Don recommends use of organic manure to tackle root crop disease


JOS: Prof. David Wonang of University of Jos has recommended the use of organic manure to tackle ``root-knot nematodes, a disease affecting roots of crops.
Wonang gave the recommendation on Thursday at the 80th Inaugural Lecture of the university in Jos.
The lecture is titled: ``Root-Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne species) Farmers Silent/Unseen Enemies: Implications on food Security and Stability in Nigeria.’’
Wonang described root crop disease as a major cause of food shortage in developing countries.
``It has been generally difficult to quantify the amount of economic losses caused by root-knot nematodes, especially in developing countries where crops are rarely grown as mono crops.
``Nematodes remain a principal factor in disease complexes due to their predisposing role in such complexes.
``Nematodes feeding create open wounds that provide entry to a wide variety of plant-pathogenic fungi and bacteria,’’ he explained.
Wonang, who gave symptoms of root-knot nematodes disease to include galls and knots on roots and tubers, however, said organic manures could reduce the population of nematodes.
The lecturer commended the Federal Government for its efforts to diversify the economy through agriculture and also recommended crop rotation to tackle the menace.
The don said that rotation of crops that were related to each other would help in checking the disease.
According to him, this will not be effective for crops that are not closely related like in the case of tomato and potato that are both solanaceous plants.
He also added that fallowing the land could help to starve nematodes to death.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Hayward Mafuyai commended Wonang for the well presented lecture.
Mafuyai said that the lecture would be uploaded on line for anybody interested to access.

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