Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T05:00:36.593Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Pest management constraints in smallscale cotton farms in Mozambique: Timing and application of insecticides

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

I. Javaid
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Investigacao Agronomica (INIA), Caixa Postal 36 58, Maputo, Mozambique
R. N. Uaine
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Investigacao Agronomica (INIA), Caixa Postal 36 58, Maputo, Mozambique
J. N. Massua
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Investigacao Agronomica (INIA), Caixa Postal 36 58, Maputo, Mozambique
Get access

Abstract

A questionnaire survey of 100 smallscale cotton growers was conducted in two cotton-growing provinces of Mozambique to assess the constraints faced by the farmers in relation to the timing of insecticide application. The results showed that majority of the farmers started spraying too early (four weeks after germination) and were unaware that such sprays reduced the population of natural enemies of insect pests and might not lead to increased yields. The farmers applied an average of three sprays in the cotton growing season, about half of them according to pest observance and 41 % by following instructions of extension officers, but were constrained by the unavailability of insecticides and sprayers. Another constraint was lack of information on the timing of insecticide application. More than half of the farmers had suffered mild insecticide poisoning and needed more effective training on the judicious and safer use of insecticides, integrated with non-chemical pest management practices.

Résumé

En deux provinces cotonnières du Mozambique, cent agriculteurs cultivant le coton à petite échelle ont été enquêtés par utilisation d'un questionnaire, afin de dégager l'effet de suivi de dates et les systèmes d'application des insecticides. Selon les résultats obtenus, la majorité des agriculteurs commençaient à traiter très tôt (4 semaines après la levée), et ils n'étaient pas informés que de tels traitements réduisaient les populations des ennemis naturels des insectes ravageurs et qu'ils ne débouchaient nécessairement pas sur une augmentation de rendements. Au cours d'une saison culturale de coton, les agriculteurs effectuaient généralement 3 traitements insecticides. La moitié d'entre eux traitait après l'observation de l'apparition des ravageurs, tandis que 41% d'entre eux suivaient les instructions données par les agents de vulgarisation, mais ils étaient limités par la non-disponibilité des insecticides et des appareils de traitement. Le manque d'information sur les dates d'application des insecticides constituait aussi une contrainte. Plus de 50% des agriculteurs enquêtés avaient été sujets aux légères intoxications dues aux insecticides et ils avaient besoin d'un recyclage en matière de l'utilisation judicieuse et sans danger des insecticides; laquelle utilisation serait intégrée à l'emploi des méthodes non chimiques.

Type
Research Articles
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anonymous (1993) Cotton Handbook. Commercial Cotton Growers' Association, Zimbabwe.Google Scholar
Anonymous (1995a) Inquerito Agricloa ao sector Familiar, MINAG, Moçambique 1993. Rev. 21/8/85.Google Scholar
Anonymous (1995b) Relatario Anual, Campanha Agricola 1993/94, Centro de Investigacao E Multiplicacao de Semente de Algodao de Namialo, Instituto Nacional de Investigacao Agronomica, Republica De Moçambique.Google Scholar
Anonymous (1996) Relatario Anual, Campanha Agricola 1994/95, Centro de Investigacao E Multiplicacao de Semente de Algodao de Namialo, Instituto Nacional de Investigacao Agronomica, Republica De Moçambique.Google Scholar
Burgess, M. W. (1983) Development of cotton pest management in Zimbabwe. Crop Protection 2, 247250.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cauquil, J. (1989) New Developments in Cotton Protection in Sub-Saharan French speaking Africa. Paper presented at the ICAC Conference in Washington, USA, October 1989.Google Scholar
Davies, J. C. (1970) Effects of spraying and cultural practices on cotton in Uganda. Exp. Agric. 6, 6578.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duncombe, W. C. (1973) The acaricide spray rotation for cotton. Rhodesian Agric. J. 70, 115118.Google Scholar
Farrington, J. (1977) Research based recommendations versus farmers practice: Some lessons from cotton spraying in Malawi. Exp. Agric. 13, 915.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gubran, E. E. (1991) Etude de la resistance chez le puceron du coton Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae) a divers produits insecticides au Soudan. These de Doctorate en Science, Universite de Paris VI, 181 pp.Google Scholar
Gubran, E. E., Delorme, R., Auge, D. and Moreau, J. P. (1992) Insecticide resistance in cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover) in the Sudan Gezira. Pesticide Sci. 35, 101107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hillocks, R. J. (1995) Integrated management of insect pests, diseases and weeds of cotton in Africa. Integrated Pest Management Reviews 1, 3147.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ingram, R. (1994) Pectinophora (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). In Insect Pests of Cotton (Edited by Matthews, G. A. and Tunstall, P. J.). CAB International. Cambridge, UK. 592 pp.Google Scholar
Javaid, I. (1990a) Application of insecticides on cotton in Zambia: Timing of spray applications. Trop. Pest Manage. 36, 19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Javaid, I. (1990b) Pest management practices in cotton in Zambia, J. Plant Prot. Trop. 7, 3946.Google Scholar
Javaid, I., Uaine, R. N. and Massua, J. (1994) Insect pest survey on family sub-sector cotton production system in northern Mozambique. Centre for Cotton Research and Seed Multiplication Namialo (CIMSAN), National Institute for Agricultural Research (INIA), Mozambique.Google Scholar
Javaid, I., Uaine, R. N. and Massua, J. (1998) The introduction of very-low-volume (VLV) water-based insecticide sprays on cotton in Mozambique. African Crop Protection 4 (2) (in press).Google Scholar
Javaid, I., Zulu, J. N., Matthews, G. A. and Norton, G. A. (1987a) Cotton insect pest management on small scale farms in Zambia—I. Farmers perceptions. Insect Sci. Applic. 8, 10011006.Google Scholar
Javaid, I., Zulu, J. N., Matthews, G. A. and Norton, G. A. (1987b) Cotton insect pest management on small scale farms in Zambia—II. Training and sources of advice. Insect Sci. Applic. 8, 10071015.Google Scholar
Kabissa, J.C.B., Ternu, E., Ngoma, M. and Mrosso, F. (1997) Control of cotton pests in Tanzania: Progress and prospects. First All Africa Crop Science Congress. Programme and Abstracts, 13–17 January 1997. 58 pp.Google Scholar
Kfir, R. and van Hamburg, H. (1983) Further tests on threshold levels for the control of cotton bollworms (mainly Heliothis armigera). J. Entomol. Soc. Sth Afr. 46, 4958.Google Scholar
Leclant, F. and Deguine, J. P. (1994) Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae). In Insect Pests of Cotton (Edited by Matthews, G. A. and Tunstall, P. J.). CAB International, Cambridge, UK. 592 pp.Google Scholar
Mabbett, T. H. (1996) Micron ULVA + moves into Central African cotton. Press Release. Micron Sprayers Limited, Three Mills, Bromyard, Hertfordshire, HR 7 4 HU, UK. 2 pp.Google Scholar
Lyon, D. J., de, B. (1971) Timings of insecticide application on cotton in the northern states of Nigeria. Cott. Grow. Rev. 48, 281296.Google Scholar
Matthews, G. A. (1971) Ultra-low volume spraying of cotton—A new application technique. Cotton Handbook of Malawi, Amendment 2/71. Agricultural Research Council of Malawi.Google Scholar
Matthews, G. A. (1973a) Ultra-low volume spray application on cotton in Malawi. PANS 19, 4853.Google Scholar
Matthews, G. A. (1973b) Ultra low volume spraying of cotton in Malawi. Cott. Grow. Rev. 50, 242267.Google Scholar
Matthews, G. A. (1989) Cotton Insect Pests and Their Management. Longman, Harlow, UK, 199 pp.Google Scholar
Matthews, G. A. (1994) Chemical control, pp. 535557. In Insect Pests of Cotton (Edited by Matthews, G. A. and Tunstall, P. J.). CAB International, Cambridge, UK. 592 pp.Google Scholar
Norman, D. W., Hayward, J. A. and Hallam, H. R. (1974) An assessment of cotton growing recommendations as applied by Nigerian farmers. Cott. Grow. Rev. 51, 266280.Google Scholar
Nyamasyo, G. H. N. and Karel, A. K. (1982) Studies on insecticide resistance in cotton stainers, Dysdercus spp. (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae), in Kenya. Bull. Entomol. Res. 72, 461465.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reed, W. (1971) Comparison of insecticide sprayed and unsprayed cotton at Ukiriguru, western Tanzania. Cott. Grow. Rev. 48, 200209.Google Scholar