Incidence and impacts of MLN in Ethiopia, presented at the International Conference on “MLN Diagnostics and Management in Africa,” organized by AGRA (Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa) and CIMMYT, 12-14 May, 2015

1. Incidence and impacts of Maize Lethal
Necrosis Disease in Ethiopia
By
Girma Demissie
Entomologist
Prepared for the MLN diagnostics and management in
Africa workshop, held 12-14 May, 2015
Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

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Country introduction
 Ethiopia is endowed with huge
potentials for agricultural
development
 Cereal crops like maize are
widely cultivated across a range
of environmental conditions
 However, it has been one of the
food insecure countries in the
world
 The food insecurity in the
country is mainly due to biotic &
abiotic stresses and inadequate
utilization of improved crop
production and protection
technologies by the small-scale
farmers
Map of ET-Regions

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Introduction about maize
•Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the 3 most important cereal crops in the world
together with wheat and rice in terms of area
•In terms of production, however, maize surpasses wheat and rice (FAOSTAT,
2012)
According to CSA 2014, in
Ethiopia:
• Produced on an area of 2.0 M ha
• Occupies more than 21% of all
area allocated to cereal
• 30.1 % of total cereal production
• Total annual grain production of
6.5 million tons
• Grown by the vast majority of
rural household
• Primary food staple; esp. in major
growing areas

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Maize productivity, production and area trend
0
0.5
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1.5
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2.5
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3.5
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0
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7
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
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2001
2002
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2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
‘Mtonsand‘Mha
Yield(Tons/ha) Area ( M ha) Production (M tons)
Maize productivity, production and area has been increasing over the years

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Main production constraints in Ethiopia
Inadequate Improved maize varieties
Limited use of existing maize production technologies
Biotic stresses
Diseases (GLS, Blight, Rust, PLS, MSV, MLN??, others)
Insect pests (MW,AGM, LGB??, SB, Termites, etc)
Abiotic stresses
Declining soil fertility (low N, acidity, Salinity…)
Moisture stress
Drought, etc…..

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MLN Incidence and Impacts

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Outbreak of MLND : when and where occurred?
MLND is new for Africa as MCMV is reported for the first time in
2011 in Kenya (Wangai et al., 2012)
since 2012, spreads rapidly into other ECA countries
Difficult to determine the exact time when and where the
outbreak first occurred in ETH , however, its presence was
confirmed in 2014

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Outbreak of MLND : when and where….
Following reports of an unknown maize disease from
the Upper Awash Valley to MARC (in late June 2014):
All efforts were made by different institutes to identify
the disease
2014, the disease was identified & confirmed as MLND
both at APPRC and CIMMYT: Naivasha, Kenya (by ELISA
method)

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What has been done so far in Ethiopia?
After the occurrence of the disease was assured:-
3 independent preliminary survey conducted in 2014 main-season
• July 24-27, 2014 (EIAR-CR Directorate Office & CIMMYT-Eth)
• Aug 7-10, 2014 (CIMMYT-Eth by inviting res from Naivaisha, K)
• Sept., 02-10, 2014 (MoA, established a technical committee)
• Protocol for MLND identification developed
2014, Eth. enrolled in ASARECA supported regional project:
‘Integrated Management of MLN in ECA’
 6 res. activities are funded by the project including the training
- Core team established & developed implementation plan
- Leaflet & field assessment methodology prepared

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What has been done?………
Field assessment of MLN was done in 4 administrative regions
(both on grain & seed production farms) :
-Oromia, SNNPR, Amhara, & Beneshangul Gumuz
MLND confirmation tests were done in Kenya, Korea and Ethiopia
by different methods
2015 Off-season, field assessment conducted with support of
ASARECA project in 5 regions: Oromia, SNNPR, Amhara, Tigray &
B/Gumuze
 Collection of available maize germplasm for screening under
artificial inoculation and random stress at hotspot area

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Methodology Used for Field Assessment
•Brief discussions with zonal/district agri. experts, & DAs on the
observation, spread & management of MLND
•Administration of questionnaire to farmers/investors
•Distribution &level of damage caused by MLND measured as:
- % incidence: (percentage of infected plants to the total number of plants sampled)
-Severity (1-5 scale)
-Level of yield losses estimated based on visual observations

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Incidence of MLN in Ethiopia (2014 main season assessment)
MLND occurred areas Identification
methods
Incidence
%
Oromia: CRV (UpperAwash, Lume,
Dugda,Meki, Ziway area)
Shashamane area, & East wellega
Zone: Guto Sasiga)
Symptomatically
, serology (ELISA)
and RT-PCR
30-100
SNNPR ( walayita: Duguno fango) Symptomatically 70-100
Amhara(Awi zone: Ankasha woreda) Symptomatically 30-60
Benshangul gumuze(Kamashi zone) Symptomatically 10-100

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Results from ELISA Lab analysis
Field/s where samples were
collected
No.
samples
per field
MCMV+
SCMV
MCMV
ONLY
SCMV
ONLY
No
viru
s
Robani Agricultural Enterprise) 26 16 6 2 2
African Juice (AJTS) 30 7 22 0 1
Adami Tulu Farmers Field around
pesticides Co.
11 1 2 5 3
Farmers fiwld (Alemayo Farm) 5 0 0 0 5
ANKF(Catholic Church Farm) 5 0 0 3 2
Ethiopian Seed Enterprise 4 1 1 0 2
Ethio-vegafru 20 1 13 0 6
Farmers Sugar cane field - Tibla 5 0 3 0 2
FMF/MARC 13 5 4 2 2
Meki-Batu Farmers’ Cooperative
Union
7 1 0 4 2
Total no. samples tested 126 32 51 16 27

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MLND-causing viruses were detected in 99 of the 126 samples
The Great East African Rift
Valley Crossing Ethiopia
= Locations where MLND
detected
Fig 1. Map of Ethiopia showing hypothetical distribution of MLND (2014 main
season)

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2015 off-season: field assessment conducted with support of ASARECA
2015 Off-season, field assessment was conducted in 5
administrative regions (Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, SNNPR &
B/Gumuze)
Both grain and seed production farms were assessed
MLND observed both on smallholders & commercial farms,
More MLND devastation observed in Tigray & Amhara than
Oromia , SNNPR & Benishangul gumuz
• Suspected MLN symptoms were observed at Wereta
and Estern Gojam zone

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Incidence of MLND -2015 off-season
MLND occurred areas Identification
methods
Incidence
%
Tigiray (Mehoni & Alamaxa) Symptomatically 60-100
Oromia: CRV, East & West wellega
Zone, Ilubabor)
Symptomatically 10-60
SNNPR ( Arbaminchi) Symptomatically 10-20
Amhara(Ethio Agri seft, Ayehu farm) Symptomatically 70-100
Benshangul gumuze(Kamashi zone) Symptomatically 0

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Impacts of MLND in Ethiopia
 It seriously affected yields and even caused complete
crop failure in some regions
 The infected plants remain frequently barren; small
or deformed ears and no seed at all.
 Death of livestock which fed on infected grain were
reported from some areas (personal communication)

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Impacts of MLND
Oromia (Upper Awash-Robani farm) : 2014 main season field assessment
Maize devastated, & ploughed to replace by other crops

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Oromia:East Wallega Zone
Totally infected field

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Oromia: Illuababora zone
Completely devastated fields

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SNNPR:Walayita (Duguna Fango)

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Amhara :Awi zone (Ankasha woreda)

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Benishangul .G (kamashi)
set little or no seeds.

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Impacts of MLND -2015 off-season field assessment: South Tigray Zone I. Raya
Azebo District, (Ethio fruit private farm field)
chlorotic, mottle & necrosis

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Impacts of MLND, S. Tigray Zone III. Alamata farmers’ fields) : 2015 off-season
field assessment
Chlorosis & stunted growth
Aphids & molds
Necrotic & premature cob drying
Poor grain filling

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Impacts of MLND, S. Tigray Zone IV. Alamata Agro-Industry,
(General Tsadekan private farm field) : 2015 off-season field assessment
Preparing the devastated field to
replace by another vegetable crop

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Impacts of MLND on certified seed production:
Amhara region, Awi zone, Ankasha woreda (Ayehu Farm P.L.C. ) : 2015 off-season
field assessment
Necrosis & pre mature dried cob, poor seed & mold

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Other relevant activities during field assessment
 The team has made strong efforts in awareness creation:
especially in providing leaflet with the relevant information in
respective local languages for each visited county and zone:
more than 5500 leaflets and broachers were
dispatched;
 On site hand on training was given to more than 2000
peoples to create awareness
Issue that need immediate attention
– Need for additional budget from ASARECA or elsewhere to
conduct intensive research on MLN management

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Conclusion
MLND has spread into almost all major maize producing areas
(based on field assessment conducted during 2 seasons)
Significant impact on grain & seed production has been observed,
 Limited efforts were made in:
- awareness creation of different stakeholders
- development of improved technologies & integrated
management practices

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Recommendations
• Uproot and remove affected plants
• Avoid growing maize in consecutive seasons, opting for
crop rotation or grow alternative crops
• Be aware of specific season and planting time to avoid
spreading of the disease
• Apply good agronomic practices
• Seed dressing followed by chemical spraying for vectors
control under specific circumstances

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Way forward
• Build the capacity of scientists and regulatory agencies to
effectively diagnose MLN-causing viruses in the plant and seed
samples
Establish Maize germplasm screening facility for MLN and Breeding
for resistance (Start screening germplasm locally)
Form new hybrids and breeding populations from resistant sources
Provide responsibility for researchers to bring resistant/tolerant
germplasm from increased screening effort for fast track release of
MLND tolerant varieties
Continue with awareness creation, regular survey and surveillance
Promote good agricultural practices, avoid mono cropping, etc

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“Let us move on with a united spirit and focus on
our just cause for livelihood systems and human
well being which is otherwise unattainable by
acting independently”