Deadly cassava disease hits Uganda

CASSAVA brown streak, a new strain of disease that affects the edible part of the crop, has hit several parts of the country.

According to the agriculture ministry, the disease has affected 50% of the country.

“It is spreading fast and we are faced with a more serious situation than we witnessed with the cassava mosaic disease,” Ephram Tumubweine, the commissioner of crop protection, said.

Tumubweine said almost all varieties, bred or selected for resistance to cassava mosaic disease, are susceptible to the brown streak. Only three varieties, 29, 51 and Akena, were resistant.

The disease has been registered in the central region, with Mukono being the worst hit district. It has also affected the north and north-eastern part of the country.

Tumubweine said the disease is spread through distribution, sub-planting and by white flies. He cited the example of the stalks distributed by the World Food Programme in the north and north-east.
The only solution is to destroy the crop, officials said.

The cassava brown steak is a viral infection that affects the tuberous roots, leading to loss of yields.

Unlike the cassava mosaic disease, which affects the whole plant, with brown streak, the plants look healthy, but the tubes are affected.

The symptoms include root constriction and a dry hard rot when the root is cut. It also cracks and discolours the tubers, while the harvested roots have corky, yellow-brown spots.

The disease also causes yellow and green patches on the leaves, a phenomenon commonly called chlorosis.

Dr. Fred Mukulu, the Mukono production officer, said the disease was first reported eight months ago and has spread to four sub-counties, including Kasawo, Ntunda and Nabbale.

Farmers are being sensitised about the disease and how to curb its spread.

Mukulu said they were trying to introduce another variety of the plant in collaboration with National Agricultural Research organisation (NARO).
NARO is in charge of developing disease-resistant and high yielding crops.

In the early 90s, Uganda incurred a loss of $60m per year due to cassava mosaic disease.

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Mealybugs threatening cassava crop

OFFICIALS fear that a pest partly blamed for the devastation of millions of tonnes of cassava crops across the border in Thailand is wreaking havoc in Banteay Meanchey province.

A provincial agriculture official says almost one-third of the total farmed area for cassava crops in Banteay Meanchey has become infected with mealybugs, a small pest that can potentially destroy the crop.

More than 8,300 hectares of cassava farms in three districts were affected between February and April, out of a total planting area of roughly 25,000 hectares, said Heng Bunhor, director of the province’s Agriculture Department. That number is expected to rise when officials tally assessments from May, he said.

Individual farmers first reported the pests, which assemble in small white clumps, earlier this year. Efforts to eradicate the problem, however, have so far proved ineffective.

“We have never had mealybugs here before, and we have no experience to kill them because they are new in Cambodia,” said Heng Bunhor, who added that plans to get rid of the pest have been hampered by a lack of coordination among farmers.

The mealybug infestation appears to have hit Malai district the hardest, said Om Chantha, the province’s chief of cabinet.

“We are worried they will destroy more cassava because the chemical used to kill them is not effective,” Om Chantha said.

Some farmers say they have already lost their cassava crops in part because of the mealybugs. Te Haing said his 400-hectare cassava farm was destroyed by both insects and drought.

“It is very bad for me and other farmers this year,” he said.

Farmer Sok Pov, who owns a 5-hectare plantation, said he lost his crop twice this year.

“I am hopeless, as I have no capital to replant it,” he said.

An investigation released earlier this year by the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) warned of “widespread economic and social implications” if pest infestations, including mealybugs, affecting Thailand’s cassava industry are not kept in check.

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Davao City Importance of cassava

The Department of Agriculture Davao City urged the farmers to embark on cassava production as it is a profitable and up-to-the-minute business today.

According to Milo Gordo, in-charge of the Seed Pieces of Corn and Cassava unit of DA-Manambolan, pointed out that cassava can flexibly be used in many ways.

During his lecture on corn and cassava planting, Milo explained that cassava starch and pellets can be used as animal food, alcohol, mono glutamates, sweetener, medicine, glue, biodegradable products, plywood binder, paper, textile, and food for human consumption.

He said that five percent of cassava production is used as food, 20 percent as starch, and 75 percent as animal feeds.

Milo refuted superstitious belief of farmers that planting cassava makes the soil parched and dehydrated after harvest, discouraging some farmers not to plant cassava.

Milo said that cassavas sold in public markets are mainly used for food consumption which draws a huge demand for animal feeds.

He assured the farmer-participants to the lecture, that San Miguel Corporation guaranteed to limitlessly purchase cassava for P8.50 per kilo in granulated or pelletized form.

Moreover, Milo discussed that the methods of planting the cassava is a factor that every farmer should consider for it greatly affects production and growth.

According to the study conducted by PhilRoot Crops, land preparation for cassava can be through flat, ridge, and flat plus hilling up which have similar effects to cassava production.

Short stems – 25 centimeters – produces high yield compared to longer stem-cuttings at 34.8 root yield (ton per hectare).

The study also reported 47 registered cassava varieties released between 2002 and 2007.

Valeriano Marqueza, 60-year-old corn farmer in Davao del Norte, is one of the participants who received one kilo of hybrid corn during the lecture. He said that the lecture helped him realized a lot about cassava production.

Marqueza added that he will venture on cassava farming in the coming months.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Adeser, a 48-year-old farmer from Asuncion said that he is very thankful of the free lecture on cassava production as he proudly held a liquid fertilizer he got as freebie during the event.

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