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Project Record

Objectives:

Pathways for the equitable uptake of technologies from plant science programme outputs identified, piloted and promoted.

Background:

There is ample evidence that poor crop establishment is a widespread constraint of crop production in developing countries, particularly in the marginal environments farmed by poor people. Patchy plant stands are common, and yields are often reduced simply because there are not enough plants in the field. In addition, plants that do eventually emerge often grow slowly, and are highly susceptible to stresses such as drought, pests and diseases. Farmers can choose to re-sow, although this entails severe yield penalties and increased labour and financial costs, and there is evidence from India that borrowing to pay for replacement seed can initiate or add to a spiral of indebtedness. Clearly, anything that can be done to increase the proportion of seeds that emerge, and the rate at which they do so, will have a large impact on farmers' livelihoods. Low, unstable yields are a major contributor to the fragile lives of poor farmers in marginal areas. Low-cost, low-risk interventions that increase and stabilise yields will have a large impact on the livelihoods of such farmers.

Intended Outputs:

Benefits of seed priming validated by farmers in at least six countries.

Benefits of seed priming validated by farmers in at least three production systems.

Increased awareness of the value of seed priming with research, extension and development agencies in at leasat four countries.

Increased awareness of the value of a participatory approach with research, extension and development agencies in at least four countries.

Experiences with seed priming shared with institutions from non-collaborating countries.

Impact of seed priming quantified for at least four countries.

Greater understanding of the process of farmer-to-farmer spread of seed priming knowledge.

Progress and Impact:

Trials were funded by the project in eight countries (Cameroon, Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Nepal, India and Pakistan) on 13 crops (rice, maize, wheat, barley, sorghum, pearl millet, cowpea, bambara groundnut, chickpea, lentil, mung bean, blackgram and niger). Responses to seed priming were generally positive, although not all trials are complete.

In Pakistan, priming gave a mean increase of 31% from 2 on-station RBD trials with sorghum, an average 26% increase with pearl millet (from 3 trials) and an average 20% increase with maize (2 trials). The mung bean average (from 4 experiments) increase was 69%, but included a 206% increase from one 4-rep RBD.

Non-project-funded trials were instigated in Bangladesh (chickpea, India (pearl mlllet, finger millet, rice, chickpea, maize) and Senegal (pearl millet, groundnut).

Registration of seed priming as a recommended practice was discussed at ministerial level in Pakistan (after only one year's trials).

Funding of work on seed priming was implemented or proposed by the British Embassy, Senegal, DFID Crop Protection Programme (ongoing project R7189 and proposed project on IPM in Nepal) and the Eastern India Rainfed Farming Project, India (DFID bilateral project).

Institutional information has been collated for production of a web page. The first season's data will be included on the web page and will allow the production of the first edition of a newsletter.

Trials funded by the project continued in 10 countries (Bangladesh, Cameroon, Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Thailand) on 14 crops (rice, maize, wheat, barley, sorghum, pearl millet, cowpea, cotton, chickpea, lentil mungbean, blackgram, pigeonpea and niger).

Non-project-funded trials continued in Bangladesh (chickpea), Bolivia (wheat), India (finger millet, rice, chickpea, maize), Kyrgyzstan (various crops), Mexico (wheat), Pakistan (wheat, groundnut, maize) and Zimbabwe (pearl millet, sorghum, cowpea, Bambara groundut, maize).

There was continued interest from researchers and NGOs around the world and information on priming was supplied to a large number of groups.

OFSP adopted from Farmer Field Schools in Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Widespread use of OFSP in NWFP, Pakistan. Promotion by DoA, BARI and BRRI, Bangladesh of OFSP for chickpea in rice fallows.

Paired-plot trials adopted by On-Farm Research Division of BARI, Bangladesh (also linked to R7540).
Presentations were made at WARDA, and at two meetings in Nepal: the Nepal Maize Symposium; and a project-funded workshop in Bharatpur.
An additional uptake and impact study was implemented in Zimbabwe.

Trials funded by the project continued in 13 countries (Bangladesh, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Thailand, Zimbabwe) on 14 crops (rice, maize, wheat, barley, sorghum, pearl millet, cowpea, cotton, chickpea, lentil, mungbean, blackgram, pigeonpea and niger).

Non-project-funded trials continued in Bangladesh (chickpea), Bolivia (wheat), India (finger millet, rice, chickpea, maize), Kyrgyzstan (various crops), Mexico (wheat), Pakistan (wheat, groundnut, maize) and Zimbabwe (pearl millet, sorghum, cowpea, Bambara groundnut, maize).

There was continued interest from researchers and NGOs around the world and information on priming was supplied to a large number of groups.

OFSP adopted for Farmer Field Schools in Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Widespread use of OFSP in NWFP, Pakistan. Official promotion by DoA, BARI and BRRI, Bangladesh of OFSP for chickpea in rice fallows.

Paired-plot trials adopted by On-Farm Research Division of BARI, Bangladesh (also linked to

General Notes:

See also the TECA Record Soaking seeds (seed priming) to improve crop yields using participatory approaches

Publications:

Chivasa W, Harris D, Chiduza C, Mashingaidze AB, Nyamudeza P. (2000). Determination of optimum on farm seed priming time for maize (Zea Mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L Moench) for use in semi-arid agriculture to improve crop stand establishment. Tanzanian Journal of Agricultural Sciences (in press)



Harris D (2000). Participatory testing of on-farm seed priming for direct-seeded rice: a suggested approach for farmer-implemented trials. In: The flame spreads into 2000. Proceedings of the participatory rice improvement and gender/use analysis workshop (PRIGA). 17-21 April 2000. Bouake, Cote d'Ivoire. West Africa Rice Development Association, pp 17-21



Harris D, Khan PA, Gothkar P, Joshi A, Chivasa W, Nyamudeza P (2001). On-farm seed priming: using participatory methods to revive and refine a key technology. Agricultural Systems. (in press)



Harris D, Raghuwanshi BS, Gangwar JS, Singh SC, Joshi KD, Rashid A, Hollington PA. (2001). Participatory evaluation by farmers of on-farm seed priming in wheat in India, Nepal and Pakistan. Experimental Agriculture. (in press)



Rashid A, Harris D, Hollington PA and Khattak RA. (2002). On-farm seed priming: a key technology for improving the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers on saline lands. Pp 423-431 in: R. Ahmad and K.A. Malik (eds.) 'Prospects for Saline Agriculture'. Kluwer Academic Publishers. The Netherlands.



Kumar A, Gangwar JS, Prasad SC and Harris D. (2002). 'On-farm' seed priming increases yield of direct-sown finger millet (Eleusine coracana) in India. International Sorghum and Millets Newsletter 43: 90-92.



Harris D, Tripathi RS and Joshi A. (2002). 'On-farm' seed priming to improve crop establishment and yield in dry direct-seeded rice. Pp. 231-240 in: Pandey, S., Mortimer, M., Wade, L., Tuong, T.P., Lopez, K., and Hardy, B., editors. 2002. Proceedings of the International Workshop on Direct Seeding in Asian Rice Systems: Strategic Research Issues and Opportunities, 25-28 January 2000, Bangkok, Thailand. Los Banos (Philippines): International Rice Research Institute. 383 pp.



Harris D, Rashid A, Hollington PA, Jasi L and Riches C. (2002). Prospects of improving maize yields with 'on-farm' seed priming. Pp 180-185 in: N.P. Rajbhandari, J.K. Ransom, K. Adikhari and A.F.E. Palmer (eds) 'Sustainable Maize Production Systems for Nepal': Proceedings of a Maize Symposium held, December 3-5, 2001, Kathmandu, Nepal. Kathmandu: NARC and CIMMYT.



Harris D, Kumar Rao JVDK and Kumar J. (2002). 'On-farm' seed priming. Pp. 86-88 in: 'Dissemination of technologies enhancing smallholder income in sub-Saharan Africa: Science with a human face.' Proceedings of an International Workshop held to discuss ICRISAT and World Vision International Partnerships, Myers, R.J.K., Abirifin, A. and Jones, R.B. (eds.) 2002. ICRISAT - Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, 20-23 Nov., 2000.



Harris D. (2002). 'On-farm' seed priming for better crops in marginal areas of developing countries. Pages 128-134 in: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture for Food, Energy and Industry (Ed. Li Dajue) held 8-13 September 2002, Beijing, China. Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.



Harris D. (2002). On-farm seed priming to increase yield of crops and reduce risk of crop failure in marginal areas of developing countries. Pages 1509-1511 in: Second International Agronomy Congress on Balancing Food and Environmental Security - A Continuing Challenge (Extended Summaries) held New Delhi, India, 26-30 November 2002. Indian Society of Agronomy, Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Indian National Academy of Sciences.



Harris D. (2003). Reducing risk and increasing yields from rainfed crops in Africa using 'on-farm' seed priming. Pages 87-88 in Abstracts: 'Harnessing Crop Technologies to Alleviate Hunger and Poverty in Africa', 6th Biennial Conference of the African Crop Science Society, Hilton Nairobi Hotel, Kenya, 12th - 16th October, 2003.



Rashid A, Harris D, Hollington PA and Rafiq M. (2004). Improving the yield of Mungbean (Vigna Radiata) in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan using on-farm seed priming. Experimental Agriculture 40: 223-244.



Rashid A, Harris D, Hollington PA and Ali S. (2004). On-farm seed priming reduces yield losses of mungbean (Vigna radiata) associated with mungbean yellow mosaic virus in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Crop Protection 23: 1119-1124.



Rashid, A., Harris, D., Hollington, P.A. & Ali, S. (2004). On-farm seed priming reduces yield losses of mungbean (Vigna radiata) associated with mungbean yellow mosaic virus in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Crop Protection 23: 1119-1124.



Rashid, A., Harris, D., Hollington, P.A. & Rafiq, M. (2004). Improving the yield of mungbean (Vigna radiata) in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan using on-farm seed priming. Experimental Agriculture 40 (2): 233-244.



Harris, D. (2004). On-farm seed priming reduces risk and increases yield in tropical crops. In: New Directions for a Diverse Planet. Proceedings of the 4th International Crop Science Congress, 26 Sep - 1 Oct. 2004, Brisbane, Australia.



Harris, D., Breese, W.A. and Kumar Rao, J.V.D.K. (2004). The improvement of crop yield in marginal environments using 'on-farm' seed priming: nodulation, nitrogen fixation and disease resistance. In 'Adaptation of Plants to Water-Limited Mediterranean Environments', Floreat, WA, 20-24 September, 2004. CSIRO, Australia.



Harris, D. Rashid, A. Arif, M. and Yunas, M. (2004). Alleviating micronutrient deficiencies in alkaline soils of North West Frontier Province of Pakistan: on-farm seed priming with zinc in wheat and chickpea. In 'International Workshop on Agricultural Strategies to Reduce Micronutrient Problems in Mountains and Other Marginal Areas in South and South East Asia'. Kathmandu, 8-10 September, 2004. Nepal Agricultural Research Council.



Harris, D. and Mottram, A. (2004). Practical hydration of seeds of tropical crops: 'on-farm' seed priming. In 'Seed Science and Technology: Trends and Advances', ed. A.S. Basra. The Howarth Press (in press).

Associated References:

R6395, R7189