Does the informal seed system threaten maize seed health?

seed-producing farmers, the informal Seed System, despite the presence of seed companies selling hybrid maize seed. Overhead costs force seed companies to charge a relatively high seed price, while farmers have limited budget for seed, request small quantities, and live in remote areas far from seed company outlets. The informal SS can meet this seed demand, but seed quality remains unknown. The objective of this research was to test seed quality (germination, off-types and seed health) of 87 farmer-produced seed samples from Northern Nigeria, and to compare it with six seed company and six foundation seed samples. Seed health was quantified by plating disinfected seeds onto agar, and identifying all bacteria and fungi present after three days. The most prevalent seed-borne pathogen was Fusarium verticillioides, identified in all samples and infecting over 50% of the 49.500 seeds tested. Twelve seed-borne pathogens were identified. Bipolaris maydis (found in 45% of the farmer-produced samples), Botryodiplodia theobromae (97%), Curvularia lunata (38%), and Macrophomina phaseolina (74%) were the four most devastating pathogens detected. Seed company samples had lower infection incidences than farmer produced seed for three out of four of these pathogens, and had significantly less off-types (P