Presented by

Mustapha Ceesay
Dept. of Crop & Soil Sciences

Tuesday, February 29, 2000
3:30-4:30 PM
135 Emerson Hall

Abstract

Upland rice is mainly grown under a shifting cultivation system involving slashing and burning of virgin forest to acquire new and more fertile lands. Environmental concerns and increasing human density is making this practice less desirable, and research on a more permanent cropping of the land is being promoted. One strategy to facilitate cultivation of the same piece of upland rice field without high input of human and fossil energy, nutrients, and biochemicals is the use of low input rice varieties. This is a major challenge for research, because upland rice often needs a high level of fertilization and management. The West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) and National programs in West Africa has embarked on developing varieties primarily from selections among African varieties and exotic varieties. In this respect a 3-year varietal screening exercise was conducted in the Gambia. .