Xanthomonas wilt of enset in Ethiopia: Geographical spread, impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices

Xanthomonas wilt of enset is a major bacterial disease affecting the entire enset-growing belt in the southern Ethiopian highlands, impacting food security and livelihoods of small-holder subsistence farmers. Through extensive interviews and field validation visits with 354 households covering 19 co...

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Main Authors: Blomme, Guy, Kearsley, Elizabeth, Buta, Sisay, Chala, Alemayehu, Kebede, Ruhama, Addis, Temesgen, Yemataw, Zerihun
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Academic Journals 2023
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/129106
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author Blomme, Guy
Kearsley, Elizabeth
Buta, Sisay
Chala, Alemayehu
Kebede, Ruhama
Addis, Temesgen
Yemataw, Zerihun
author_browse Addis, Temesgen
Blomme, Guy
Buta, Sisay
Chala, Alemayehu
Kearsley, Elizabeth
Kebede, Ruhama
Yemataw, Zerihun
author_facet Blomme, Guy
Kearsley, Elizabeth
Buta, Sisay
Chala, Alemayehu
Kebede, Ruhama
Addis, Temesgen
Yemataw, Zerihun
author_sort Blomme, Guy
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Xanthomonas wilt of enset is a major bacterial disease affecting the entire enset-growing belt in the southern Ethiopian highlands, impacting food security and livelihoods of small-holder subsistence farmers. Through extensive interviews and field validation visits with 354 households covering 19 communities (kebeles), we show 70% of the farms to present current and past enset Xanthomonas wilt infections, with a median of 18% cumulative plant loss across affected years since disease appearance. Training by extension services proved critical for building up farmers’ knowledge on disease management, the effective implementation of disease management, and farmers’ persistence to continue with enset production even when dealing with widespread infestations. After receiving training, farmers were ten times more likely to implement targeted hygienic practices and only half as likely to implement non-recommended cultural practices. Nevertheless, training in disease management did not guarantee consistent implementation by farmers. Farmers remained reluctant to dispose of infected plants, a critical part of Xanthomonas wilt management. Moreover, farmers mostly applied disease management practices once infected plants are observed on the farm, but were unaware of preventive approaches. Extension services had also not reached all communities, with 64% of the households not having received training at the time of the survey.
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spelling CGSpace1291062025-11-11T17:39:55Z Xanthomonas wilt of enset in Ethiopia: Geographical spread, impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices Blomme, Guy Kearsley, Elizabeth Buta, Sisay Chala, Alemayehu Kebede, Ruhama Addis, Temesgen Yemataw, Zerihun disease management household surveys xanthomonas vasicola pv. musacearum banana xanthomonas wilt farmers training Xanthomonas wilt of enset is a major bacterial disease affecting the entire enset-growing belt in the southern Ethiopian highlands, impacting food security and livelihoods of small-holder subsistence farmers. Through extensive interviews and field validation visits with 354 households covering 19 communities (kebeles), we show 70% of the farms to present current and past enset Xanthomonas wilt infections, with a median of 18% cumulative plant loss across affected years since disease appearance. Training by extension services proved critical for building up farmers’ knowledge on disease management, the effective implementation of disease management, and farmers’ persistence to continue with enset production even when dealing with widespread infestations. After receiving training, farmers were ten times more likely to implement targeted hygienic practices and only half as likely to implement non-recommended cultural practices. Nevertheless, training in disease management did not guarantee consistent implementation by farmers. Farmers remained reluctant to dispose of infected plants, a critical part of Xanthomonas wilt management. Moreover, farmers mostly applied disease management practices once infected plants are observed on the farm, but were unaware of preventive approaches. Extension services had also not reached all communities, with 64% of the households not having received training at the time of the survey. 2023-01-31 2023-02-28T09:59:09Z 2023-02-28T09:59:09Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/129106 en Open Access application/pdf Academic Journals Blomme, G.; Kearsley, E.; Buta, S.; Chala, A.; Kebede, R.; Addis, T.; Yemataw, Z. (2023) Xanthomonas wilt of enset in Ethiopia: Geographical spread, impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 19(1) p. 33-47. ISSN: 1991-637X
spellingShingle disease management
household surveys
xanthomonas vasicola pv. musacearum
banana xanthomonas wilt
farmers
training
Blomme, Guy
Kearsley, Elizabeth
Buta, Sisay
Chala, Alemayehu
Kebede, Ruhama
Addis, Temesgen
Yemataw, Zerihun
Xanthomonas wilt of enset in Ethiopia: Geographical spread, impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices
title Xanthomonas wilt of enset in Ethiopia: Geographical spread, impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices
title_full Xanthomonas wilt of enset in Ethiopia: Geographical spread, impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices
title_fullStr Xanthomonas wilt of enset in Ethiopia: Geographical spread, impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices
title_full_unstemmed Xanthomonas wilt of enset in Ethiopia: Geographical spread, impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices
title_short Xanthomonas wilt of enset in Ethiopia: Geographical spread, impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices
title_sort xanthomonas wilt of enset in ethiopia geographical spread impact on production systems and the effect of training on disease management practices
topic disease management
household surveys
xanthomonas vasicola pv. musacearum
banana xanthomonas wilt
farmers
training
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/129106
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