Plant-biomass-based hybrid seed wraps mitigate yield and post-harvest losses among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
Nat Food
; 4(2): 148-159, 2023 02.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37117858
ABSTRACT
Sustainable practices that reduce food loss are essential for enhancing global food security. We report a 'wrap and plant' seed treatment platform to protect crops from soil-borne pathogens. Developed from the abundantly available wastes of banana harvest and recycled old, corrugated cardboard boxes via chemical-free pulping, these paper-like biodegradable seed wraps exhibit tunable integrity and bioavailability of loaded moieties. These wraps were used for nematode control on yam (Dioscorea cayenensis-rotundata) seed pieces in Benin, a major producer of this staple crop in the sub-Saharan African 'yam belt'. Our seed wraps loaded with ultra-low-volume abamectin (1/100 ≤ commercial formulation) consistently controlled yam nematode (Scutellonema bradys) populations while considerably increasing the yield at various locations over 2015-2018. Substantial reduction in post-harvest tuber weight loss and cracking was observed after 3 and 5 months of storage, contributing to increased value, nutrition and stakeholders' preference for the wrap and plant treatment.
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Tubérculos
/
Fazendeiros
Limite:
Humans
País como assunto:
Africa
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article