Africa: Maize Gene Could Lure Natural Enemies of Crop Pests

23 July 2020

Nairobi — Scientists have identified genes in local maize varieties that can fight off stemborers by summoning their natural enemies, raising hopes for pest-resistant varieties for African smallholders, a study says.

Stemborer -- an insect larva that bores in plant stems -- is causing smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa yield losses of about US$1.5 billion a year and negatively affecting the livelihoods of nearly 300 million people, according to the study.

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