Powder from plant roots protects stored maize
Every year Africa loses around one fifth of its harvested maize crop to pests, mould and other factors
© WRENmedia
In Zambia, farmers and researchers are testing the efficacy of a powder made from the root bark of a local plant - Securidaca longepedunculata - in protecting stored maize against weevils. Tests over two seasons suggest the biological protection is as effective of use of chemical products, without entailing high costs. Farmer Steven Mazibuko and researcher Donald Zulu of the Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre, describe the challenges involved in post-harvest crop protection and the benefits offered by Securidaca root powder. The powder is also being tested more widely in Africa, under the African Dryland Alliance for Pesticidal Plant Technologies (ADAPPT) project.
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Crop protection
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