Status of the banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) in Cameroon NJIAYOUOM Ibrahim1 , FONBAH Cletus 2, MOULIOM PEFOURA Alassa 2 KWA Moïse2, ASIEDU Ernest 3 1. IRAD Kumba, Cameroon , 2. CARBAP Njombé, Cameroon , 3. CORAF/WECARD, Senegal
Importance of Bananas and Plantains
Healthy plants
Plantain and banana are the most important food crop and are favourite staple in Cameroon (Temple et al., 1996). Banana production can be grouped into three types: plantains, dessert bananas for self consumption and industrial bananas for export. Cropping systems are often varied, ranging from domestic gardens to intensive sole cropping for commercial production. Banana export is by far the first agricultural product exported from Cameroon in terms of volume. The national annual production is estimated at 2,604,100 MT for plantain and 950,200 MT for banana (FAO, 2012). In 2010 Cameroon was ranked second in the African banana exporting countries with 233,000 MT exported behind Côte d’Ivoire. In 2011, Cameroon exported 247,210 MT of bananas, which represented 46% of total exports of industrial agriculture. As for plantains, Cameroon is the 13th world producer and the 4th African producer (FAO, 2012). More than 90 % of this plantain is produced by small scale farmers with different levels of diversification.
BBTV as a constraint Banana and plantain are plague with a number of viral diseases that can significantly reduce yield and affect the livelihood of the population. Banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) is an emerging threat to banana and plantain production in several regions in West and Central Africa. Besides its effect on food security, the virus poses a serious threat to the diversity of plantain and banana. According to Kumar et al. (2011), BBTV is well established in central and southern sub-Saharan Africa. The virus is spread through vegetative planting material such as corms, suckers, tissue cultured materials, etc. It is also transmitted by a banana aphid, Pentalonia nigronervosa, the only known biological vector. BBTD is known as the most devastating viral disease of banana and plantain. Pentalonia nigronervosa
Situation of BBTV Research
Infected plants
Considering the importance of banana and plantain, the presence of the disease in the neighbouring countries and the threat of the disease, relatively very little research has been devoted to it in Cameroon. Consequently, very little information has been published on the disease in the country. Reports from several projects have indicated the presence of the disease in Cameroon. However, the first survey on the occurrence of BBTV in the country comes from Oben et al. (2009) who indicated its presence in the Western and Southern regions of the country. This was further indicated by Lokossou et al (2012) stating that two BBTV sequences observed in samples from Benin were similar to those from Cameroon. Studies on the banana aphid in Cameroon have revealed that they are widespread and their number is three times higher on plantain than bananas. The presence of aphids has been reported in high altitude but specific observations to evaluate a possible relationship between aphids and altitude were not made (Kumar et al., 2011). Low awareness about BBTD in Cameroon was noted as a factor which increases (favour) the disease Colonies of banana aphids Perspectives spread. Studies carried out in Cameroon until now are not sufficient to develop a real strategy against the BBTD. Further research should be carried out to determine the level of severity, disease incidence and yield losses in production areas in Cameroon. Research should also be carried out to identify resistant varieties, different virus strains and the genetic diversity existing in each production region. It will also be necessary to study the effect of altitude and climatic conditions on development and spread of the disease and on the population of insect vectors. In addition, it will be necessary to raise awareness of scientists, farmers and other stakeholders on the virus, monitor and enforce strict phyto-sanitary measures to prevent further spread. This is with the ultimate goal of developing integrated management strategies to protect banana and plantain from this menace. Acknowledgment : Sincere thanks and gratitude to DFID through
References 1 - FAO, 2012. FAO Statistical Yearbook 2012 2 - Lokossou B, Gnanvossou D, Ayodeji O, Akplogan F, Safiore A, Migan DZ, Pefoura AM, Hanna R, Lava Kumar P, 2012. Occurrence of Banana bunchy top virus in banana and plantain (Musa sp.) in Benin. New Disease Reports 25, 13. [doi:10.5197/j.2044-0588.2012.025.013] 3 - Oben T. T.; R. Hanna; J. Ngeve; O. J. Alabi; R. A. Naidu and P. Lava Kumar. 2009. Occurrence of Banana Bunchy Top Disease Caused by the Banana bunchy top virus on Banana and Plantain (Musa sp.) in Cameroon. The American Phytopathological Society. Volume 93, Number 10. page 1076 4 - Kumar PL, Hanna R, Alabi OJ, Soko MM, Oben TT, Vangu GH, Naidu RA. 2011. Banana bunchy top virus in sub-Saharan Africa: investigations on virus distribution and diversity. Virus Res. 2011 Aug; 159 (2):171-82 5 - Temple L.; J. Chataigner et F. Kamajou. 1996. Le marché du plantain au Cameroun, des dynamiques de l’offre au fonctionnement du système de commercialisation. Fruits 51, 83 – 98. 6 - Nelson SC. 2004. Banana Bunchy Top: Detailed Signs and Symptoms. CTAHR, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, May