Identification of Farmers’ Preferred Varieties through Participatory Variety Selection Approaches in Western Hills of Nepal

KB Koirala, YR Pandey, DB Gurung, SR Subedi and S Thapa

Introduction

Maize is the most important crop in the hills of Nepal and ranks first in terms of area and production

Maize contributes about 3.15% in national gross domestic product (GDP) and 9.5% in agricultural gross domestic product (AGDP)

Maize occupies 40.6% area of the total crops in the hills

It contributes 43.5% of total edible food production

70.23% of the total maize is grown in the hills

Yield difference between improved and local maize is 687 kg/ha at the same level of management

Out of the total maize area in the hills (614843 ha), 34.14% belongs to western hills with 2356 kg/ha productivity

86.77% maize is utilized for human consumption

Opportunities have not been given to farmers to select varieties of their choices

Materials and Methods

Varieties identified promising and newly released were tested in farmers’ fields to get feedback and identify farmers’ preferred varieties in different trials:

I. Farmers' field trials (FFT):

6-8 varieties, 6 rows of 3m long, 75cm x 25cm, N:P:K:120:60:40, 5-7 replications

II. Informal research and development (IRD) and Farmers’ acceptance test (FAT)

Activity FAT IRD

Variety FS FS

Manakamana 1, 3, 5, 6,

Deuti, Poshilo 1

Manakamana 1, 3, 4, 5 ,6,

Deuti, Poshilo 1

(S99TLWQ-HG-AB)

District Gorkha, Lamjung, Tanahun,

Kaski, Parbat, Baglung,

Gulmi, Myagdi,

Arghakhanchi

Gorkha, Syangja, Palpa,

Gulmi and Arghakhanchi

Set dist. 1800 750

FBack Rec 993 643

IRD Distribution

V1 L V3 L V4 L V2 L V5 L

Mother-Baby Trials

Farm 1 Farm 2 Farm 3 Farm 4 Farm 5

V2 L V5 L V3 L V5 L V4 L

Farm 6 Farm 7 Farm 8 Farm 9 Farm 10

V1 L V3 L Farm 11 Farm 12

MOTHER TRIALS (MTs) Var. 1 Var. 2 Var. 3 Var. 4 Var. 5 Local

Farm 26 Var. 1 Var. 2 Var. 3 Var. 4 Var. 5 Local

Farm 27 BABY TRAILS (BTs)

V1 L V3 L V2 L V5 L V4 L Farm 13 Farm 14 Farm 15 Farm 16 Farm 17

V4 L V4 L V2 L V5 L V1 L

Farm 18 Farm 19 Farm 20 Farm 21 Farm 22

V1 L V3 L V2 L

Farm 23 Farm 24 Farm 25

Figure 1: Layout plan of a mother-baby trail of five varieties (improved) and

one local in five farms (households), V1-V5 = New QPM varieties, L = Local

variety compared with V1-V5

Objectives

Disseminating improved released and pipeline maize varieties in the western hills of Nepal focusing DAGs

Identifying farmers’ preferred maize varieties through feedback given by the farmers on various traits

Manakamana 5

Manakamana 6

Traits compared by the farmers (Household Level Questionnaires)

Germination (1=better, 2=same, 3=worse)

Plant height (1=shorter, 2=same, 3=taller)

Traits compared by the farmers

Insect/pests problem (1=less, 2=same, 3=more)

Lodging problem (1=less, 2=same, 3=more)

Stay green character (1=stay green, 2=same, 3=dry)

Maturity (1=early, 2=same, 3=late)

• Grain yield (1=higher, 2=same, 3=lower)

Traits compared by the farmers

Taste of roasted green cob (1=better, 2=same, 3=worse)

Grit recovery (1=more, 2=same, 3=less)

Taste of grits, bread, roasted grains (1=better, 2=same, 3=worse)

Identifying Farmers’ Preferences

Traits compared by the farmers

Grain size (1=larger, 2=same, 3=smaller)

Store grain pests (1=less, 2=same, 3=more)

Finally, Focus group discussion is organized, 5-6 farmers in a group, Separate male and female groups to avoid mail dominance during discussion. Same questions as in HLQ

Field Visit Field Visit

Discussion with Farmers Field Visit Field Visit

FGD

Discussion with farmers

SN Entry

50%

silk Plt Ht Er Ht kg/ha

1 Across 9942 x Across 9944 77 225 109 3953

2 Open ended White Hill Pool 76 232 108 3828

7 Farmers' local (Thulo Pahenlo) 80 253 125 3468

6 Deuti 76 214 99 3191

Grand mean 77 215 97 3283

CV (%) 4.72 13.63 21.96 18.7

F Test ns ** ** ns

LSD(0.05) - 38.3 27.8 -

CFFT Full Season (Combined over locations)

Ent: 7, Rep:5

MT FS, Palpa and Gulmi Entry: 7, Replication:4

Entry

Pl Ht GY, kg/ha

WF WoF WF WoF

Deuti 270 267 6035 4808

Manakamana 6 263 269 4824 4302

Mana 3 286 277 4713 4663

Poshilo Makai 1 243 240 4128 3879

F. Local 232 345 3363 3223

Baby combined over locations

Trait

Mana 3 Mana 4 Mana 5 Mana 6 Deuti Posh 1

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

Pl Ht 23 0 2 22 1 2 17 6 2 20 5 0 22 2 1 18 5 2

IP Prob 14 11 0 16 9 0 11 14 0 11 14 0 8 17 0 14 9 2

Lod Prb 23 1 1 19 3 3 20 1 4 19 3 3 22 3 0 22 2 1

SG char 19 4 2 18 6 1 22 2 1 17 3 5 23 2 0 18 3 4

Maturity 20 5 0 17 6 2 16 9 0 19 6 0 17 6 2 20 5 0

Prodn 20 5 0 18 6 1 23 2 0 19 5 1 19 5 1 19 4 2

Stor IP 7 18 0 4 21 0 4 21 0 8 17 0 8 17 0 6 19 0

Pln Nt Yr 18 7 0 20 3 2 21 4 0 22 2 1 22 2 1 16 9 0

*1: Better than local, 2: Similar to local, 3: Worse than local; **: Number of respondents supporting the point

IRD (FS) Palpa

Trait

Mana 5 Mana 6 Deuti

1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3

Pl Ht 67 8 3 55 5 1 15 3 2

IP Problem 49 11 18 53 4 4 9 7 4

Lod Problem 63 7 8 50 10 1 17 1 2

SG character 68 4 6 45 9 7 16 2 2

Maturity 49 21 8 48 9 4 8 6 6

Production 69 7 2 58 2 1 18 0 2

Storage IP 55 13 10 51 7 3 10 2 8

Plan Nxt Yr 71 2 5 53 6 2 14 4 2

Total rec 78 61 20

Farmers’ Training

S01SIWQ-3 Arun 2

Farmers’ variety Poshilo Makai 1 Deuti

Poshilo Makai 1

Deuti

Poshilo Makai 1 Manakamana 3

Manakamana 6

Manakamana 1

Manakamana 6

Manakamana 5

Arun 2

S01SIWQ-3

Technology dissemination through press

Conclusion Participatory variety selection is most effective for

identification, promotion and dissemination of farmers’ preferred improved variety within a possible shortest period of time, and helps reach to unreached

Majority of the farmers preferred Mana-3, Deuti, Mana 5, Mana 6 and Poshilo 1 for their higher yield, non-lodging, stay green character, bold grain size, acceptable colour and taste.

Majority of the respondents have planned to plant these improved varieties in coming years too.