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Visiting researcher combat maize pests with a functional biological approach
Published: 23 November 2017
John Bosco Muhumuza from Makerere University and the Mbarara Zonal Agricultural Research & Development Institute in Uganda is currently visiting SLU and CBC. He is investigating solutions to the invasive fall armyworm and termites that are a great threat to sustainable maize production in Uganda.
John Bosco’s project is called "Exploiting functional vegetation heterogeneity in management of invasive fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and pestiferous termites in Ugandan maize fields". It is part of an interdisciplinary research and training program on building capabilities to develop innovations for sustainable intensification of maize based cropping systems. The goal is to improve productivity, food security and resilience to climate change in Uganda.
– At the end of this project I hope to have a clear understanding on how, when and where functionally vegetation diverse maize based farming systems are associated with minimum pressure of arthropod pests especially invasive fall armyworm and termites.Emphasis will be on understanding the contribution of different diversity mediated effects of natural insect predators in the system. This will serve as a guide for designing sustainable diverse maize based farming systems targeting effective management of devastating maize pests, notably fall armyworm and termites, says John Bosco Muhumuza.
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Examining the extent of fall armyworm damage on a maize plant.
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Maize productivity remains low in small-scale farm systems
Maize crop production in Uganda is, like in other African countries, dominated by small scale farmers and the crop is very important in the livelihoods of many people. For example, maize contributes to over 30% of total human dietary calorie intake. Unfortunately, in the region, maize productivity in these small-scale farm dominated systems remains low.
The fall army worm and termites threatens maize production
Currently in Uganda, invasive fall armyworm and termites are a great threat to sustainable maize production. Their damage contributes to chronic hunger, food and income insecurity.
– The management of these pests has heavily relied on the chemical control approaches. This is not only inappropriate to resource poor farmers in terms of affordability, but also has a negativ impact on ecosystem services derived from biodiversity, says John Bosco Muhumuza.
– For many years, diverse agroecosystems have been noticed to be associated with less pest pressures than monocrop systems. Majority of small-scale farmers in the region traditionally practice mixed cropping though not deliberately targeting associated pests control ecosystem services. Therefore, development of habitat diversification based approaches are promising alternative to detrimental pesticides in management of invasive fall armyworm and termites for sustainable maize yields, continues John Bosco.
A PhD project to harness regulating and provisioning ecosystem services
Johnbosco Muhumuza obtained his MSc. In Crop Science at Makerere University in 2013. Currently, he is employed under National Agricultural Research Organisation as a Research Officer/Crop Entomologist based at Mbarara Zonal Agricultural Research & Development Institute (MBAZARDI) since 2012.
– My PhD Project enable me to combine agroecological intensification of maize based farming system in Uganda with legume integration as a core component for harnessing regulating and provisioning ecosystem services, says John Bosco.
So, what are John Bosco up to when he is not working?
– I have a family with four children (one girl and three boys) and most of my free time I spend it on my family playing and listening to their stories. At the same time, I also like going out with friends for a bottle of beer and wine.