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Moringa spray halts rust eating up Kenya’s wheat

Moringa spray
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A moringa leaf spray is rescuing farmers from wheat leaf rust found in 70 per cent of Kenyan farms and has had the most used fungicide to control it banned in Kenya.

Moringa sprays prevent the growth of the wheat leaf rust fungus by over 90 per cent.

Affecting seven out of every ten wheat growers in the country, the disease can cause total losses for farmers. “It is the single most troublesome disease wheat farmers are having to deal with at the moment,” said Joseph Wangai, an agronomist and wheat farmer.

‘Dealing with it’ is made even harder by a government order that went into effect in December last year banning the most used fungicide in its control, chlorothalonil.

However, according to scientists, hope lies in the drought-resistant Moringa oleifera tree which is a common fixture in pastures in Meru, Marsabit, Rift Valley, Kakamega, and Kisii.

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“High doses of Moringa of up to 150 ml when sprayed at most four days after infection completely stopped rust in wheat seedlings,” explained plant pathologist Dr. Muhammad Arshad Hussain.

When applied at the same rate in mature plants, the spray not only fought off rust but also boosted the plant’s health making the leaves greener.

“The treated plants had higher levels of chlorophyll, which supports photosynthesis and plant growth,” Arshad added. 

Plants sprayed with Moringa extract also had a higher yield and grain quality producing more grain which is also heavier. 

Moringa can also be sprayed during seed germination, a process called seed pre-treatment, to improve the plant’s leaf rust resistance.

Seeds soaked in a solution of Moringa extract before planting had better germination, seedling vigor, and early resistance to leaf rust. Moringa-treated seeds also had higher antioxidants, chlorophyll, and overall plant health.

Related News: Wheat farmers risk being run out of business as key pesticide is banned in Kenya 

Related News: Farmers replenish soils, produce own oils with Moringa project


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