A new maize hybrid, INIA 609 Naylamp, which yielded as much as 10 tons per hectare in marginal soils, based on data gathered from trials at 36 locations in the agriculturally rich province of Lambayeque, Peru, was released in the provincial capital of Chiclayo on 06 October. INIA 609 Naylamp is one of several Peruvian hybrids developed using CIMMYT inbred lines—two from population 24 and one from population 36—sent to Peruvian breeders 15 years ago.
“Naylamp” was a mythological character of ancient Peru who arrived from abroad to bring civilization to the region. INIA 609 Naylamp was developed by Pedro Injante Silva, breeder at the Vista Florida, Chiclayo, research station of Peru’s Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Extensión Agraria (INIEA). Injante is an alumnus of CIMMYT training courses on crop improvement and maize agronomy in Mexico and Venezuela.
The release ceremony was attended by more than 250 persons, with the Vice Minister of Agriculture Carlos Luna Conroy presiding and dignitaries of other branches of the Ministry of Agriculture from Lambayeque and Chiclayo, from the Regents Commission, and from farmer groups. Testing and promotion of the hybrid during 2003 and 2005 was funded by the Peruvian MOA program INCAGRO. INIA 609 Naylamp also showed excellent performance in trials under zero-tillage.
Nutrition, health and food security 