Biotech Updates

IRMA Maize Project Set for Regional Trials

October 24, 2008

The Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project is set to present experimental results in Nairobi, Kenya after which it will then be ready for regional trials. The project is a collaborative effort of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, and the Rockefeller Foundation. The Bt maize seeds are being tested to resist stem borers, and post-harvest pests like weevils and large green borers. Numerous ‘open quarantine’ field trials have been conducted at the KARI station in Kiboko to test best options.

CIMMYT says that about 400,000 tonnes of maize grown in Kenya is lost to stem borers each year and almost the same amount of maize is imported annually. The use of the transgenic corn is expected to increase farmers' yield and income.

The article is available at http://africasciencenews.org/asns/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=746&Itemid=2