ICRISAT IPM project 06: Integrated management of downy mildew and Striga in pearl millet through partnership research

Duration: 3 years (2006 –2008)

Purpose: To assess losses due to downy mildew and Striga in major pearl millet growing areas of Asia, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, Mali, and Senegal, and to develop, in a participatory manner, affordable IPM options that reduce the use of pesticides harmful to human health and the environment, and increase crop production.

Background/description: Downy mildew, caused by Sclerospora graminicola, is widespread in most pearl millet growing areas in Asia and western and central Africa (WCA). The disease is particularly more severe on pearl millet hybrids in India and on improved cultivars in WCA. Striga hermonthica, is a serious and widespread weed pest in WCA and eastern Africa though its severity is quite low in Asia. In WCA, both downy mildew and Striga cause severe economic loss every year. Striga is particularly more serious in maize-cowpea-pearl millet/sorghum cropping systems. Detailed information on their prevalence, distribution, and economic impact would be desirable to develop a suitable IPM strategy. Currently, downy mildew is managed by fungicide seed treatment and host plant resistance, while Striga management is largely based on agronomic practices, very little progress has been made in host plant resistance to Striga.

Agroecozone(s) and location(s): Semi-arid tropics in Asia and Africa.

Expected outputs: a) The major outputs of this project are: prevalence and distribution of Striga and downy mildew; b) Potential economic loss; c) Indigenous knowledge for pest management; d) New IPM technology based on indigenous knowledge, host plant resistance, agronomic practices and seed treatment; e) On-farm evaluation and up-scaling of pearl millet IPM technologies; and f) training, and capacity building for implementation of IPM in pearl millet.

Potential impact and beneficiaries: The primary beneficiaries are small-scale pearl millet growing farmers, who will benefit from a healthy environment with minimum pesticide use and increased production. Technical know-how within farming communities for effective use of pearl millet IPM enhanced. The project will result in reducing Striga infestation in pearl millet, maize, cowpea and sorghum, and consequently increase the productivity of the cropping system.

Partners: a) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); b) NARS in Asia and WCA.

Development investor(s): Private Seed Consortium and Suri Sehgal Foundation and others

ICRISAT contact person(s)/principal investigator(s): R.P. Thakur (r.thakur@cgiar.org).