New weed techniques responsible for Bauchi maize boost - Gital

The Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme
(BSADP) Manager, Dr. Iliyasu Gital has stated that maize
farmers in the State, have recorded 100 percent yield per
hectare in the past three years due to the widespread
adoption of striga weed control techniques introduced in
2011.
Gital made this known recently in Bauchi adding that the
techniques, namely crop rotation, mixed cropping and the
application of viral powder, were adopted from the Kenya
experience, and had proved to be very effective.
He explained that before the introduction of the techniques,
25 Agriculture Extension Agents were trained, after which
each of them selected 20 farmers within his areas of
jurisdictions for trial.
In his words, “20 farmlands were selected, who were made
to establish demonstration farms and each farmer adopted
one of the newly introduced techniques of striga control on
their maize, sorghum and cow-pea farms. He reiterated that
“Where farmers used to get 50 percent yield due to damage
by striga, they got 100 percent yield, while where some
earlier recorded zero yield, they first attained 50 percent and
in subsequent years, recorded 100 percent”. According to
Gital, the success of the techniques is being reviewed
continuously and where problems are detected, experts are
invited to improve on the research.