WARDA IPM project 04: Characterization of blast fungus genetic diversity and development of donors with durable blast resistance

Duration: Started 1990; a rolling rolling programme

Purpose: To develop integrated management strategies for reducing the blast disease in farmers’ fields.

Background/description: Blast disease, caused by the pathogenic fungus Magnaporthe grisea, is found in all the rice-growing ecosystems of West Africa. It is more important in upland and lowland ecosystems than in other ecologies. It causes significant and unpredictable losses in farmers’ fields due to extensive cultivation of highly susceptible varieties over large areas and use of production inputs such as fertilizers. Varietal resistance and cultural practices are the best control measures for resource-poor farmers in West Africa. Unfortunately, pathogen variability has minimized the use of varietal resistance and the lack of information on disease epidemiology in West Africa has not allowed the use of alternative control methods in an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy to achieve increased and stable yield in farmers’ fields. There is therefore the need to develop strategies for integrated management of the blast disease.

Agroecozone(s) and location(s): Guinea savanna, Humid Tropical forest, rainfed uplands and lowlands of Ghana and Nigeria in West Africa.

Expected outputs: a) Blast variability in West Africa characterized and mapped (biological characterization through pathotyping and molecular through marker-assisted lineage analysis); b) Better understanding of blast resistance and choice of breeding methods; c) Improved fixed lines with durable resistance/tolerance to blast available for released to NARS; d) IPM strategies against blast epidemics promoted.

Potential impact and beneficiaries: The immediate beneficiaries of the research results generated in this project will be rice breeders developing improved varieties. The ultimate beneficiaries will be rice farmers who will be able to replace their current susceptible varieties with new high yielding and blast resistant lines.

Partners: a) National Cereals Research Institute, Bida, Nigeria; b) Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, Tamale, Ghana; c) International Rice Research Institute; d) Horticultural Research International, Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, UK.

Development investor(s): DFID and WARDA

WARDA contact person(s)/principal investigator(s): Yacouba Séré y.sere@cgiar.org Website: www.warda.cgiar.org