Fighting nematodes with banana paper: An approach to boost potato yields in Kenya

In Kenya, potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), is the second most important staple food crop after maize, and a cornerstone of global food security. It is under threat from root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.), microscopic soil-borne pests, which can severely impact potato yields. This compounds food security in a region where potatoes provide sustenance and livelihoods for millions of people. 

To address this, a groundbreaking study offers hope, in the form of a biodegradable innovation—banana fibre paper. 

The study, an evaluation of the effectiveness of a lignocellulose fibre matrix – banana paper – for the management of root-knot nematodes on potatoes entitled: “Efficacy of banana fiber paper for the management of the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, on potato (Solanum tuberosum) in Kenya”, was carried out in pot and field trials over two consecutive cropping seasons.  

During the study, seed potatoes were wrapped in banana paper either impregnated with the nematicide abamectin or soaked with a biologically based nematicide – Trichoderma asperellum (Real Trichoderma®). 

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