Tissue culture removes obstacle to control of banana nematodes. Validated RNRRS Output.
Abstract
This is one of 280 summaries describing key outputs from the projects run by DFID's 10-year Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy (RNRRS) programmes.
Summary for Project title: R6580: Non-Chemical management of banana nematodes in East Africa.
To get rid of banana nematodes without using chemicals, farmers in East Africa had to uproot all infected plants, grow a break crop, and then replant with pest-free bananas. But, they couldn't be sure that the new banana plants were free of nematodes. Now, low-cost tissue culture removes this obstacle and makes mass plantings of disease-free bananas possible. The break crop plus tissueculture plantlet method was proven by farmers in Kayunga and Kayanamukaka, Uganda. Their soils were badly infested with nematodes but they didn't want to use harmful pesticides. Now, a laboratory in Uganda produces 10 million plantlets a year by tissue culture. So, this technology has major potential for banana production in East Africa and for poor producers.
The CD has the following information for this output: Description, Validation, Current Situation, Current Promotion, Impacts On Poverty, Environmental Impact. Attached PDF (11 pp.) taken from the CD.
Citation
CPP73, New technologies, new processes, new policies: tried-and-tested and ready-to-use results from DFID-funded research, Research Into Use Programme, Aylesford, Kent, UK, ISBN 978-0-9552595-6-2, p 24.