Enset Bacterial Wilt Sanitary Control in Gurage Zone

Abstract

Enset bacterial wilt is the major challenge that thwarts enset production systems in major enset growing regions of Ethiopia. The disease was first reported in 1968 (Dagnachew, 1968). It is very destructive as it kills enset at all growth stages. Anita et al (1996) confirmed that area allocated to enset production is declining from time to time due to bacterial wilt attack. Currently, many farmers started replacing enset field with cereals. The Gurage Zone is enset-dominant farming system. Enset products such as kocho, bulla and amicho are the most staple dishes in the Zone. However, enset bacterial wilt disease is also a serious problem in the area. In the past various research attempts were made to screen enset clones against enset bacterial wilt under artificial inoculation by Awasa Agricultural Research Center. In addition, the mechanism of pathogen dissemination, its survival was investigated so far. However, up until now there is no chemical control measure effective to control the disease. In addition, many researchers are recommending sanitary control measures as a short-term solution to the disease (Dagnachew and Bradbury, 1968; Dereje, 1985; Archido and Mesfin, 1993). In many parts of the region, enset farmers have their own indigenous knowledge bout enset bacterial wilt control practices. They have different perceptions and knowledge about the causes, sources and dissemination mechanisms of the disease. Survey reports indicate that many farmers believe that supernatural power being the most important cause for the disease. By tradition, some farmers use sanitary control measures such as care of farm tools, fencing to check livestock movements into enset wilt infested field and uprooting and discarding infected enset plant out of the field. Nevertheless, many farmers do not have clear perception about the efficacy of sanitary control measures of enset and as a result, they are not properly applying. Participatory enset bacterial wilt sanitary control were set out by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from Areka and Awasa Agricultural Research Centers in Gurage Zone, Gumer and Cheha Weredas, in Mugoterara and Adoshinaturchi Pas, where the disease is more serious than elsewhere in the vicinity of these places. This study was conducted with the objective to understand farmers' attitude about the use of sanitary measures, demonstrate the measures to farmers using participatory training and extension methods and to observe the impact of the disease on the type of clones in the enset field.