields from the Global Yield Gap Atlas. The relative magnitudes of the efficiency, resource and technology yield gaps differed across farming systems; they ranged from 15% (1.6 t/ha) to 21%(1.9 t/ha), 12% (1.3 t/ha) to 25% (2.3 t/ha) and 54% (4.8 t/ha) to 73% (7.8 t/ha), respectively.Factors that reduce the efficiency yield gap include: income from non-farm sources, value of productive assets, education and plot distance from home. The resource yield gap can be explained by sub-optimal input use, from a yield perspective. The technology yield gap comprised the largest share of the total yield gap, partly due to limited use of fertiliser and improved seeds. We conclude that targeted but integrated policy design and implementation is required to narrow the overall maize yield gap and improve food security.

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Incorporating male sterility increases hybrid maize yield in low input African farming systems

Cited by 7 publications

References 36 publications

Kenyan farmers appreciate the higher yield of 50% non-pollen producing Maize (Zea mays) hybrids

Kenyan farmers appreciate the higher yield of 50% non-pollen producing Maize (Zea mays) hybrids

CRISPR-Based Genome Editing Tools: An Accelerator in Crop Breeding for a Changing Future

Maize yield gaps and their mitigation in Ethiopia: an integrated assessment

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