PreprintArticleVersion 1Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Pests and Diseases Management, Agricultural Practices, Production Constraints and Selection Criteria of Elite Cassava Varieties by Smallholder Farmers in Sierra Leone
Version 1
: Received: 7 June 2024 / Approved: 10 June 2024 / Online: 11 June 2024 (07:43:39 CEST)
How to cite:
Amara, V.; Samura, A. E.; Norman, P. E.; Kanu, S. A.; Karim, K. Y.; Tiendrebeogo, F.; Eni, A. O.; Pita, J. S. Pests and Diseases Management, Agricultural Practices, Production Constraints and Selection Criteria of Elite Cassava Varieties by Smallholder Farmers in Sierra Leone. Preprints2024, 2024060647. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0647.v1
Amara, V.; Samura, A. E.; Norman, P. E.; Kanu, S. A.; Karim, K. Y.; Tiendrebeogo, F.; Eni, A. O.; Pita, J. S. Pests and Diseases Management, Agricultural Practices, Production Constraints and Selection Criteria of Elite Cassava Varieties by Smallholder Farmers in Sierra Leone. Preprints 2024, 2024060647. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0647.v1
Amara, V.; Samura, A. E.; Norman, P. E.; Kanu, S. A.; Karim, K. Y.; Tiendrebeogo, F.; Eni, A. O.; Pita, J. S. Pests and Diseases Management, Agricultural Practices, Production Constraints and Selection Criteria of Elite Cassava Varieties by Smallholder Farmers in Sierra Leone. Preprints2024, 2024060647. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0647.v1
APA Style
Amara, V., Samura, A. E., Norman, P. E., Kanu, S. A., Karim, K. Y., Tiendrebeogo, F., Eni, A. O., & Pita, J. S. (2024). Pests and Diseases Management, Agricultural Practices, Production Constraints and Selection Criteria of Elite Cassava Varieties by Smallholder Farmers in Sierra Leone. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0647.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Amara, V., Angela Obiageli Eni and Justin S Pita. 2024 "Pests and Diseases Management, Agricultural Practices, Production Constraints and Selection Criteria of Elite Cassava Varieties by Smallholder Farmers in Sierra Leone" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0647.v1
Abstract
The study investigated farmers’ perception on pests and diseases management strategies, agricultural practices, production constraints and selection criteria of elite varieties using a survey research design. A total of 700 questionnaires were administered to smallholder farmers who were farming for household consumption, those producing for sale and household consumption and those who were mainly producing for sale because their primary goal was to produce for the market. Findings revealed that the most prevalent pests identified were whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci), grasshoppers (Zonocerus variegatus), aphids (Aphis gossypii), mealybugs (Phenacoccus manihoti), termites (Isoptera), and grasscutters (Thryonomys swinderianus). The three most common diseases of cassava limiting growth and yield with mixed infection include viral, bacterial, and fungal. The study also revealed that only 12.5% of farmers cultivated improved cassava varieties. The management practices implemented encompassed field sanitation and the application of pesticides. Lack of capital and no availability of market were the most important production and marketing constraints faced by farmers in the study area, whereas poundability and high storage root yield are the most preferred traits farmers consider in selecting a new variety. Results suggest that smallholder farmers should endeavor to undergo various developmental programs to develop themselves to increase their competitive advantage in their locality and in the local and global agricultural sectors. In addition, governments and other policy makers should strategize plans and programs that would contribute to smallholder farmers’ agriculture, community and national development.
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
,
