Farmers'perceptions on the Pineapple Mealybug [Dysmicoccus Brevipes
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Houndédji et al., J. Appl. Biosci. 2019 Farmers’perceptions on the pineapple mealybug [Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae)] and control methods in Benin Journal of Applied Biosciences 133: 13475 - 13486 ISSN 1997-5902 Farmers’perceptions on the pineapple mealybug [Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae)] and control methods in Benin Houndédji1,3 D. Cosme, Bokonon-Ganta1,2*H. Aimé, Zandjanakou-Tachin1,4 Martine, Affokpon2 J. Antoine 1 Laboratoire de Diagnostic et de Soutien à la Protection des Végétaux, Direction de la Production Végétale (DPV), BP 58 Oganla, Porto-Novo, Bénin. 2 École des Sciences et Techniques de Production Végétale, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, 03-B.P. 2819 Jéricho, Cotonou - Bénin. 3 Département de Biologie Végétale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Bénin, Abomey-Calavi 4 Université Nationale d’Agriculture, BP 06083 Cotonou, République du Bénin * Author for correspondance : E-mail : [email protected] ; Postal address : École des Sciences et Techniques de Production Végétale, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, 03-B.P. 2819 Jericho, Cotonou - Benin. Original submitted in on 8th October 2018. Published online at www.m.elewa.org on 31st January 2019 https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jab.v133i1.1 ABSTRACT Objectives: This study aimed at evaluating the perceptions of farmers on the pineapple mealybug, the different control methods adopted against the pest and the socio-cultural factors that influence these perceptions. Methodology and Results: A survey was conducted among 180 pineapple producers using a semi- structured questionnaire in five main pineapple production areas in Benin. Binomial regression and Factorial Correspondence Analysis (FCA) were performed to determine the sociocultural factors that influence farmers’ knowledge on the pineapple mealybug. Fifty eight percent of farmers perceived mealybug as pineapple insect pest while 22.22% reported the insect as the MWP disease vector. Experience in Pineapple production and participation in training determined the knowledge of farmers on the mealybug as important pineapple insect pest and as MWP disease vectors. Only trained farmers used to apply control methods. Conclusions and application of findings: This study shows that it is the trained producers who have a better knowledge of the mealybug and adopt some control methods. It is therefore an emergency that training seminars be organized for a large number of producers followed by supervision in sight of making them qualified to better control the proliferation of mealybug and limit the spread of wilt disease. Key words: Farmers ‘perceptions, pineapple mealybug, control methods, Benin 13475 Houndédji et al., J. Appl. Biosci. 2019 Farmers’perceptions on the pineapple mealybug [Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae)] and control methods in Benin INTRODUCTION Agriculture is the predominant sector in Benin population instead of a direct control against the contributing to 39% of the gross domestic product mealybugs because the presence of scales is (GDP) and 90% of the exports (Sossa, 2014). For associated with ants which play a major role in the several years, cotton was the main cash crop dissemination of mealybugs. (González-Hernández providing more than 70% of the country's export et al., 1999). Chemical control is applied through earnings. The cotton sector has experienced the use of insecticides and Biological control using serious crisis due to the decline in production. This parasitoids and predators has also been reported situation has led to an extension of national (González-Hernández et al., 1999). Socio-cultural agricultural priorities to other crops including factors may affect practices of farmers. Support pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merrill), which from researchers, trainers and agricultural became a product with high potential for export services, influences the decision of farmers to (Sossa, 2014). Pineapple production is primarily accept new technologies (Lowoga et al. 2011). concentrated in the Atlantic department in the Farmers are often responsive to the knowledge Southern part of Benin. Previous studies they receive from trainings and this can result in conducted in Benin showed that the pineapple change of how they handle their cultural practices industry contributes to 1.2% to the Gross Domestic and/or adoption of new technologies (Nyantika and Product (GDP) and to the reduction of Aming'a, 2015). Fawole (2008) reported that in unemployment. However, pineapple production is Nigeria, farmers use several sources of information hindered by several constraints such as poor soil to improve their knowledge and agricultural fertility, irregularity of rainfall and pest pressure. practices. The development of control programs Mealybugs and the Mealybug Wilt of Pineapple against a pest requires the participatory (MWP) disease are the dominant pest and the involvement of farmers to take into account their most important disease of pineapple in Benin socio-economic realities. In Benin, however respectively (Fanou and Adikan, 2008). MWP knowledge of farmers on the pineapple mealybug disease can cause losses ranging from 30 to 35% and the associated control methods is less of the production (Sether et al., 2001). The documented. In addition, little is known on the disease symptoms start by the reddening of the socio-cultural factors that influence farmers’ leaves which become red or pink, and the edge of knowledge about the insect at country level. It is the leaves curl down. Thereafter, the leaves lose therefore important to conduct surveys on this their turgor and fall down from the plant (Carter, aspect in order to strengthen knowledge of Benin’s 1945). MWP disease is expressed by the farmers and guide them to implement effective concomitant action of the mealybug Dysmicoccus pest management strategies to control pineapple spp. and the Pineapple Mealybug Wilt Virus mealybug. Therefore, this study aimed at (i): (PMWaV) which includes five forms (Gambley et collecting farmers’ perceptions on the pineapple al., 2008). Two mealybug species namely D. mealybug; (ii) documenting the different control brevipes and D. neobrevipes are known to be the methods implemented by farmers in management most important insect pests of pineapple in the of the pineapple mealybug and (iii): identifying the world (Jahn et al., 2003). Several control methods socio-cultural factors that determine their have been developed to control the mealybug. knowledge. Cultural control method consists of limiting ants’ MATERIAL AND METHODS Study area: The study was conducted in five and includes 500 villages and eight municipalities. The municipalities (Allada, Abomey-Calavi, Toffo, Tori and pedoclimatic conditions are suitable to the production of Zè) located in the Atlantic department in Southern pineapple and most of pineapple producers are located Benin (Figure 1). This area covers about 3 233 Km2 in the five selected municipalities. The landscape is 13476 Houndédji et al., J. Appl. Biosci. 2019 Farmers’perceptions on the pineapple mealybug [Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae)] and control methods in Benin composed of semi-deciduous, savannas, filled forests, rainfall ranges from 950 to 1400 mm and the soil is meadows, fallow land and fields. The climate is of sub- ferralitic. The mean annual temperature is 26 °C (± equatorial type (Akoegninou et al., 2006). Annual 2.5). Figure 1: Map of Atlantic department showing the study area Methods three main criteria: i) farmers having at least three Sampling and data collection: A survey was years of experience in pineapple production, ii) farmers conducted across five municipalities (Allada, Abomey- owning a pineapple field, iii) the size of field area ≥ 0. 5 Calavi, Toffo, Tori and Zè) between October and ha. In each location, a focus group was conducted to November 2015. Farmers were selected based on identify pineapple producers and to collect information 13477 Houndédji et al., J. Appl. Biosci. 2019 Farmers’perceptions on the pineapple mealybug [Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae)] and control methods in Benin about the different aspects under investigation. mealybug as insect pest pineapple and knowledge of Afterwards, a list of specific semi-structured questions mealybug as vector of the Mealybug Wilt of Pineapple was individually addressed to farmers who were (MWP) disease as dependent variables, and randomly selected. Data were collected on municipality, sex, level of education, number of years of characteristics of the farmers (sex, level of education, experience in pineapple production, and participation in experience (years) in pineapple production, the training as independent variables. Effect of farmers’ variety(ies) produced, participation in at least one sociocultural characteristics on identification of the training), knowledge on mealybug as insect pest, mealybug as insect pest and mealybug as vector of the knowledge on mealybug as vector of the pineapple Mealybug Wilt of Pineapple (MWP) disease was disease, causes of the presence and spread of assessed. The probabilities to predict farmers’ mealybug in pineapple fields, the infested plant parts, knowledge about mealybug as insect pest of pineapple susceptible varieties to the mealybug infestation, and knowledge of mealybug as a vector of the different control methods implemented against the Mealybug Wilt of Pineapple