In a bid to reduce the problems associated with food insecurity and scarcity, the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Oyo State, has unveiled two new varieties of maize tolerant to Fall Army Worm (FAW).
The Executive Director, IAR&T, Prof. Veronica Obatolu, assured that the new varieties would help to solve some challenges facing the agricultural sector, adding that food production will increase when farmers have access to the new varieties.
She called on farmers and members of the public to take advantage of the outstanding qualities associated with the two new maize varieties while explaining the qualities of the new maize varieties.
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“I am highly delighted to welcome you to a briefing on the recently released varieties of maize at the institute. It will help tackle the problem of food insecurity. It will assist in solving the problem of food insecurity. With this, the problem of food insecurity will be solved because, when farmers have access to the varieties, there will be an increase in food production.
“The institute’s activities are demand-driven and aimed at solving specific production and utilization constraints and challenges for agricultural sustainable growth and economic development. The two new maize varieties are imbued with the following outstanding qualities.”
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According to her, ARTMAZ 01 is a medium white FAW tolerant open pollinated maize variety adapted to rainforest, Guinea savannah, and Sudan savannah agro-ecologies, with the potential to withstand pests and diseases and the ability to yield 7.3 tons per hectare under best agronomic practices.
She explained further that ARTMAZ 02 is a medium yellow version of the FAW tolerant open pollinated maize variety with a potential grain yield of 9.0 tons per hectare under best agronomic practices.
Obatolu added that the new varieties can tolerate other pests and diseases, such as stem borers, maize streak virus, rust, leaf blight, and curvularia leaf spot, that are common to Nigeria’s agro-environments.
