Potential for banana fibre paper for controlling nematode pests in potato production in Kenya

Abstract

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is an increasingly important staple in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), driven by rapid urbanisation and rising demand for fast foods. Unfortunately, production of the crop is marred by a number of constraints, one of which is plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) such as the Globodera spp. commonly known as the potato cyst nematode (PCN). Existing means of nematode control present major challenges such as pesticide contamination; while many products have been withdrawn from the market due to environmental toxicity allegations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of banana fibre paper impregnated with low dosages of the nematicides abamectin and fluopyram, for nematode management in potato production in Kenya. A field study was conducted at Kinangop, Nyandarua County in Kenya, during short and long rains in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Treatments included abamectin-treated paper, fluopyram-treated paper, untreated paper and direct fluopyram application alongside a control. Abamectin-treated paper reduced nematode populations by 28.6% relative to the control; while the fluopyram-treated counterpart achieved up to 66.8% suppression; and demonstrated the strongest overall performance. Potato tuber yields were enhanced, respectively, by 3.1 and 5.9 t ha-1, by fluopyram-based treatments. Hence, banana fibre paper offers a promising alternative to conventional nematicide application by delivering lower chemical doses more precisely aligning well with smallholder production systems. These results demonstrate that banana fibre paper offers a promising circular and climate-smart nematicide delivery system capable of reducing chemical inputs while enhancing productivity. Further research should optimise dosage and paper formulations and assess scalability in farmer-managed environments.