In an initiative to counteract the papaya mealybug infestation affecting Kenya's pawpaw production, researchers have introduced thousands of Acerophagus papaya wasps across five counties. This pest, which coats the fruit in a waxy secretion, has rendered the crops unsellable.
The wasps, by laying eggs on the mealybugs, offer a biological solution to this problem. The implementation has expanded to eight counties, including Machakos, Makueni, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, and Baringo, under the guidance of Cabi, the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service, and the National Museums of Kenya. Dr Johnson Nyasani of Kalro highlighted the approach as a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides within an integrated pest management plan.
The papaya, ranking as Kenya's fourth essential fruit, faced a severe threat from the mealybug, first detected in Mombasa in 2016 and spreading to over 21 counties. The infestation led to significant crop losses, especially in coastal regions. The Acerophagus papaya wasp, proven to target only the mealybug, has shown promising control results, with Dr Selpha Miller of Cabi noting a potential for substantial crop loss mitigation. This initiative is part of the PlantwisePlus programme, supported by additional funding from the Darwin Initiative project 'Biocontrol of papaya mealybug in East Africa.'
Source: the-star.co.ke