Publications by authors named "C Magorokosho"
Article Synopsis
- Monitoring genetic gains is essential for improving breeding programs, and this study is the first to analyze two decades of data for Zimbabwe's maize breeding efforts from 2002 to 2021.
- The research evaluated 107 intermediate and 162 advanced variety trials across various stress conditions, finding significant increases in grain yield (28-35 kg ha per year) in different environments, although plant and ear height remained unchanged.
- Key improvements included reduced stalk and root lodging and lower susceptibility to diseases, indicating progress in overcoming challenges, but the study also emphasizes the need for new breeding technologies to enhance genetic gains further.
Article Synopsis
- - The study analyzes genetic trends in maize breeding pipelines at CIMMYT across eastern/southern Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, using data from over 4,000 trials and 34,000 entries conducted globally over the last decade.
- - Genetic improvements in grain yield were significant, with increases recorded at rates of 138 kg/ha/year in Eastern/Southern Africa, 118 kg/ha/year in South Asia, and 143 kg/ha/year in Latin America.
- - The research indicates that success in genetic improvement is linked to the use of new breeding technologies, effective phenotyping networks, and stable funding, exemplified by the Eastern Africa Product Profile 1a pipeline achieving a 2.46%
Seed security is vital for food security. Rapid-cycle, climate-adaptive breeding programs and seed systems that deliver new, elite varieties to farmers to replace obsolete ones can greatly improve the productivity of maize-based cropping systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the importance and benefits of accelerated varietal turnover to climate change adaptation and food security, the rate of maize varietal replacement in SSA is slow.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMacro and micronutrient deficiencies pose serious health challenges globally, with the largest impact in developing regions such as subSaharan Africa (SSA), Latin America and South Asia. Maize is a good source of calories but contains low concentrations of essential nutrients. Major limiting nutrients in maize-based diets are essential amino acids such as lysine and tryptophan, and micronutrients such as vitamin A, zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntensive public sector breeding efforts and public-private partnerships have led to the increase in genetic gains, and deployment of elite climate-resilient maize cultivars for the stress-prone environments in the tropics. Maize (Zea mays L.) plays a critical role in ensuring food and nutritional security, and livelihoods of millions of resource-constrained smallholders.
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