Promising High-Yielding Tetraploid Plantain-Bred Hybrids in West Africa

Abstract

The devastating threat of black leaf streak disease caused by Pseudocercospora fijiensis on plantain production in West Africa spurred the development of resistant hybrids. The goal of this research and development (R&D) undertaken was assessing the development and dissemination of two plantain hybrids PITA 3 and FHIA 21 bred in the 1980s by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA, Nigeria) and the Fundación Hondureña de Investigación Agrícola (FHIA, Honduras), respectively. In Côte d’Ivoire, plantain growers selected PITA 3 and FHIA 21 based on their improved agronomic characteristics and, between 2012 and 2016, they were massively propagated and distributed to farmers in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo under the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAAP) coordinated by the West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF). In 2016, the Centre National de Recherche Agronomique in Côte d’Ivoire included the hybrids in the improved cultivar directory. This R&D activity illustrates how three decades of crossbreeding, selection, and distribution led to local acceptance. It also highlights how a CORAF-led partnership harnessed CGIAR research for development. The dissemination and acceptance of these plantain hybrids will enhance the sustainable intensification in plantain-based farming systems across the humid lowlands of West and Central Africa.

End‐user preferences for plantain food products in Nigeria and implications for genetic improvement

“…Over the years, breeders have developed and distributed high yielding disease‐resistant plantain varieties, but adoption rates have been limited (Eriksson et al ., 2018; Tenkouano et al ., 2019). Similar to other bananas, plantain production is still dominated by farmer preferred local varieties, principally owing to their consumer‐preferred attributes (taste, texture, colour and aroma; Ortiz & Swennen, 2014; Marimo et al ., 2020).…”

Banana and plantain in West Africa: Production and marketing

“…However, in the last decades these countries have experienced fairly stable plantain yield. Overall, the improvement in plantain yields in the last decade could be linked to various research efforts in the region leading to the discovery of hybrid plantain cultivars to replace local verities that are highly susceptible to diseases [8][9][10].…”

Farmers' Knowledge, Perceptions and Management of Black Sigatoka in Small Plantain-Based Farms in Southern Benin

“…However, according to Pérez-Vicente, deleafing is only effective in controlling the disease when it is combined with other cultural practices [36], such as canopy irrigation [44] and good fertilization to strengthen the plant's defense system [7]. To address successfully black Sigatoka disease, the use of hybrid resistant varieties has been widely promoted by researchers in African countries suitable to plantain production [45][46][47]. Although these varieties, in particular Pita 3 and FHIA 21, were introduced in Benin through the National Institute of Agricultural Research [45], but no farmers have adopted this control method.…”

“…To address successfully black Sigatoka disease, the use of hybrid resistant varieties has been widely promoted by researchers in African countries suitable to plantain production [45][46][47]. Although these varieties, in particular Pita 3 and FHIA 21, were introduced in Benin through the National Institute of Agricultural Research [45], but no farmers have adopted this control method. This can be explained by the fact that these farmers are very attached to locally produced cultivars.…”