| dc.contributor.author | Nambafu, Godfrey N | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ariga, E.S | |
| dc.contributor.author | Karuku, G.N. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-09-02T12:36:50Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-09-02T12:36:50Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2013 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://repository.mut.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/6636 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Parasitism by Striga weed is the major cause of maize yield losses in the Lake Victoria Basin. Severity
of attack is greater in soils with poor fertility. This study evaluated the effects of two different maize
varieties and inorganic nitrogen sources on striga parasitism and maize yield in Kisumu West, Busia
and Teso South districts of western Kenya. A randomized complete block design with a split-split
plot arrangement replicated six times was used. The districts formed blocks. The parameters
measured in the field included germination count, striga population and maize yield. A combination
of a Striga tolerant variety- WS 303- nitrogen at the rate of 60kgN/ha, in high fertility plots was
superior to other treatments. The lowest striga count at 6, 8 and 10 week after planting (WAP) and the
highest maize grain yield were achieved in the WS 303 maize variety in Kisumu West, Busia and Teso
South districts. Teso South district realized the least striga emergence in the plots with WS 303 maize
variety and thus resulted to high yield. To facilitate proper choice of striga control options and their
uptake by most farmers, this calls for the use of integrated Striga control technologies that give high
yield, increase soil fertility and reduce striga seed bank in farmers’ led field experiments. | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Soil Science Society of East Africa | en_US |
| dc.subject | maize yield, nitrogen fertilizer, Striga parasitism, western Kenya | en_US |
| dc.title | Effect of maize variety and nitrogen fertilizer on striga parasitism and maize yield in western Kenya | en_US |
| dc.type | Article | en_US |
