The complex distribution of plantain cultivars (Musa sp., AAB subgroup) in the Bas-Uele province of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Open Access Journal; Published online: 28 June 2018Plantain is one of the most important sources of food in the African lowlands stretching from the lowlands of Guinea and Liberia to the central basin of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). Because plantain cultivars do not produce seeds, plantain cultivation is based on vegetatively transplanted lateral shoots/suckers. The way by which plantain reached the African continent is still under speculation. The aim of this study was to shed light on the history of plantain cultivars through a linguistic/synonymy study in northern Democratic Republic of Congo. We report the diversity of plantains in 18 villages across the Bas-Uele province based on a survey. Three villages in which plantain production systems dominated were selected in each territory, and ten households were consulted in each village. In each selected village, a focus group discussion was conducted with a group of at least 30 men, and with a separate group of 30 women to establish a list of plantain cultivars grown and known. A total of 46 cultivars were identified and 294 synonyms detected. The cultivar names are mostly related to animal features and agronomic traits, although there is a need to revisit the list for more specific traditional names. The local differences in cultivar identity, density and distribution are explained partly due to the influence of humid forest versus savanna landscapes, but the main part seems to be due to previous movements of Benza, Boa, Ngbandi, Rambo and Zande ethnic groups with their own set of cultivars. We demonstrate that the recorded synonymy data are useful for a tentative partial reconstruction of the history of some cultivars. This is useful for the genetic improvement of plantain cultivars, which most probably will have to rely for a great deal on the unraveling and management of epigenetic mechanisms

Assessing incidence, development and distribution of banana bunchy top disease across the main plantain and banana growing regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Banana bunchy top disease (BBTD) was first identified in DR Congo in 1958. Previously, the disease’s distribution throughout the Congo basin had not been studied, so an initial study, to determine the incidence and severity of BBTD in banana and plantain producing regions of Oriental province, was carried out during 2009 to 2010. Three hundred (300) farms were surveyed across 4 districts and 19 territories, with 30 mats assessed per farm. Visible disease symptoms were recorded and serological tests using triple antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TAS-ELISA) were carried out on collected samples. Additional surveys were conducted during 2010 to 2012 in Maniema, Northern Katanga, Eastern and Western Kasai, Bandundu and Equateur provinces to assess the distribution of the aphid vector (Pentalonia nigronervosa), BBTD incidence and severity. 92% of mats observed across Oriental province manifested BBTD symptoms but severity levels were low. All plantain and banana cultivars grown in farmers’ fields were susceptible to the disease. The vector, P. nigronervosa, was found on 89% of all assessed mats. In Tshopo district, all samples collected on plants showing disease severity scores 2, 4 and 5 tested positive for the presence of the virus. However, only 48% of plants with severity score 1 and 33% of plants with score 3 gave positive TAS-ELISA results. More importantly, 40% of symptomless plants (score 0) tested positive. The average BBTD incidences in Bandundu, Equateur, Eastern and Western Kasai, Katanga and Maniema were lower than levels observed in Oriental province. The lowest incidence levels were observed in Equateur (43%) and Katanga (35%). Although, BBTD is widespread in the surveyed provinces, the generally observed low severity levels result in limited impact on production. The generalized spread of BBTD in surveyed areas nevertheless underlines an urgent need to identify virus-free plants for multiplication and distribution of disease-free materials to small-scale farmers