Abstract

A diagnostic survey was conducted in the rainy and dry seasons from 2014 to 2015 to determine the incidence and severity of major diseases of cassava in Sierra Leone. At least three chiefdoms and five villages per district were targeted. The survey was carried out in fourteen districts of the country with geo references using a GPS. On the spot assessment was conducted in all fields. Prevalence, severity and incidence were calculated. The most dominant diseases included the cassava mosaic disease and the cassava bacterial blight. The prevalence of cassava mosaic disease was high with 69.1% and 61.5% in the rainy season and dry season, respectively. The prevalence of cassava bacterial blight was 100% and 92% in the rainy season and dry season, respectively. Diseases of less importance included white spot and brown spot diseases as well as cassava anthracnose disease. The study provides bases for the deployment of improved varieties and provides information on the seasonal prevalence, incidence and severity of cassava diseases in Sierra Leone.

Highlights

  • Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz, family: Euphorbiaceae synonyms: yucca, manioc, and mandioca), a native to South America, is believed to have been introduced into Sierra Leone during the period of slave trade proliferated by Portuguese traders during the 16th century [1]

  • Kenema and Kambia had the highest incidence in the rainy season

  • Spatial distribution map using the geographic information system mapping revealed that Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD) was widely distributed across the country

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Summary

Introduction

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz, family: Euphorbiaceae synonyms: yucca, manioc, and mandioca), a native to South America, is believed to have been introduced into Sierra Leone during the period of slave trade proliferated by Portuguese traders during the 16th century [1]. Cassava is grown over a range of climates and altitudes and on a wide variety of soils and ecologies These includes the lowlands and uplands as commonly practised in Sierra Leone. As part of the World Bank’s strategy for increasing the productivity of cassava in West Africa, the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme introduced new varieties of cassava, intensified production in terms of land area and processing of cassava countrywide. This situation if not monitored could lead to a high incidence of pests and diseases as the crop is grown more intensively over larger areas and planted throughout the year for industrial processing [10]. Potential threats include the re-emergence of new viruses, higher incidence and severity of diseases due to variation in weather and to a greater extent the lack of response due to lack of information on the level and location of biotic threats which may lead to a huge economic loss

Description of field sampling methodology and analysis
Key findings
Field, crop and environmental characteristics of cassava farms in Sierra Leone
Seasonal prevalence of major diseases of cassava in Sierra Leone
Incidence and severity of cassava mosaic disease in the rainy and dry season
Findings
Discussion of the findings
Conclusion and recommendation
Full Text
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