Publications scientifiques
Meshuneké Arouna
Wassom Damien Fabrice
Fotsing Silatsa Landry
E Gastón
Kengoum Djam Marie Paule
Ché William Asah
Kom Timma Jospin Walter
Nicolas Niemenak
Ewané Cécile Annie
Plantain (<i>Musa </i>AAB) in the banana family of <i>Musaceae</i>, contribute to food security for sub-Saharan African population due to its high energy value (128.6 kcal/100 g), minerals (potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus), dietary fiber and vitamins (A, B and C) as well as poverty alleviation for millions of people in these regions. However, plantain production in Africa and Cameroon in particular still encounters numerous problems despite these performances. Some of these problems include the decline of soil, ineffective control methods, parasitic constraints and principally, the unavailability of quantity and quality seedlings. The use of micropropagation technique as an alternative of seedlings unavailability in quantity and quality has been explored, yet, it requires expensive laboratory equipment’s and technical skills and is not affordable by small scale farmers. Chemical control remains the principal method which consists in the use of pesticides, fungicides and herbicides that is reasonably efficient, yet the use of these chemical products shows some limits such as toxicity to the environment and human, costly to small scale farmers, pathogen resistance in plants and destruction of non-targeted species. The production of plantlets from stem bits (PIF) plantain seedlings in substrates with organic inputs like <i>Tithonia diversifolia</i> flakes and compost could be an alternative to the problem of growing healthy and good quality plantain plants. The objective of this research is to evaluate the stimulatory effects of flakes and compost amendment based on<i> Tithonia diversifolia </i>on the quality of PIF plantain seedlings growth and tolerance to <i>Mycosphaerella fijiensis </i>in nursery. The vegetative growth parameters, susceptibility to black Sigatoka disease and accumulation of biomarkers were assessed in the sterilized and non-sterilized substrate state. Flakes and compost amendment based on <i>T. diversifolia</i> significantly increase the height and the diameter of pseudo-stems, the total leaf area but also protect the seedlings against BSD up to about 89% compared to the control ones. They enhance the accumulation of biomarkers such as chlorophyll, sugars, amino acids, polyphenols, proteins, content and defense-related enzymes (peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase and ascorbate peroxidase). Flakes and compost amendment based on <i>T. diversifolia</i> seem to act as vital stimulators. They can therefore be seen as a tool for more sustainable and resilient agriculture, and poverty reduction for poor small farmers.
