Strategies for increasing maize production in moisture stress areas of Eastern Kenya
1995
Ngure, M.
Maize yields in the semi-arid areas of eastern Kenya are low; being on average 0.5 t ha-l while improved cultivars have a potential of 34 t ha- l. The rainfall received is bimodal, and insufficient (250400 mm per season). Rainfall is irregular and has a short duration of approximately 60 days. Farming is subsistence due to limitations of land, farm power, inputs and credit facilities. This paper reviews strategies and technologies that have been developed on germplasm, crop management, climatic risk management, response farming tactics, and technology transfer methods. Two cultivars, only Katumani and Makueni composites, are available and rely mainly on drought escape mechanisms through earliness. For development of suitable, high yielding and drought tolerant cultivars; good stand establishment, reduced days to 50 percent pollen shed and silking, good anthesis-silking interval, grain moisture content, increased seed weight per ear, number of ears per plant and yield to grain moisture content ratio have been identified as useful traits for selection. Maize production recommendations developed in the past (based on the prevailing economic and agronomic optima) require review.
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