A woman and her children selling yams not far from the road near Parakou city in Benin.Credit: Xavier Boulenger/Shutterstock
Researchers in Benin have developed seed wraps to protect yams from plant-parasitic nematodes to reduce crop losses. In a study published in Nature Food, the researchers developed the plantable paper-like biodegradable wraps from banana harvest waste and recycled corrugated cardboard boxes through chemical-free pulping.
The wraps are effective in controlling plant-parasitic nematodes in yams. “Our seed wraps, loaded with abamectin, consistently controlled yam nematode (Scutellonema bradys) populations and considerably increased the yield at various locations,” the researchers report .
During their field trials in three districts of Benin, the team recorded significantly reduced nematode levels in the yam peels after three- and five-month storage periods.
The study’s lead author, and director of North Carolina State University’s graduate programme in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Saad Khan, said safe and effective nematode control was critical towards environmentally sustainable agriculture.Khan said the seed wraps also reduced wet and dry rot, extending storage longevity.
“For many crops, plant-parasitic nematodes control has traditionally depended on highly toxic contact and fumigant pesticides, many of which have now been restricted or eliminated due to environmental and health concerns,” Khan told Nature Africa.
