Pests, diseases and crop protection practices in the smallholder sweetpotato production system of the highlands of Papua New Guinea.

ABSTRACT: Sweetpotato (Ipomea batatans) is a food crop of global significance. The storage roots and foliage of crop are attacked by a wide range of pests and diseases. Whilst these are generally well controlled in developed countries using approaches such as clean planting material and monitoring with pheromone traps to guide insecticide use, research into methods suitable for developing countries has lagged. In Papua New Guinea (PNG), sweetpotato is grown extensively as a subsistence crop and commercial production as a cash crop is developing. We report results from a survey of 33 smallholder producers located in the Highlands of PNG where the crop is of particular importance. Surveys of interviewees' crops showed high levels of pest and disease impact to foliage, stems and storage roots, e

SUBMITTER: Gurr GM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5147021 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature