This document discusses a project to mitigate the effects of Napier grass smut and stunt diseases on smallholder dairy farmers in Kenya and Uganda. Napier grass is an important feed for dairy cows, but smut and stunt diseases severely reduce grass production, limiting available feed. The project conducted surveys, collected grass varieties, tested varieties for disease resistance and nutritional quality, and identified more tolerant varieties. It also developed molecular diagnostics for the diseases, trained partners, and shared information with smallholders to raise awareness and promote best practices for managing the diseases. The goal is to ensure smallholder farmers have productive, disease-free Napier grass to feed their cows and support their families.

1. Napier grass smut and stunt resistance ASARECA Project 06/RC01-FC-2-02 (LFP PRJ 12) A partnership approach to mitigate the effects of Napier diseases on smallholder dairy Presented at the ASARECA/ILRI Workshop on Mitigating the Impact of Napier Grass Smut and Stunt Diseases, Addis Ababa, June 2-3, 2010

2. Napier grass is grown extensively in Kenya and Uganda by smallholder farmers as feed for stall fed dairy cows

3. Napier grass smut and stunt both severely reduce plant biomass production. This is limiting feed availability for smallholder farmers Napier grass smut Napier grass stunt

4. Effect of Napier grass stunt on fodder yield, Uganda 2007 2009

5. Surveys and collections Technical progress Uganda Kenya Tanzania

6. Morphological characterisation and biomass trials in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda Napier grass from national collections selected for replicate trials on basis of disease resistance, high yield and variation in morphology Napier grass characterised for morphological traits using standard protocol. Traits can be used to select clones desirable to farmers, less hairy and serrated High yielding clones identified in each national trial

7. Nutritional quality and molecular diversity of clones in trials in the region Near Infra Red Spectral analysis Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis M57 M58 M59 M60 M61 M62 M63 M64

8. Disease incidence and severity to identify more disease tolerant clones Replicated trials planted with spreader rows of infected plants for field challenge for stunt Disease scored after each harvest Uganda all clones susceptible to stunt Clones showing tolerance planted for further challenge with vector Promising clones in Kenya and Tanzania

13. Knowledge sharing

15. Thank you to ASARECA and ADB for funding this work which is working to ensure that farmers have productive disease free Napier grass for their cows to help feed and support their families, while meeting ASARECA objectives: