Country report: cereals research in Malawi
Lungu, N.F.
Proceedings of the Fifth Eastern African Cereals Research Conference held in Malawi March 10-15, 1974 IV: ?; 296-303
1975
Document Number: 198709
Current programmes involving the improvement of maize, rice, sorghum, finger millet, wheat and barley varieties are outlined. Thirty maize varieties have been tested at 100 sites during 1971-72 and 1972-73. The hybrid SR52 produced the highest yield, but its susceptibility to damage by weevils (Sitophilus zeamais) makes this variety unsuitable for storage. The Tanzanian Ukiriguru Composite A (UCA) and Malawi Chitedze Composite A (CCA) have yielded well at medium-high and low altitudes respectively, and are apparently more suitable for storage than SR52. The UCA, UCB, CCA and CCB composites have been used in a recurrent selection programme and the resultant material has outyielded current Malawi synthetic varieties by up to 25%. In tests under irrigated and rainfed conditions, Kenya wheat varieties have outyielded Rhodesian and Mexican varieties, although the Rhodesian variety Zambezi II produced consistently good yields. In trials of barley varieties from five countries, the Danish malting-barley hybrid Carlsberg produced high yields.