Incidence and impacts of Maize Lethal

Necrosis Disease in Ethiopia

By

Girma Demissie

Entomologist

Prepared for the MLN diagnostics and management in

Africa workshop, held 12-14 May, 2015

Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

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Country introduction

Ethiopia is endowed with huge

potentials for agricultural

development

Cereal crops like maize are

widely cultivated across a range

of environmental conditions

However, it has been one of the

food insecure countries in the

world

The food insecurity in the

country is mainly due to biotic &

abiotic stresses and inadequate

utilization of improved crop

production and protection

technologies by the small-scale

farmers

Map of ET-Regions

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Introduction about maize•Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the 3 most important cereal crops in the world together with wheat and rice in terms of area •In terms of production, however, maize surpasses wheat and rice (FAOSTAT, 2012)

According to CSA 2014, in Ethiopia:

• Produced on an area of 2.0 M ha• Occupies more than 21% of all

area allocated to cereal • 30.1 % of total cereal production• Total annual grain production of

6.5 million tons• Grown by the vast majority of

rural household• Primary food staple; esp. in major

growing areas

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Maize productivity, production and area trend

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Yield(Tons/ha) Area ( M ha) Production (M tons)

Maize productivity, production and area has been increasing over the years

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Main production constraints in Ethiopia

Inadequate Improved maize varieties

Limited use of existing maize production technologies

Biotic stresses

Diseases (GLS, Blight, Rust, PLS, MSV, MLN??, others)

Insect pests (MW,AGM, LGB??, SB, Termites, etc)

Abiotic stresses

Declining soil fertility (low N, acidity, Salinity…)

Moisture stress

Drought, etc…..

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MLN Incidence and Impacts

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Outbreak of MLND : when and where occurred?

MLND is new for Africa as MCMV is reported for the first time in

2011 in Kenya (Wangai et al., 2012)

since 2012, spreads rapidly into other ECA countries

Difficult to determine the exact time when and where the

outbreak first occurred in ETH , however, its presence was

confirmed in 2014

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Outbreak of MLND : when and where….

Following reports of an unknown maize disease from

the Upper Awash Valley to MARC (in late June 2014):

All efforts were made by different institutes to identify

the disease

2014, the disease was identified & confirmed as MLND

both at APPRC and CIMMYT: Naivasha, Kenya (by ELISA

method)

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What has been done so far in Ethiopia?

After the occurrence of the disease was assured:-

3 independent preliminary survey conducted in 2014 main-season

• July 24-27, 2014 (EIAR-CR Directorate Office & CIMMYT-Eth)

• Aug 7-10, 2014 (CIMMYT-Eth by inviting res from Naivaisha, K)

• Sept., 02-10, 2014 (MoA, established a technical committee)

• Protocol for MLND identification developed

2014, Eth. enrolled in ASARECA supported regional project: ‘Integrated Management of MLN in ECA’

6 res. activities are funded by the project including the training- Core team established & developed implementation plan- Leaflet & field assessment methodology prepared

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What has been done?………

Field assessment of MLN was done in 4 administrative regions

(both on grain & seed production farms) :

- Oromia, SNNPR, Amhara, & Beneshangul Gumuz

MLND confirmation tests were done in Kenya, Korea and Ethiopia

by different methods

2015 Off-season, field assessment conducted with support of

ASARECA project in 5 regions: Oromia, SNNPR, Amhara, Tigray &

B/Gumuze

Collection of available maize germplasm for screening under

artificial inoculation and random stress at hotspot area

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Methodology Used for Field Assessment

•Brief discussions with zonal/district agri. experts, & DAs on the observation, spread & management of MLND

•Administration of questionnaire to farmers/investors

•Distribution &level of damage caused by MLND measured as:

- % incidence: (percentage of infected plants to the total number of plants sampled)

-Severity (1-5 scale)

-Level of yield losses estimated based on visual observations

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Incidence of MLN in Ethiopia (2014 main season assessment)

MLND occurred areas Identification methods

Incidence%

Oromia: CRV (UpperAwash, Lume, Dugda,Meki, Ziway area) Shashamane area, & East wellegaZone: Guto Sasiga)

Symptomatically , serology (ELISA)and RT-PCR

30-100

SNNPR ( walayita: Duguno fango) Symptomatically 70-100

Amhara(Awi zone: Ankasha woreda) Symptomatically 30-60

Benshangul gumuze(Kamashi zone) Symptomatically 10-100

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Results from ELISA Lab analysisField/s where samples were

collected

No.

samples

per field

MCMV+

SCMV

MCMV

ONLY

SCMV

ONLY

No

viru

s

Robani Agricultural Enterprise) 26 16 6 2 2

African Juice (AJTS) 30 7 22 0 1

Adami Tulu Farmers Field around

pesticides Co.

11 1 2 5 3

Farmers fiwld (Alemayo Farm) 5 0 0 0 5

ANKF(Catholic Church Farm) 5 0 0 3 2

Ethiopian Seed Enterprise 4 1 1 0 2

Ethio-vegafru 20 1 13 0 6

Farmers Sugar cane field - Tibla 5 0 3 0 2

FMF/MARC 13 5 4 2 2

Meki-Batu Farmers’ Cooperative

Union 7 1 0 4 2

Total no. samples tested 126 32 51 16 27

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MLND-causing viruses were detected in 99 of the 126 samples

The Great East African Rift Valley Crossing Ethiopia

= Locations where MLND

detected

Fig 1. Map of Ethiopia showing hypothetical distribution of MLND (2014 main season)

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2015 off-season: field assessment conducted with support of ASARECA

2015 Off-season, field assessment was conducted in 5

administrative regions (Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR &

B/Gumuze)

Both grain and seed production farms were assessed

MLND observed both on smallholders & commercial farms,

More MLND devastation observed in Tigray & Amhara than

Oromia , SNNPR & Benishangul gumuz

• Suspected MLN symptoms were observed at Wereta

and Estern Gojam zone

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Incidence of MLND -2015 off-season

MLND occurred areas Identification methods

Incidence%

Tigiray (Mehoni & Alamaxa) Symptomatically 60-100

Oromia: CRV, East & West wellegaZone, Ilubabor)

Symptomatically 10-60

SNNPR ( Arbaminchi) Symptomatically 10-20

Amhara(Ethio Agri seft, Ayehu farm) Symptomatically 70-100

Benshangul gumuze(Kamashi zone) Symptomatically 0

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Impacts of MLND in Ethiopia

It seriously affected yields and even caused complete

crop failure in some regions

The infected plants remain frequently barren; small

or deformed ears and no seed at all.

Death of livestock which fed on infected grain were

reported from some areas (personal communication)

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Impacts of MLND Oromia (Upper Awash-Robani farm) : 2014 main season field assessment

Maize devastated, & ploughed to replace by other crops

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Oromia:East Wallega Zone

Totally infected field

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Oromia: Illuababora zone

Completely devastated fields

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SNNPR:Walayita (Duguna Fango)

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Amhara :Awi zone (Ankasha woreda)

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Benishangul .G (kamashi)

set little or no seeds.

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Impacts of MLND -2015 off-season field assessment: South Tigray Zone I. Raya

Azebo District, (Ethio fruit private farm field)

chlorotic, mottle & necrosis

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Impacts of MLND, S. Tigray Zone III. Alamata farmers’ fields) : 2015 off-season field assessment

Chlorosis & stunted growth

Aphids & molds

Necrotic & premature cob drying

Poor grain filling

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Impacts of MLND, S. Tigray Zone IV. Alamata Agro-Industry,

(General Tsadekan private farm field) : 2015 off-season field assessment

Preparing the devastated field to

replace by another vegetable crop

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Impacts of MLND on certified seed production: Amhara region, Awi zone, Ankasha woreda (Ayehu Farm P.L.C. ) : 2015 off-season field assessment

Necrosis & pre mature dried cob, poor seed & mold

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Other relevant activities during field assessment

The team has made strong efforts in awareness creation: especially in providing leaflet with the relevant information in respective local languages for each visited county and zone: more than 5500 leaflets and broachers were

dispatched;

On site hand on training was given to more than 2000 peoples to create awareness

Issue that need immediate attention

– Need for additional budget from ASARECA or elsewhere to

conduct intensive research on MLN management

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Conclusion

MLND has spread into almost all major maize producing areas

(based on field assessment conducted during 2 seasons)

Significant impact on grain & seed production has been observed,

Limited efforts were made in:

- awareness creation of different stakeholders

- development of improved technologies & integrated

management practices

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Recommendations

• Uproot and remove affected plants

• Avoid growing maize in consecutive seasons, opting for

crop rotation or grow alternative crops

• Be aware of specific season and planting time to avoid

spreading of the disease

• Apply good agronomic practices

• Seed dressing followed by chemical spraying for vectors

control under specific circumstances

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Way forward

• Build the capacity of scientists and regulatory agencies to

effectively diagnose MLN-causing viruses in the plant and seed

samples

Establish Maize germplasm screening facility for MLN and Breeding

for resistance (Start screening germplasm locally)

Form new hybrids and breeding populations from resistant sources

Provide responsibility for researchers to bring resistant/tolerant

germplasm from increased screening effort for fast track release of

MLND tolerant varieties

Continue with awareness creation, regular survey and surveillance

Promote good agricultural practices, avoid mono cropping, etc

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“Let us move on with a united spirit and focus on

our just cause for livelihood systems and human

well being which is otherwise unattainable by

acting independently”