THE SEED INDUSTRY IN LIBERIA: A CASE STUDY OF RICE (Oryza sativa L.) SEED QUALITY AND SUSTAINABLE SEED HEALTH MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Rice is the staple food in Liberia and despite being largely cultivated throughout the country imports contribute about 75% of the national requirement. Additionally, the seed industry is not well developed nor efficient. This study sought to evaluate the suitability of seed systems and sustainable disease management as a possible cure for this problem of inadequate production. Survey was carried out on 500 smallholder farmers to determine the characteristics of the Liberian farmers and their knowledge on the best agricultural practices. Further, focus group discussions were held with key informants to determine the government policies governing the seed industry and rice production in the country. The data generated from these exercises were analysed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. Five rice varieties namely Yarka, Gizzie, LAC23-red and LAC23- white (local types) and the improved variety, NERICA L-19, were sampled from four counties that grow and produce most rice in Liberia (Montserrado, Nimba, Lofa, and Bong). The seeds were taken to the University of Eldoret seed science lab for the analysis of various seed quality aspects including vigour index, yield and seed health. Botanical extracts from chilli, garlic, ginger, neem and common bean ash were tested to assess their biocide potential against the isolated fungal seed infection. It was found that there was no significant difference in the numbers of male (49.8%) and female (50.2%) rice farmers. However, this was not true across the counties. Two counties had huge disparities between the genders; Montserrado (males 61.1%, females 38.9%) and Nimba (males 30.4%, females 69.6%). On education however, females were less educated compared to their male counterparts and the majority with no prior formal education in all the counties. Only 1.4% of the farmers obtain their seeds from certified seed dealers while the rest obtain their seeds from the various informal seed systems. NERICA-L19, had the best germination rate achieving 90% germination rate. Yarka variety recorded the least weight (19.7g) in all the counties and Nerica had the highest (26.5g). A total of six fungi were isolated from the rice seeds and this included in the order of prevalence; Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Penicillium sp, Pyricularia oryzae, and Fusarium sp). The Aspergillus sp and Penicillium sp were found in all the counties. Seeds from Nimba County were the most infected and all the pathogens listed were isolated from rice seeds sampled from this county. With the exception of Fusarium sp., bean ash was the most efficient botanical extract, completely inhibiting all of the tested fungi. The synthetic fungicide (tebuconazole) provided the best inhibition against the most resistant fungal pathogen, Fusarium sp, at 56% inhibition. Liberia‟s seed industry has no practical governance and both formal and informal seed industry run harphazadly. There is huge gap in the farmers‟ knowledge on government policies governing rice production. Women should be the major targets of enlightenment regarding agricultural practices due to their huge lack of formal education. Policies should be created that strengthen the capacity of formal and informal seed systems to produce improved seeds. NERICA-L 19 appears to be the best rice variety for all the counties under study. Further research should be done to determine whether any of the botanical extracts used in the study can be used to treat disease more sustainably.