Agriculture experts in the country have advised farmers against the use of recycled hybrid maize seeds saying this reduces yields.
According to Leonard Chimwaza,an agriculture expert, the use of recycled hybrid seeds from previous seasons has the potential to reduce national crop yield by 40%.
Chimwaza observed a trend by some farmers who use recycled hybrid seeds due to high prices of certified hybrid seed varieties on the market.
Chimwaza told MIJ Online that farmers who cannot afford to buy certified hybrid seeds should instead use open pollinated varieties (OPVs) whose seeds can be planted and replanted for 3 ties as opposed to hybrid varieties which are supposed to be planted once.
‘Using recycled recycled hybrid seeds does not only reduce crop yields by almost 40%, but they are also prone to elements such us diseases and dry spells’ said Chimwaza.