Lessons learned in developing IPM options to improve maize forage yield and quality for small-scale dairy farmers in central Kenya.

摘要

Many small-scale farmers in central Kenya stall-feed cattle. A rapid rural appraisal (RRA) in the Kiambu district showed that 25% of the forage came from the maize crop. Crop protection advice to farmers generally focuses on maize for grain and ignores the importance of the dairy animal in the livelihoods of these resource-poor livestock keepers. The RRA showed that the three principal biotic constraints on the maize crop were maize streak virus disease (MSVD), maize stalk borer and weeds. Experiments showed that early MSVD infections reduced forage offtake from the maize and had some effect on crop quality for livestock production. Cultivars tolerant to MSVD such as KH521 and PAN67 alleviate yield losses, and their taste and cooking quality is acceptable to the farmers. However, breeders do not appear to allow for the dual purposes of the crop and neutral detergent fibre concentrations were higher and crude protein concentrations lower in KH521. The need to evaluate all new technologies using farmer participatory methods is emphasised especially where complex changes to crop planting arrangements are envisaged..