Does the accessibility of a farmer predict the delivery of extension services? Evidence from Rwanda

To determine whether a farmer’s accessibility predicts the delivery of extension services, this study used banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) disease-management advisory as a typical case with which to collect extension-delivery information from 690 farmers, distinguished by their respective accessibility. Cost–distance analysis was applied to define each farmer’s accessibility. The results revealed that a farmer’s accessibility does not predict extension delivery to that farmer in all forms of the examined extension parameters. Significant factors contributing to the delivery of extension services included BXW incidence and membership in Twigire Muhinzi groups. Given the results of this paper, I argue that the nature of the advisory and the type of farmers’ networks are more predictive factors than physical proximity. The findings of this study support the argument that the group-based extension approach is more effective; therefore, the Twigire Muhinzi initiative is recommended as a suitable model for delivering agricultural advisory services. The absence of a significant association between extension delivery and distance (accessibility) suggests that extension agents do not follow the first-reached, first-served rule but instead follow the problem-solving-based approach.

Single Stem Rouging of Banana Xanthomonas Wilt Infected Plants for Orchard Rehabilitation

Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW), caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum (Xcm), a devastating disease, causes up to 100% loss and affects all banana varieties. The disease is widespread in East and Central Africa region. Study objective was to evaluate the performance of single stem rouging options for rehabilitation of severely affected banana orchard. Five single stem rouging options were implemented in banana orchard with 80% BXW severity in Western Kenya. The options included rouging of infected banana plants; uprooting, cutting at the base, injecting 20 ml of glyphosate herbicide at the soil base of the pseudostem, uprooting the whole stool and control leaving the infected stools. Initial visual assesment before implementation of the orchard was over 80% infection. Later samples were collected for diagnosis of ten plants per treatment from different plant parts and were subjected to ELISA and PCR procedures for confirmion of the presence of Xcm. Rouging options was implemented for one year. During and after experimentation periodic visual assesment of BXW incidence and severity reduced. Results of ELISA assays and PCR results indicated Xanthomonas was present on banana plants. Rouging the infected banana stems by cutting at the base, uprooting and injection of herbicide reduced BXW incidence within six months. Xanthomonas, an inhibiting bacteria cannot surve without host and by killing the banana plant the Xanthomonas dies. Yields were recovered from the rehabilitated orchard within one year. Banana orchard highly infected with BXW was effectively rehabilitated.

Has Continued Exposure to Banana Xanthomonas Wilt Worsened Farmers’ Welfare Over Time? Evidence From Banana-Producing Households in Uganda

The livelihoods of millions of banana-farming households have been affected by Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) in Uganda for nearly two decades. The disease has no known cure, all banana cultivars grown are susceptible to it and it is endemic in all banana-producing regions in the country. This study analysed the long-term impact of the disease on the livelihoods of banana-producing households. Using a balanced panel dataset of 1,056 households, which were visited in 2015 and revisited in 2018, provides the opportunity to empirically measure the long-term consequences of the disease on farmers’ economic wellbeing in the four major banana growing regions in Uganda. We find striking results pertinent to disease incidence, success in disease management, household income and poverty when deploying BXW control practices. Although the disease has remained present in farmers’ fields, there is a significant reduction in household poverty levels. Results show that some farmers expanded the production of beans and coffee without encroaching on their banana plantations. Increase in bean production was largely through intercropping. Investment in coffee was constrained by land ownership, hence only a viable venture for the wealthy farmers who own bigger pieces of land. Land-poor farmers continued to rely on bananas for their livelihoods. Consistent participation in disease management training significantly influenced adoption of the cultural control practices. Consequently, farming households that systematically adopted these practices were able to maintain low levels of disease incidence, improve productivity by 438 kg/ha/year and increased their daily and annual household income by US$1.75 and UGX 2.383 million (US$648), respectively. The findings suggest that banana is an important crop to smallholder farmers and expansion into other cash crops requires bigger resource outlays, and that despite continued exposure to BXW, farmers’ income increased over time. Farmers should continuously and systematically use the recommended control practices to avoid BXW resurgence and, consequently, a reduction in their income.

Livelihood assets’ influence on Ugandan farmers’ control practices for Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW)

This study analyzes the influence of livelihood assets on Ugandan farmers’ decisions to control Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW), a disease that has threatened banana production and the livelihoods of Ugandan farmers since 2001. The BXW control strategy is based on the simultaneous implementation of four cultural practices: de-budding, infected plant removal, disinfecting tools, and using clean planting materials. The Sustainable Rural Livelihood (SRL) framework represents a very useful theoretical architecture for examining the interplay between livelihood systems of rural Ugandan households and the external context. Empirically, this study applies a double-hurdle model with the base assumption that the two adoption decision processes (whether to adopt and the intensity of adoption of the cultural practices) are separate. Results indicate that the vulnerability context and the human, social, natural, and physical capitals are the factors that drive farmers to adopt the identified strategy. Farmers’ decisions about the extent of adoption are instead negatively influenced by natural capital and positively associated with social capital. These findings highlight the importance of supporting the improvement of livelihood assets to enable tailored support to farmers. It is particularly important to support the social and natural capitals that facilitate information exchange and provide critical resources for the adoption of the BXW control strategy.

Prevalence of banana Xanthomonas wilt in Nithi, Tharaka-Nithi County in Kenya

Banana (Musa spp.) is a nutrient rich crop grown in small and large scale across the globe. It is rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals thus, it may serve as the source of nutrition in low resourced regions such as Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. However, banana production in many areas is faced with biotic constraints such as banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) disease caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum. The pathogen attacks photosynthetic leaves and young fruits, reducing palatability and marketability. There is currently scanty information on prevalence of BXW in Nithi region of Tharaka Nithi County. Additionally, it remains unclear whether farmers in the region are knowledgeable on occurrence of BXW disease, symptoms and management practices. The prevalence of BXW was assessed through survey method in five villages (Kiang’ondu, Marima, Mitheru, Kibumbu and Giampampo) in Nithi. Percentage BXW prevalence in the studied villages was not significantly different (p>0.05). However, slightly higher BXW prevalence value of 21.14% was recorded at Giampampo village and was lower at Mitheru 11.24%. There was significant relationship (X2 (8, N = 46) = 19.93, p= 0.0034) between banana variety grown and occurrence of banana diseases. There was significant relationship (X2 (8, N = 46) = 31.165, p = 0.0053) between banana variety grown and susceptibility to diseases. The relationship between years of growing banana in the same farm and occurrence of banana diseases was significant (X2(6,N= 46) = 8.761,p= <0.0001. The relationship between occurrence of banana diseases and season of the year was significant (X2(8,N= 46) = 32.4591, p= <0.0001). The relationship between occurrence of banana diseases and management option in Nithi was significant (X2(4,N= 46) = 6.9758,p= 0.0025). Majority of the farmers (92%) were unaware of existence of BXW in the region. Farmers expressed lack of knowledge on managing BXW diseases in their banana farms with the majority not being able to identify common diseases of banana. Based on these observations, there is need to educate farmers on best banana farming practices, disease identification and management.

Transfer of Xanthomonas campestris pv. arecae and X. campestris pv. musacearum to X. vasicola (Vauterin) as X. vasicola pv. arecae comb. nov. and X. vasicola pv. musacearum comb. nov. and Description of X. vasicola pv. vasculorum pv. nov.

We present an amended description of the bacterial species Xanthomonas vasicola to include the causative agent of banana Xanthomonas wilt, as well as strains that cause disease on Areca palm, Tripsacum grass, sugarcane, and maize. Genome-sequence data reveal that these strains all share more than 98% average nucleotide with each other and with the type strain. Our analyses and proposals should help to resolve the taxonomic confusion that surrounds some of these pathogens and help to prevent future use of invalid names. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .

Banana Xanthomonas wilt dynamics with mixed cultivars in a periodic environment

In this paper, we study a deterministic model with non-autonomous system for mixed cultivars to assess the effect of cultivar susceptibility and seasonal variation on banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) disease dynamics. A special case of two cultivars classified as highly susceptible for inflorescence infection (ABB) and less susceptible (AAA) cultivar is considered. The basic reproduction number corresponding to the non-autonomous system is derived and numerically computed to determine disease dynamics. Results showed that the disease dies out whenever the periodic basic reproduction number is less than unity and a periodic solution is obtained when it is greater than one. Results further showed that for both cultivars, the basic reproduction number increases with increasing values of the transmission rates and declines exponentially with increasing values of roguing rates. The critical roguing rate of ABB-genome cultivar was higher than that of AAA-genome cultivars. The peaks in disease prevalence indicate the importance of effective implementation of controls during the rainy season. We conclude that highly susceptible cultivars play an important role in the spread of BXW and control measures should be effectively implemented during the rainy season if BXW is to be eradicated.