Evaluation of quality protein maize inbred lines for resistance to maize weevil Sitophilus zeamais (Coleoptera: curculionidae) and other important agronomic traits

Maize is the most important crop in Ethiopia since it is a staple
food crop which is widely grown by most smallholder farmers.
The necessity to increase maize production cannot be over
emphasized; in Ethiopia it ranks first in terms of production,
productivity, number of producers and next to teff in area coverage.
Subsistence maize farming accounts for more than 95%
of the total maize area and production, with 75% of all maize
produced being consumed by the farming household. Despite
its high productivity, maize grain is a poor source of balanced
protein for human consumption. QPM is a variety of maize
with elevated levels of the amino acids tryptophan and lysine,
which translates to a nutritionally-beneficial protein quality of
double typical maize. This fact allows QPM maize to have an
impact on the nutrition of families subsisting on diets consisting
mainly of maize. Maize weevil is the cause of major storage
loss and significantly affects household food security of the
small-holder sector in Ethiopia.

Author(s): Girma Demissie, Bitew Tilahun, Midekissa Dida, Adefiris Teklewold, Dagne Wegary

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