Climate change and sustainable management of taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott.) leaf blight in Western Highlands of Cameroon

Abstract

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years. An epidemic devastated taro (Colocasia esculenta) in West and Central Africa between 2005- 2010 causing an estimated loss of over 70 billion FCFA to the Cameroonian economy followed by food insecurity, persistent price hikes and changes in feeding habits. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation conducted surveys and wrote reports but no mitigation strategy was proposed.

In this light, trials were conducted with a pre- packed fungicide (copper (II) oxide and metalaxyl) at 7, 14, 21 and 28 day spray frequencies. In another trial, taro was sown in December followed by constant irrigation and compared with rainy season planting in March. Data was typed in Excel and analysed with GENSTAT software while means were separated using the Least Significant Different at 5% probability. Results showed that a 28-day spray regime could be selected based on high yields of 60.44 t/ha, yield increase of 74.06, net benefit of 8.27 million FCFA/ ha and a rate of return of 13.78. Results of irrigation gave yields of 61.81 t/ha and yield increase of 75.85 % with corresponding net benefits of 12 million FCFA/ha and a rate of return of 11.29. Consequently, early planting and monthly fungicide application can by proposed to farmers as these management methods are environmentally-friendly. In perspectives, further research in other agroecological zones and more active ingredients will be conducted.