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First NERICA rice released in Uganda tops farmers’ rankings  J. Lamo, J. Imanywoha, G. Bigirwa, M. Walusimbi, D. Kyetere, J. Kikafunda, and T. Kalule, National Agricultural Research Organization, National Crops Resources Research Institute, P. O. Box 7084, Kampala, Uganda E-mail: lamojim@gmail.com, lamo_jim2000@yahoo.com    Rice production in Uganda is growing fast and there is an accelerated shift from other cereals such as maize, millet, and sorghum to rice. In spite of this and the increase in rice consumption, the country is still not self-sufficient in rice. Uganda meets this gap through importation valued at US$30–50 million annually. Because of the huge domestic demand and the fact that rice gives a higher rate of return on investment (output to input ratio of 1.83 compared with hybrid maize [1.2] and sorghum [1.6]) (Kijima et al 2006), this crop’s contribution to agriculture is undoubtedly enormous. Earlier emphasis was given to irrigated rice, but, from 1990, government priority shifted to upland rice because of environmental concerns on the continued use of wetlands for rice production. This alternative was considered achievable, considering that about 70% of the country is suitable for double cropping of rainfed rice. A key initiative geared at promoting upland rice was the varietal improvement program of the National Crops Resources Research Institute, Namulonge (previously the Namulonge Research Station), under the auspices of the National Agricultural Research Organization. This culminated in the introduction of a few exotic varieties that entered the farmers’ production system. They replaced landraces with long growth duration, which were not suitable for areas with short or marginal rainfall. The new varieties were fairly tolerant of most major biotic stresses, except rice blast. A total of 110 varieties and breeding lines from the Africa Rice Center-West Africa Rice Development Association (ARC-WARDA), now the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), were tested on-farm in the 1999 rainy season to identify materials with acceptable phenotypic scores and short to medium growth duration (95–125 d) (Anonymous 2005, 2007). Of these, 10 varieties were advanced for on-farm and on-station evaluation in five key locations. Variety selection was conducted using participatory evaluation procedures. Three varieties—NERICA-4, IRAT257, and IRAT325—were nominated for release on the basis of their superiority over local variety IRAT112 (IRAT13/Dourado Precoce). They were endorsed by the Variety Release Committee in 2002 as NERICA-4, NARIC-1, and NARIC-2, respectively (Table 1). Variety NERICA-4

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(WAB450-I-B-P-91-HB) was developed by ARC-WARDA from the cross WAB56-104/CG 14//WAB56-104. It is the first New Rice for Africa (NERICA) released in Uganda. IRAT257 (NARIC-1) and IRAT325 (NARIC-2) are breeding lines developed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan.  Table 1. Morphological characteristics and performance of NERICA-4 compared with other non-NERICA varieties released in 2002.  Characteristic NERICA-4 NARIC-1 NARIC-2 IRAT112 Former designation NERICA-4 IRAT257 IRAT325 IRAT112 Cultivar pedigree WAB 450-I-B-P-

91-HB Introduced Introduced IRAT13/Dourado

Precoce Production area Upland Upland Upland Upland Leaf blade color Dark green Green Green Green Awn presence Partially present Absent Absent Absent Stigma color White White Yellow White Phenotypic acceptability Good Good Excellent Fair Growth duration (d) 125 115 120 98 Leaf length-width ratio 32 ± 1.9 38 ± 4.5 35 ± 3.2 33 ± 0.8 Leaf blade color Green Green Dark green Green Flag-leaf angle Horizontal Horizontal Horizontal Horizontal Panicle length (cm) 20.1 23 23 22 Spikelet sterility Highly fertile Highly fertile Highly fertile Fertile Culm lodging None None None None Tillering ability 11.7 ± 1.1 13.4 ± 1 11.6 ± 1.1 10 ± 0.9 Panicle exsertion Well-exserted Well-exserted Well-exserted Well-exserted Shattering Moderate to low Low Low Low Grain shape Slender Slender Slender Medium Seed coat color (bran) Brown Straw Straw Straw 1,000-grain weight (g) 30.1 28.0 29.2 27.1 Reaction to blast Resistant Resistant Resistant Susceptible Scent (aroma) Scented Nonscented Nonscented Nonscented Grain yield (four seasons, t ha–1) 3.6 3.4 3.5 2.7 Performance (grain yield, t ha–1) across locations (districts) in 2001 season

Pallisa 1.48 1.48 1.35 0.87 Bugiri 3.61 3.61 3.54 2.60 Apac 4.07 4.19 4.01 3.11 Lira 3.51 3.97 3.32 2.86 Kamwenge 4.91 4.75 4.62 4.06 Across locations 3.52 3.60 3.37 2.70 Rank 2 1 3 4 A survey was conducted in 2007 in Uganda’s northern, eastern, and western regions covering six major upland rice-growing areas. They comprise traditional (northern and eastern) and new (western) rice-farming areas in the country (Abong 1999, Kijima et al 2006). Lira and Dokolo districts from the northern zone, Iganga and Bugiri from the eastern zone, and Masindi from the

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western zone were selected; two to three subcounties were sampled per district for the survey. Results revealed that NERICA-4 was the most widely grown variety, with up to 78% of the respondents growing it; NARIC-2 was second (14%) and NARIC-1 was fourth (8%). Of the varieties released in 2002, farmers preferred NERICA-4 because of its resistance to rice blast, stable yield across locations, and semi-aromatic traits. Table 2. Farmers’ preferences (%) of different rice varieties in several districts in Uganda. 

Districts Variety

Lira Dokolo Iganga Bugiri Masindi

Overall Mean Rank χ2a

NERICA-4 100 81.4 94.3 57.1 58.6 391.4 78.28 1 64.8 NARIC-2 NR NR NR 58.6 12.9 71.5 14.3 2 147.2 SIENA NR NR NR 14.3 25.7 40 8 5 51.9

SUPARICA-1 NR 10 25.7 5.7 27.1 68.5 13.7 3 34.9

SUPA 10 17.1 NR NR 1.4 28.5 5.7 7 30.2 NARIC-1 15.7 1.4 1.4 4.3 18.6 41.4 8.28 4 25 TOX 9 NR NR NR 5.7 11.4 17.1 3.42 8 22.1 NERICA-10 5.7 NR NR NR 1.4 7.1 1.42 9 12.2** IRAT112 NR 2.9 NR NR 1.4 4.3 0.86 10 5.4** NERICA-1 7.1 10 NR 11.4 10 38.5 7.7 6 8.3** TOX 4 NR NR NR NR 1.4 1.4 0.28 11 4.0** TOX 5 NR NR NR NR 1.4 1.4 0.28 11 4.0** Congo NR NR NR NR 0.8 0.8 0.16 13 4.0** bChi-square 138.5 122.8 121.4 157.1 172.1 142.38c aChi-square calculated for each row, at df = (5–1) = 4, *=significance at 5%, **=significance at 1%, tabulated values at 0.05 and 0.01 probability level are 9.49 and 13.28, respectively. bChi-square calculated value = 310.486 and tabulated values at 0.05 and 0.01 probability level are 67.5 and 76.15, respectively, at df = (13–1)*(5–1) = 48. NR = data not recorded. cTotal is more than 100 because of multiple responses.    References Abong PS. 1999. Sustainable development in Uganda: the case of the Olweny Swamp Rice

Irrigation Project (OSRIP), Dublin University College, Dublin. Dublin (Ireland): Dublin University Press. 196 p.

Anonymous. 2005. Participatory multiplication and testing of improved upland rice varieties in Uganda. Final project report of the Cereals Research Program, Namulonge Agricultural and Animal Production Research Institute submitted to the Rockefeller Foundation (Food Security Project No. FS 53).

Anonymous. 2007. Variety release application for two upland rice varieties in 2007. Special report of the Cereals Research Program, Namulonge Agricultural and Animal Production Research Institute submitted to the Rockefeller Foundation (Food Security Project, Participatory Evaluation of Upland Rice Varieties and Determination of Appropriate Crop Management Practices in Uganda, No. FS 065). 32 p.

Kijima Y, Sserunkuuma D, Otsuka K. 2006. How revolutionary is the NERICA revolution? Evidence from Uganda. Dev. Econ. 44(2):252-267.

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Acknowledgment This study was supported by the Rockefeller Foundation (Food Security Project No. 53 awarded to the National Agricultural Research Organization).