Uganda: Regional scientists develop quick-growing, weed-resistant sorghum

Scientists from the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (Asareca) through a project "Fighting Striga: Resistance genes deployed to boost sorghum productivity" have developed sorghum, which is resistant to the Striga weed and can mature within two months.

The breakthrough was a result of research carried out to build upon an earlier project with the aim of utilising modern biotechnology tools to identify traits for Striga-resistant sorghum. Dr. Charles Mugoya, who heads ASARECA's Agro-Biodiversity and Biotechnology Programme (Agrobio), says they developed 50 sorghum lines capable of 3.6 tonnes grain yield per hectare. This was done together with partner institutions in Sudan, Kenya and Eritrea and the technical support of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat).

"There is a potential of raising sorghum production to 61.2 million tonnes on 17 million hectares of farmland that are threatened due to Striga infestation. The 300 million people in Africa who depend on sorghum will attain food security and lead better lives," he said.

Though the current sorghum varieties have a yield potential of 4.5 tonnes per hectare, they are highly susceptible to attack by Striga, which can cause yield losses of up to 100 per cent.

"The target was to breed varieties that have similar yield as the current preferred varieties. In just three years, the lines generated are close to the background parent by up to 80 per cent grain yield," he adds.

Mr Clet Wandui Masiga, of Agrobio, revealed that the effort was the first of its kind which has generated techniques that will be used worldwide to breed for resistance against Striga weed in crops. "The success will also transform other cereal crops affected by Striga like maize and rice, among others, because they have similar genes," he said.

Makerere University had been commissioned to carry out research on value addition and nutritional content of the improved sorghum. The grain can be used to produce beer, bread, breakfast cereal products, porridge, among other products.

According to Mr Robert Olupot, a research officer at Serere National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute, which is under National Agricultural Research Organisation, said the seeds will be tested before being released to farmers.

"We test for its resistance to Striga, diseases, pests like stock borers, adaptability, drought and yield performance before taking it to the variety release committee," he said.
Statistics show that about 17 million hectares of sorghum are infested with Striga in Africa every year with yield losses of between 6 to 7 million tonnes.

Asareca, headquartered in Entebbe, is an organisation of the national agricultural research systems of ten countries: Burundi, D. R. Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

It aims at boosting agricultural research in eastern and central Africa to facilitate economic growth, food security and export competitiveness through sustainable agriculture.