Effective pest and disease management

Although pests and diseases can reduce the growth and performance of fonio, they are in most cases a minor problem. The most common diseases that affect fonio are caused by the fungi Phyllachora sphearosperma and Helminthosporium spp. and rust caused by Puccinia oahuensis. Occasionally some insect pests cause significant seed losses. Birds like to feed on freshly sown seeds and on ripening grains. To avoid major losses after sowing and in the last days before harvest, bird scaring is recommended.

Control of fonio diseases

Diseases are best controlled by planting tolerant or resistant cultivars, if available, and by employing cultural measures like proper crop rotation, sowing early in the season and removing infected ears at harvest. The effectiveness of these control measures is however minimal if the measures are applied individually. Seed treatment with natural fungicides such as ashes and botanicals like neem and castor leaves can hinder development of fungal diseases that are transmitted on seeds.

Field visit on pest and disease management

Visit different fonio fields, and identify together with the farmers any observable signs of pest and disease problems. Ask the farmers, whether they are familiar with those signs and whether they have monitored to see, when the pests and diseases attack, and how both can be controlled.