Scientists test pest-resistant maize seed

A team of researchers is studying genetically modified maize seeds in tests aimed at providing an answer to food insecurity in the country.

Through a project titled Water Efficient Maize for Africa (Wema), the scientists, drawn mainly from Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro) are working on developing a maize variety that can survive in low rainfall areas as well as withstand pests.

“Already, we have tested two separate maize varieties that are able to resist the notorious maize stalk borer and survive in dry conditions, and are working to test seeds with the combined characteristics,” Dr Murenga Mwimali, the head of the research team, told the Daily Nation on Friday.

He spoke on the sidelines of a session to plant maize seeds with the combined characteristics at the Kalro Kiboko Station in Makueni County.

“Each of the maize seeds has its genes modified such that resultant crops will be able to resist attacks from the maize stalk borer, and can perform well even in drought conditions,” Dr Mwimali added.

The researcher, who was accompanied by Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (Kephis) and National Bio-safety Authority (NBA) officials, planted the maize seeds in an isolated one acre field, marking a crucial step in the project whose outcome would put to test the promise of the two traits in the resulting maize yields.

Other players in the project include the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (Cimmyt), African Agricultural Technology Foundation (Aatf), and Monsato, an American genetically modified materials store with a local subsidiary.

“Once the seeds germinate and grow, we shall artificially expose the crop to stalk borers and observe how they are going to behave,” Dr Mwimali explained.

Exuding confidence that the resultant crops would survive the exposure to pests, the maize breeders said that, in the single-trait phase of the study, the crops had resisted attacks from pests.

That necessitated the escalation to the national trials that could give way to final approval.