Promotion of Striga Tolerant Maize Variety in Tudun Saibu, Soba Local Government Are, Kaduna State

On- farm demonstration was conducted at Tudun Saibu in Soba LGA Kaduna State, Nigeria during the 2012wet season to create awareness, training and establishment of demonstration plot to compare the performance of improved maize Striga-tolerant variety Acr. 97 TZL Comp. 1-W strip cropped with soyabeans (TGX 1448-2E) as a trap crop and farmers’ variety planted sole to control or manage Striga hermonthica. A group of fifty-seven farmers were purposively selected as maize farmers group. This selection was done in consultation with the group, village head, Village Extension Agents in charge of the area, availability of land infested with striga and inputs. . The demonstrations were conducted on two farmers’ plots infested with Striga. The two plots were planted side by side (experimental and control plots) for farmers themselves to compare the performance. Simple descriptive statistics and t-test analysis were employed to treat the data. The results indicated that improved maize Striga-tolerant variety, strip- cropped with soyabeans significantly produced higher yield of 18.90kg and the farmer's variety was 7.52kg.Also, the striga-tolerant maize variety was taller than the farmers’ variety planted sole with 234.73cm and 153.70cm respectively, Based on this study it was concluded that strip cropping of soyabean with Striga-tolerant maize variety assisted in controlling Striga hermonthica, which resulted in increase in yield, and could lead to improvement in standard of living of the farmers. The study recommended the use of soyabean as a trap crop for control of Striga, the use of Striga- tolerant maize variety, Acr. 97 TZL Comp. 1-W for control of Striga. The extension staff at all levels should be trained to educate the farmers on this technology.