Farmers’ knowledge and perception of late blight of potato and its management strategies in Kailali and Banke districts of Nepal

Abstract

Late blight of potato (Phytophthora infestans) is one of the major diseases of potato in Nepal, causing a significant yield loss. Late blight has continued to be a dominant potato disease for many decades in the hill, midhills, and terai regions of Nepal. A survey of 60 randomly selected farmers was carried out in two major potato-growing districts (Kailali and Banke) in the western Terai region of Nepal to examine farmers’ knowledge and management practices of the late blight of potato and to analyze the role of relevant knowledge in their practices. According to the study, farmers ranked disease as the major constraint in potato cultivation, followed by a lack of inputs and market problems. The majority of farmers were able to identify disease symptoms on contaminated leaves and stems. On the other hand, they knew relatively little about the diseases, their causes, and practical ways to treat them. The majority of farmers relied on chemical management techniques and did not adhere to traditional methods for controlling late blight. Based on the severity of the illness and the availability of fungicides, the majority of farmers reported applying them three to four times per season, separated by 10 to 14 days. Therefore, in order to manage the disease effectively, farmers must become knowledgeable about the disease, choose the right fungicides, apply them on time, and control the diseases in their local context by implementing a workable combination of management choices.