Introd uction
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a staple food crop that plays a major
role in the diet of millions of African people [7]. It remains the
economic mainstay of more than 300 millions of Africa's most
vulnerable people, providing half of the calorific intakes of
peoples in southern Africa, 30% in eastern Africa and 15% in
West and Central Africa [12]. Despite the rising profile of
maize, both as food and economic crop in West and Central
Africa over the last few decades [6,8], it is still prone to many
production constraints such as drought [2].
Drought is a major abiotic stress limiting maize production
and productivity in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), contributing
about 15% and 17% average annual yield reductions in West
and Central Africa and the tropics, respectively [5]. Today