Abstract
Cassava mosaic disease is the most important disease affecting cassava in Zambia. A study was conducted through a survey to determine the status of cassava mosaic disease incidence, severity and whitefly abundance in farmers’ fields in six provinces: Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Luapula, Eastern and Western between March and May 2014. The study reveals that cassava mosaic disease incidence was highest in Lusaka (70.0%) and Eastern (69.2%) and lowest in Luapula (45.1%) and Northern (48.5%) provinces. Disease symptom severity was moderate to severe in Lusaka (3.48) and Eastern (3.14) and low in the rest of the provinces. Adult whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) populations were highest in Western Province (2.71) and lowest in Luapula Province (0.02). Polymerase chain reaction results using specific primers for African cassava mosaic virus and East African cassava mosaic virus detected single infections of African cassava mosaic virus and East African cassava mosaic virus in 67.9 and 6.8% of the positive reactions, respectively. Dual infections of African cassava mosaic virus and East African cassava mosaic virus were detected in 25.6% of the samples tested. Cassava brown streak virus was not detected in any of the samples and no symptoms suggestive of cassava brown streak disease were observed in the surveyed fields. Key words: Disease, incidence, severity, whitefly.
Highlights
Cassava is one of the most important root crops in Africa
A study was conducted through a survey to determine the status of cassava mosaic disease incidence, severity and whitefly abundance in farmers’ fields in six provinces: Lusaka, Northern, North-Western, Luapula, Eastern and Western between March and May 2014
The study reveals that cassava mosaic disease incidence was highest in Lusaka (70.0%) and Eastern (69.2%) and lowest in Luapula (45.1%) and Northern (48.5%) provinces
Summary
Cassava is one of the most important root crops in Africa It is a staple crop in many African countries including Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Nigeria. Co-infections of EACMV and ACMV in cassava have been reported in Zambia, Nigeria and Tanzania (Chikoti et al, 2013; Harrison et al, 1997; Ogbe et al, 2003). ACMV was reported to be the most predominant and widely distributed wherever cassava is grown in Zambia (Chikoti et al, 2013). With the reemergence of severe form of CMD in East Africa, a new virus strain, the East African cassava mosaic virus Uganda variant (EACMV-UgV) was described (Zhou et al, 1997). The study was carried out to give an update on the CMD incidence, severity and whitefly population in Zambia
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