Identification of donors for low-nitrogen stress with maize lethal necrosis (MLN) tolerance for maize breeding in sub-Saharan Africa.

After drought, a major challenge to smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa is low-fertility soils with poor nitrogen (N)-supplying capacity. Many challenges in this region need to be overcome to create a viable fertilizer market. An intermediate solution is the development of maize varieties with an enhanced ability to take up or utilize N in severely depleted soils, and to more efficiently use the small amounts of N that farmers can supply to their crops.