The Ministry for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has advised farmers whose crops mainly coffee and other trees are infested with dodder (weed) to simply cut them down for them to regenerate.
Dodder, a pest whose start-up roots and base dry up immediately after it attaches itself on a host plant, has been reported by the Ministry as one of the major impediments affecting successful coffee production especially in Busoga Sub-Region.
According to Dr. Joab Tugume, a Senior Agricultural Inspector (MAAIF) dodder is affecting forestry, wildlife and gardens mainly coffee in Busoga and yet this cash crop is one of the biggest exports for Uganda.
“People don’t think that it’s (dodder) a problem. Some have found other uses. Some are using it as ornamental. The problem is we have not been making awareness about it” he told a media training workshop at Source of the Nile Hotel-Jinja. The workshop was organized jointly by the Ministry and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) to equip reporters with knowledge on how to report about crop pests and diseases. It was intended to brief them on new and emerging pest threats on Ugandan agriculture, pesticides products, registration and withdrawal procedures among other objectives.
Dr. Tugume said that a recent research by the MAAIF showed that 40% of the gardens are affected by this pest while 10.4% of coffee trees are also infested by dodder.
“We advise you to cut down the trees to regenerate. Try as much as possible to deal with it when it occurs (on your farm)” he sent out a message to farmers.
He however, revealed that as a Ministry, it’s finding it hard to convince people to deal with this pest as some have coined other uses of it especially women.
“In Busoga, ladies are using it to chase away co-wives. This is leading to it’s spread. Those are perceptions surrounding this weed in some of these areas” he revealed.
Locally known as ‘nabulabutuulo’ or ‘nabulabutyamiro’, dodder according to Dr. Tugume is also being heavily spread by kids in Busoga.
“Children are leading in propagating it. Once they see it germinating on another plant, they feel happy” he revealed. Asked why it has taken long for the Ministry to deal with this pest which has existed for ages, Tugume conceded that indeed, little awareness about it has been done especially by the media.
“The problem we have not been making awareness about it. We have not been making noise about it” he said but however, called for an intense campaign against this weed so that farmers can avert unnecessary losses.
FACTS ABOUT DODDER
This parasitic plant is thin, threadlike and appears in yellow or orange colors. It’s base and startup roots die out the moment it attaches itself on the host plant. It rapidly grows and covers the host plant. Dr. Tugume says it can weaken the host plant to the extent of reducing it’s yield, quality and stand which eventually kills it. Although scientists suggest it can be sprayed with liquid glyphasate herbicide, Dr. Tugume said the most effective way of dealing with dodder is eliminating the infested tree.
ENTER FAMINE WEED
Meanwhile, Dr. Tugume reported another deadly weed mainly to the livestock sector. Scientifically baptized as Parthenium, he described it as an invasive species which displaces the biodiversity and leaves animals without anything to eat.
Also known as the ‘famine weed’, this dangerous weed is already ravaging several farms leaving animals and human beings suffering.
Once it appears on the farm, all existing grass is taken out as the weed takes over the entire surface.
“Biological control is the option because most herbicides are not working (if applied). Parthenium taints the milk and also causes abortion in animals” he advised.
Tugume noted that pests are among the costliest disasters in the world. He called for prioritization of Plant health or pests the way other disasters are treated.
“Africa alone has lost USD14.5bn, Asia USD180.8bn since 1980-2003 but (unfortunately) plant pests and diseases are not getting the attention in the media like any others” Tugume noted.
He lectured that pests are spread through floods, wind storm, commodity pathways, bad agricultural practices/pesticide misuse, transportation means such as airplanes, water vessels and commodity containers.
