On - Farm Management of Foliar Diseases of Groundnut
The Need
Despite good intentions, the distance between scientist and farmer is great. It is greater in developing countries than in developed countries. Therefore, to narrow down the distance between technology generation, technology transfer and technology adoption subsystems, we initiated on-farm farmer's participatory research (OFPR) on the management of foliar diseases of groundnut. It is a link between the laboratory or on- station research and the actual acceptance of the proven technologies by farmers. In approach, OFPR is similar to the research carried by an industrial concern to successfully get its products accepted by customers and consumers. In this process, just as both the manufacturers and customers are benefited, in the case of successful OFPR, both scientists and farmers are benefited. Customers and farmers are ‘always right' and therefore the extent of acceptance of a product and technology is a measure of success. Just as the industry's research and development activities relate to different economic strata, OFPR also has to relate to farmers of various strata, i.e. marginal, medium, medium-large, and large farmers depending upon the size of their holdings and other assets at their disposal. The present OFPR was attuned to cater the need of subsistence farmers (marginal - medium size holdings) of Asia and Africa.
The Problem
Groundnut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important crop in more than 100 countries. Groundnut is produced predominantly in developing countries of Africa and Asia, and about 89% of world production and 94% of total area is confined to these two continents. Groundnut yields in Africa and Asia are very low (0.8-1.5 t ha -1 ) compared to very high yields (2.8 t ha -1 ) in the USA. In Africa and Asia, mostly resource poor farmers, who can rarely afford to adequately manage the crop, grow groundnut. The occurrence of diseases and pests, non-availability of improved technology including high yielding cultivars, and poor socio-economic conditions of farmers are the main causes for poor yields of groundnut in these continents. Late leaf spot (LLS) caused by Phaeoisariopsis personata [(Berk and Curt) v. Arx = Cercosporidium personatum (Berk. & Curt.) Deighton] and rust caused by Puccinia arachidis (Speg.) are the two most destructive fungal foliar diseases of groundnut worldwide. Together these two diseases can cause more than 50% yield loss in groundnut in many countries. Foliar disease management in groundnut often involves indiscriminate use of chemicals or total reliance on host plant resistance (HPR).
The Research Approach — Farmers Participatory
On-station experiments on integrated disease management (IDM) at ICRISAT-Patancheru, India, have clearly demonstrated that when moderate levels of HPR are combined with seed treatment and minimal levels of chemical control, expected yields and economic returns are higher than obtained with chemical control of susceptible genotypes. We evaluated the performance of this combination in on-farm farmer-participatory research. Two moderately resistant (ICGV 89104, ICGV 91114), and two susceptible (TMV 2 and a local cultivar) groundnut genotypes to foliar diseases were used in these studies. Farmers from Anantapur, Kurnool, and Nalgonda districts in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, participated in
these .studies (Figure 1). Local agronomic practices were followed to raise groundnut cultivars. These groundnut genotypes were grown under both high disease pressure [without fungicidal protection – Non FP] and low disease pressure [with fungicidal protection FP i.e. seed treatment with Thiram+ Bavistin @ 3g kg -1 seed and fungicide, chlorothalonil sprayed once at 60 days after sowing, (DAS)] (Figure 2).
The severities of foliar diseases (LLS and rust) on moderately resistant genotypes were significantly lower than on TMV 2 and the local cultivar (Figure 3) and HPR in these genotypes alone has contributed substantially to increase in pod yield.
Figure 3: Mean disease progress on 1-9 rating scale of groundnut foliar diseases in FP and Non_FP package in on-farm trials, Andhra Pradesh.
The increase in pod yield over the local cultivar and TMV 2 in fungicidal protected plots was 60% in ICGV 89104, and 55% in ICGV 91114 (Table 1).
Table 1. Pod and haulm yields of ICRISAT groundnut cultivars in on-farm integrated disease management (IDM) trials in the three districts a of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Yield (t ha -1 )
Pod Haulm
Cultivar FP b Non-FP c FP Non-FP
ICGV 89104 |
2.13 |
|
1.70 |
|
2.97 |
|
2.46 |
ICVG 91114 |
2.07 |
|
1.75 |
|
2.75 |
|
2.31 |
TMV 2 |
1.35 |
|
0.96 |
|
2.15 |
|
1.67 |
Local cultivar |
1.33 |
|
0.88 |
|
2.05 |
|
1.52 |
LSD 0.05 |
|
0.48 |
|
|
|
0.62 |
|
a. Anantapur, Kurnool, and Nalgonda
b. Fungicide protection
c. Without fungicide protection.
The Costs and Benefits
The cost of total inputs per hectare was calculated. Haulm and pod yields were averaged across all locations to calculate the costs and benefits. Inputs cost and the market price of groundnut produce were similar in both years in all three districts. The total cost of inputs was around Rs 9,010 (1Rs = approximately 0.0.238 US $) in FP and Rs 5,800 in non-FP treatments. The pods were sold @ Rs10, 500 t -1 , and haulms as bi- product were sold @ Rs 750 t -1 . Net profit of Rs 15,583 in ICGV 89104, Rs 14788 in ICGV 91114, Rs 6.778 in TMV 2 and Rs 6,493 in local cultivar were obtained from FP treatment (Figure 4). But the returns of TMV 2 and local cultivar in non-FP treatment were Rs 5500 and Rs 4600 respectively, which are equivalent to the returns a resource poor farmer normally obtains in these districts.
Farmers' Perceptions and Preferences
Almost all the participating farmers expressed their preference for early-maturing high yielding test genotypes with resistance to foliar diseases. They were convinced with minimal use of fungicide for stable pod and haulm yields and agreed to integrate it as an integral component of foliar disease management scheme. Throughout the growing season both participating and neighboring farmers keenly observed the performance of these varieties in on-farm IDM plots. Right from the emergence stage almost all farmers (over 80%) appreciated ICGV 89104 and ICGV 91114 because of better emergence and response to fungicidal sprays compared to the local cultivar. In both seasons farmers preferred these early-maturing genotypes because of their close similarity to the local cultivar in phenotypic characteristics, supporting slower progress of foliar diseases, responsive to foliar disease management technology, high shelling percentage and clear yield advantage (Figure 5). These studies clearly suggested that any technology developed for subsistence groundnut farmers of Africa and Asia should offer a clear yield and foliar disease management advantage over farmers' current practices.
Future Plans
The new vision of ICRISAT with a focus on improving the livelihood of the poorest - putting a human face on science, provides greater opportunity to take results of research to end–users objectively to make a measurable impact in Africa and Asia. On-farm participatory research program on integrated management of foliar disease of groundnut will expand and increase groundnut pod and haulm yields by 50% in selected locations in Asia and Africa. This will increase net income by two to three folds and also provide disease free nutritious fodder to livestock in smallholder system. It will also provide food security and off-farm income.
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge with thanks the excellent cooperation we received from scientists of Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University (ANGRAU), Anantapur; Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kurnool and Nalgonda districts and farmers of these districts.
The research activities were supported by the Asian Development Bank and donors supporting ICRISAT's unrestricted core activities.
For more information please contact:
Dr Suresh Pande
Senior Scientist (Pathology),
ICRISAT-Patancheru 502 324.
Fax # +91 40 3296182.
