Plant-biomass-based hybrid seed wraps mitigate yield and post-harvest losses among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa
Tahira Pirzada, Antoine Affokpon, Richard Guenther, Reny Mathew, Sachin Agate, Aitana Blevins, Medwick V. Byrd, Tim L. Sit, S. R. Koenning, Eric L. Davis, Lokendra Pal, Charles Opperman, Saad A. Khan
Abstract
Sustainable practices that reduce food loss are essential for enhancing global food security. We report a 'wrap and plant' seed treatment platform to protect crops from soil-borne pathogens. Developed from the abundantly available wastes of banana harvest and recycled old, corrugated cardboard boxes via chemical-free pulping, these paper-like biodegradable seed wraps exhibit tunable integrity and bioavailability of loaded moieties. These wraps were used for nematode control on yam (Dioscorea cayenensis-rotundata) seed pieces in Benin, a major producer of this staple crop in the sub-Saharan African 'yam belt'. Our seed wraps loaded with ultra-low-volume abamectin (1/100 ≤ commercial formulation) consistently controlled yam nematode (Scutellonema bradys) populations while considerably increasing the yield at various locations over 2015-2018. Substantial reduction in post-harvest tuber weight loss and cracking was observed after 3 and 5 months of storage, contributing to increased value, nutrition and stakeholders' preference for the wrap and plant treatment.