The National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Badeggi, Niger, and an agrochemical company, have unveiled a new herbicide (Patriarc) to control weeds and boost rice production.

The company’s country manager (Nigeria and Ghana), Emmanuel Akor, inaugurated a one-day ‘Green-Field Day’ for rice farmers in Niger at Badeggi, Bida local government area, to showcase the herbicide.

“I am sure that this year’s harvest will be bountiful, especially for rice, because of the effective nature of ‘Patriarc’ in controlling weeds. This new weed control will help farmers to meet sufficiency in the production of rice as their major challenge has been weeds’ incursion,” he said.

Mr Akor added, “Patriarc is a novel against grass, sedges and broad leaves weeds with wide application and flexibility in rice production.”

According to Audu Dogo, a lead agronomist at the NCRI, the herbicide kills weeds between four days and five days after application, with no negative effect on rice. 

(NAN)