Integrated Control of Bacterial Diseases of Cassava and Cowpea in West Africa

Abstract

Cassava and cowpea are important crops providing the rural and the poor urban population in many African countries with inexpensive sources of carbohydrate and protein, respectively (FAO/GIEWS 1995). Yields of cassava roots and cowpea seeds are reduced by cassava bacterial blight (CBB) and cowpea bacterial blight (CoBB), respectively, which belong to the major disease constraints. The goal of the present project was to develop and implement integrated methods for the control of CBB and CoBB. In this framework, (i) disease surveys (Wydra and Msikita 1998), and yield loss and epidemiological studies were conducted in different ecozones (Wydra et al. 1997, Wydra et al. 1998a,b), (ii) pathogen detection methods were developed (Fessehaie et al. 1997, Fessehaie et al. 1999, Khatri-Chhetri et al. 1999a, Verdier and Mosquera 1999) and the pathogens were further characterized (Wydra et al. 1995, Fessehaie 1997, Assigbetse et al. 1998, Verdier et al. 1998, Khatri-Chhetri et al. 1999b, Wydra et al. 1999a, b), (iii) studies on the life cycle under various environmental conditions resulted in recommendations for disease reduction (Fanou et al. 1998, 2000, Sikirou et al. 1998), and (iv) integrated control methods comprising plant resistance (Wydra et al. 1999c), and cultural and agronomic measures, such as intercropping, pruning of infected leaves, shifts of planting date, seed treatments and crop sanitation measures (Fanou 1999a, Sikirou 1999a), were developed. The present paper focuses on selected aspects of crop sanitation and cultural control measures and make reference to results published elsewhere for further details.