Implications of on-farm research for local knowledge related to fruit flies and the weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda in mango production
We interviewed half of the mango-growers in northern Benin, including 15 farmers involved in a regional fruit fly project, and held focus group discussions with women fruit-pickers. They were asked about pest management and their knowledge of a weaver ant, Oecophylla longinoda. All considered low yields due to fruit flies to be the principal constraint upon mango production, estimating economic losses to be between 20 and 45%. None could recognize damage during the first 2 days after fruit fly egg deposition. On-farm research persuaded farmers to stop using insecticides and it also changed negative perceptions of Oecophylla. Over 80% of the farmers involved in on-farm research, compared to 25% of those not involved, reported Oecophylla to be beneficial. All fruit-pickers knew that ants protected mango from fruit flies, with 60% attributing better mango quality in terms of appearance, shelf-life and sweetness to the presence of Oecophylla. Nevertheless, 40% of the pickers still considered weaver ants a nuisance pest during harvest. Ways of reducing this nuisance need to be developed for Oecophylla to gain wider acceptance by mango-growers.
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | article biblioteca |
| Language: | eng |
| Subjects: | H10 - Ravageurs des plantes, Oecophylla, Tephritidae, Mangifera indica, lutte biologique, lutte antiravageur, enquête sur les exploitations agricoles, changement technologique, adoption de l'innovation, Oecophylla longinoda, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_29899, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3122, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_4575, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_918, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_5726, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_28693, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_7643, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_3878, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_1404137108197, http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_875, |
| Online Access: | http://agritrop.cirad.fr/544964/ http://agritrop.cirad.fr/544964/1/document_544964.pdf |
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| Summary: | We interviewed half of the mango-growers in northern Benin, including 15 farmers involved in a regional fruit fly project, and held focus group discussions with women fruit-pickers. They were asked about pest management and their knowledge of a weaver ant, Oecophylla longinoda. All considered low yields due to fruit flies to be the principal constraint upon mango production, estimating economic losses to be between 20 and 45%. None could recognize damage during the first 2 days after fruit fly egg deposition. On-farm research persuaded farmers to stop using insecticides and it also changed negative perceptions of Oecophylla. Over 80% of the farmers involved in on-farm research, compared to 25% of those not involved, reported Oecophylla to be beneficial. All fruit-pickers knew that ants protected mango from fruit flies, with 60% attributing better mango quality in terms of appearance, shelf-life and sweetness to the presence of Oecophylla. Nevertheless, 40% of the pickers still considered weaver ants a nuisance pest during harvest. Ways of reducing this nuisance need to be developed for Oecophylla to gain wider acceptance by mango-growers. |
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