Perception and adoption of integrated plant disease management by family farmers in Ribeira Valley (São Paulo State, Brazil)

Abstract

Family farming, crop diversity and traditional knowledge for plant diseases management characterize Ribeira Valley, São Paulo State, Brazil. Our aim was to diagnose the profile of family farmers from Registro, a municipality of Ribeira Valley, and to determine their perception and adoption of integrated plant disease management (IDM). Semi-structured questionnaire was conducted with farmers and data were analyzed by average, median, mode, Pearson's χ2 test and Monte Carlo simulation. Men and women are involved in farming, but men are prevalent (68%). There are few young people (18% were up to 30 years old), reaffirming their exodus from rural activities. These farmers grow and sell vegetable, fruit, medicinal, and ornamental plants, and they exchange information among themselves, with low demand for farm store sellers. Elimination of symptomatic plants is the main control (13% of strategies adopted). Crop residues elimination, crop rotation and resistant plants were also highlighted (12% each one). Most of the respondents did not know IDM concepts, and after the explanation, they agreed that it is possible put into practice. Dialogue between farmers is strategic for them to obtain information, and rural extension is important for the dialogical transmission of knowledge, and for IDM adoption and maintenance in small properties.