Wrap and plant technology to manage sustainably potato cyst nematodes in East Africa

Authors: OCHOLA, JULIET - African Insect Science For Food And Health (ICIPE); CORTADA, LAURA - Ghent University; MWAURA, ONESMUS - African Insect Science For Food And Health (ICIPE); TARIKU, MEKLIT - International Institute Of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); CHRISTENSEN, SHAWN - Former ARS Employee; NG'ANG'A, MARGARET - Kenyatta University; HASSANALI, AHMED - Kenyatta University; PIRZADA, TAHIRA - North Carolina State University; KHAN, SAAD - North Carolina State University; PAL, LOKENDRA - North Carolina State University; MATHEW, RENY - North Carolina State University; GUENTHER, DICK - North Carolina State University; DAVIS, ERIC - North Carolina State University; SIT, TIM - North Carolina State University; COYNE, DANNY - Ghent University; OPPERMAN, CHARLES - North Carolina State University; TORTO, BALDWIN - African Insect Science For Food And Health (ICIPE)

Submitted to: Nature Sustainability
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/17/2022
Publication Date: 2/28/2022
Citation: Ochola, J., Cortada, L., Mwaura, O., Tariku, M., Christensen, S., Ng'Ang'A, M., Hassanali, A., Pirzada, T., Khan, S., Pal, L., Mathew, R., Guenther, D., Davis, E., Sit, T., Coyne, D., Opperman, C., Torto, B. 2022. Wrap and plant technology to manage sustainably potato cyst nematodes in East Africa. Nature Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00852-5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00852-5

Interpretive Summary: In East Africa, potato production is currently under serious threat from potato cyst nematodes (PCN), a recently introduced invasive species. To alleviate this threat, ARS scientists from the Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL in collaboration with researchers from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology at the University of Pretoria, South Africa discovered that biodegradable banana fiber paper loaded with or without the nematicide abamectin can be used as a vegetative seed wrap to effectively reduce populations of PCNs and increase potato crop yield by approximately two-to-five-fold. Chemical investigation identified the compounds absorbed by the banana paper which prevents PCN from locating and infecting host potato roots. This study demonstrates the use of waste organic material for the sustainable green management of PCN to increase potato yields.

Technical Abstract: Renewable eco-friendly options for crop protection are fundamental in achieving sustainable agriculture. Here, we demonstrate the use of a biodegradable lignocellulosic banana-paper matrix as a seed wrap for the protection of potato plants against potato cyst nematode (PCN), Globodera rostochiensis. Potato cyst nematodes are devastating quarantine pests of potato globally. In East Africa, G. rostochiensis has recently emerged as a serious threat to potato production. Wrapping seed potatoes within the lignocellulose banana-paper matrix substantially reduced G. rostochiensis field inoculum and increased potato yields by up to fivefold in Kenya, relative to farmer practice, whether or not impregnated with ultra-low doses of the nematicide abamectin (ABM). Markedly, ABM-treated banana paper at ~1,000 times lower than conventional recommendations reduced PCN inoculum. Assays and analyses revealed that the lignocellulose matrix disrupts parasite–host chemical signalling by adsorbing critical PCN hatching and infective juvenile host location chemicals present in potato root exudate. Recovery experiments confirmed adsorption of these host location chemicals. Our study demonstrates the use of waste organic material to sustainably manage PCN, and potentially other crop root pests, while increasing potato yields.