Napier grass is a critical forage crop for smallholder farmers in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa. Renowned for its high biomass yield, nutritional value, and adaptability to diverse agro-ecological zones, Napier grass supports dairy and beef production systems, forming the backbone of rural livelihoods. Its role is particularly vital in regions where mixed farming systems dominate, as it provides an affordable and sustainable source of livestock feed. However, Napier Head Smut and stunt diseases increasingly compromise the productivity of Napier grass.

Napier Head Smut significantly threatens forage production by reducing the crop's yield and quality by about 25% to 46%. Affected plants exhibit stunted growth and produce smutty panicles filled with fungal spores, rendering them unsuitable for livestock consumption. These impacts translate into severe economic losses for smallholder farmers, who rely heavily on Napier grass as their primary source of feed. Compounding the challenge, the disease is highly contagious and spreads rapidly under favourable conditions, such as high humidity and moderate temperatures. This has led to an increase in reports of disease outbreaks in key Napier grass-producing regions, exacerbating feed shortages and threatening the sustainability of livestock farming.

Despite the economic importance of Napier grass and the growing threat of Napier diseases, a significant gap exists in research addressing the genetic mechanisms underlying disease resistance. Current breeding programs focus mainly on phenotypic selection, which is labour-intensive, time-consuming, and often limited by the low heritability of resistance traits under field conditions. The lack of genomic resources and reliable molecular markers further constrains efforts to develop smut-resistant Napier grass varieties.

Advances in genomic technologies, such as Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS), bulk segregant analysis (BSA), and Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS), offer promising solutions to these challenges. GWAS/BSA enables the identification of genetic loci associated with resistance traits by analysing natural variation across diverse germplasm collections. GBS, a cost-effective and high-throughput method, generates dense single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data, making it particularly suitable for non-model species, such as Napier grass. Together, these tools can uncover the genetic basis of resistance to Napier Head Smut disease and provide actionable insights for breeding programs.

Dr Lubobi research project, named Genome-Wide Identification of Resistance Loci for Napier Head Smut and Stunt Diseases Using Bulked Segregant Analysis Integrated with Genotyping-by-Sequencing in Kenyan Germplasm, aims to leverage BSA and GBS to identify SNP markers and candidate genes associated with resistance to Napier diseases. The study will provide insights into the crop's genetic diversity and population structure by analysing a diverse panel of Napier grass germplasm. The identified resistance loci will be validated and translated into diagnostic markers for marker-assisted selection, enabling more efficient and precise breeding of smut-resistant varieties. Such varieties, if developed, will address broader sustainability goals by improving forage productivity and resilience, thereby supporting smallholder farmers in adapting to the challenges posed by climate change and resource scarcity.

Improving forage quality and availability will directly enhance livestock feeding practices, reducing methane emissions and contributing to the mitigation of greenhouse gases. Enhanced livestock nutrition will increase productivity, resulting in higher incomes for rural households and improved food security. These outcomes will build resilience and foster social cohesion among farming communities, addressing the interconnected challenges of poverty, malnutrition, and environmental degradation.

The project aligns with sustainable development by promoting environmentally friendly solutions to managing Napier diseases. By identifying genetic markers associated with resistance, this research will contribute to the development of disease-resistant Napier grass varieties, reduce reliance on chemical fungicides, and enhance the sustainability of forage production systems. These improvements will boost livestock productivity, thus contributing to food and nutrition security, and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals 2: Zero Hunger and 13: Climate Action.

The project will reduce land degradation caused by overgrazing, improve grazing efficiency, and provide high-quality feed for livestock, thus contributing to adaptation to climate change and mitigation by reducing methane emissions from livestock. Developing resilient forage varieties will contribute to economic empowerment, gender equality, and environmental resilience by reducing the reliance on land-intensive crops, improving soil health, and promoting sustainable feed practices. Dr Shamala’s initiative supports national policies on food security, climate change, and sustainable agricultural intensification.

Dr Ferdinand Shamala Lubobi is an Adjunct Researcher and lecturer in the Department of Agriculture, Land Use, and Management at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), Kenya. He holds a Ph.D. in Crop Biotechnology from Anhui Agricultural University, China, and an MSc degree in Biotechnology from Periyar University, India. His fields of specialisation include molecular diagnostics, plant stress physiology, and disease-resilient forage systems. His current research focuses on the genomic improvement of Napier grass for resistance to smut and stunt diseases, as well as the development of field-based tools to enhance silage safety in smallholder livestock systems. He has authored several articles in peer-reviewed journals and actively collaborates on research projects supporting sustainable agriculture and livestock productivity in Kenya.