Abstract:
Plant parasitic nematodes are important crop pests threatening food security and causing huge pre-harvest and post-harvest losses in crops including yam. The aim of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of abamectin pretreated banana paper for controlling the key plant parasitic nematodes of yam (Dioscorea rotundata) in the field and in storage. A survey was conducted to ascertain farmers knowledge about plant parasitic nematodes and their control. Field trials were then conducted to test the efficacy of abamectin in controlling key plant parasitic nematodes of yam using the “wrap and plant” technology, where seed yams were wrap before they were planted. After the harvest of yam tubers, storage experiment was conducted to test the effect of the treatments on yam tubers at storage. A laboratory experiment was conducted to ascertain plant parasitic nematode population dynamics in response to the treatment. The results from the survey revealed that majority (97%) of the yam farmers interviewed were aware of the problem of plant parasitic nematodes, but lacked the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to control these important pests in their yam farms. Majority of the farmers (79.2%) estimated up to 50% of their yam tuber lost to plant parasitic nematodes both in field and in storage and this seriously affected their livelihood. Consequently, more than 80% of the farmers could not pay their children’s school fees, medical bills, and repayment of bank loans. Only about 12% of the farmers admitted they knew plant parasitic nematodes could be controlled with the use of nematicide. However, 81% of the farmers were ready and willing to adopt the abamectin pretreated banana paper technology. Field trials revealed no significant effect of the abamectin on the number of yam tubers harvested per plot and the number of mounds harvested because the treatments had no effect on germination of seed yams. However, the abamectin pretreated banana paper (A) produced yam tubers which were significantly higher (p<0.05) in weight and length as compared to only banana paper without abamectin (B) and the control which is the farmer’s practice (FP). For the storage experiment, treatment A reduced the plant parasitic nematode damage significantly (p< 0.05) on stored yam tubers compared with the B and FP. There was no significant difference in weight loss of yam tubers across the treatment during storage as the percentage weight loss for A, B and FP after five months were 33.16%, 32.37% and 32.74% respectively. The benefit cost ratio of abamectin pretreated banana paper was 1.37 and 2.56 for wet and dry seasons respectively which indicate profitability. These results confirm that abamectin pretreated banana paper can be used in the management of plant parasitic nematodes of yam for improved yield and storability of yam tubers.
