IITA IPM project 21: Integrated management of soils and soil-borne pests to enhance productivity and sustainability of banana-based cropping systems in Uganda.

Duration: 2 years (2003 – 2005)

Purpose: To improve the productivity and sustainability of banana plantations by integrating pest management, soil fertility management and cropping system strategies.

Background/description: East African highland cooking banana production suffers from inter-linked soil-borne pest and fertility constraints. Critical banana production problems eastern Africa include the banana weevil, banana nematodes, soil nutrient deficiencies, nutrient cycling and retention of adequate soil moisture. These problems can not be managed independently. The banana weevil and nematodes attack the root and vascular system, interfering with nutrient uptake and preventing the plant from utilizing soil amendments. Their combined attack result in smaller plants, lower yields and shortened plantation life. Soil fertility may decline more rapidly under decreased canopy cover due to reduced nutrient retention in standing biomass and increased leaching and soil erosion. As such, poor plant stands may be unable to sustain their nutrient stocks. Nutrient deficiencies or imbalances may also leave the plant more vulnerable to pest attack. This project proposes to integrate pest and soil fertility management strategies. The current proposal provides a transition period to reposition current activities into a multi-disciplinary proposal and work plan on integrated pest and soil management. We will highlight activities emphasizing soil-host plant-pest-antagonist interactions. In particular, we are interested in the interaction between soil nutrient and water status and weevil and nematode damage; the effects of agro-ecological conditions and soil management on the persistence and effectiveness of microbial biological control agents; the interaction of canopy coverage and the maintenance and recycling of soil nutrients; the interference of pest damage with the ability of the plant to convert applied nutrients into increased yields; the effects of coffee residues on pest damage

Agroecozone(s) and location(s): Humid Forest zones in Uganda

Expected outputs: a) Development of full proposal on integrated soil and pest management; b) Completion/continuation of on-going research on integrated pest management of banana weevil including studies on cultural, biological, microbial, botanical controls and host plant resistance

Potential impact and beneficiaries: Impact is yet to be stated; beneficiaries are farmers and students

Partners: a) National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda;

Development investor(s): Rockefeller Foundation

IITA contact person(s)/principal investigator(s): Cliff Gold C.Gold@cgiar.org website http://www.iita.org