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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 9, No. 5
Publication Date: May 25, 2022
DOI:10.14738/assrj.95.12240. Dedehouanou, H., Affokpon, A., Badou, A., Guenther, R. H., Mathew, R., Sit, T. L., Byrd, M. V., Pirzada, T., Pal, L., Khan, S. A., &
Opperman, C. H. (2022). Wrap & Plant Technology: An Innovative and Cost-Effective Method for Seed Yam Treatment for Nematode
Control in Fields. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(5). 39-59.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Wrap & Plant Technology: An Innovative and Cost-Effective
Method for Seed Yam Treatment for Nematode Control in Fields
Houinsou Dedehouanou
Houinsou Dedehouanou, Retired Professor
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
University of Abomey-Calavi, 01BP 526 Cotonou, Benin
Antoine Affokpon
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
University of Abomey-Calavi, 01BP 526 Cotonou, Benin
Antoine Badou
Centre of Agricultural Researches
Ever-lasting plants, National Institute of Agricultural
Researches of Benin, BP: 01 Pobe, Rep. of Benin
Richard H. Guenther
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
North Carolina 27695-7616, United States
Reny Mathew
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
North Carolina 27695-7616, United States
Tim L. Sit
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
North Carolina 27695-7616, United States
Medwick V. Byrd
Department of Forest Biomaterials
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
North Carolina 27695-8005, United States
Tahira Pirzada
Department of Chemical and Bio Molecular Engineering
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
North Carolina 27695-7905, United States
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 5, May-2022
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Lokendra Pal
Department of Forest Biomaterials
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
North Carolina 27695-8005, United States
Saad A. Khan
Department of Chemical and Bio Molecular Engineering
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
North Carolina 27695-7905, United States
Charles H. Opperman
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
North Carolina State University, Raleigh
North Carolina 27695-7616, United States
ABSTRACT
In West Africa, seed yam represents an important source of nematode inoculums in
yam fields and a major cause of the disease perpetuation. To enhance nematode
control on yam (Dioscorea spp.), a pilot participatory field evaluation was
conducted in Benin on nematode control potential of abamectin-treated banana
paper (treatment A) using seed wrap method. An additional seed yam wrapped with
untreated paper (treatment B) is also considered. Both treatments A & B are then
compared to unwrapped seed yam representing the farmers’ practice (FP). In each
field, plots are arranged in a randomized complete block design with five replicates.
The effects of seed yam treatment on nematode control in fields, gustatory qualities
of yam tubers, and both social and profitability studies of the technology were
assessed. In the present paper, only the study related to the profitability based on
the Net Margin (NM) and the ratio Cost/Profit is presented. Results reveal
advantages of treatments A and B over (FP). In fact, production statistics from
treatments A and B are significantly higher than those from (FP). Based on the
"willingness to pay" approach, the profitability study shows that treatment A has a
Net Margin of approximately 153.7% that of (FP). Concerning the ratio Cost/Profit,
100 FCFA (West African CFA franc) spent in yam production using this new
technology generates around 79.3 FCFA against 59.9 FCFA for (FP). Despite the
success of this pilot study, input prices must be monitored before scaling up this
innovation to the other agro-ecological regions of Benin.
Key-words: Nematode control, Dioscorea spp., cost effectiveness, input prices, Wrap &
plant technology, Benin
INTRODUCTION
The targeted research seeks to improve agricultural productivity of yam, and therefore its
quality, although agricultural scientists admit that end-users in general and producers in
particular are more concerned with culinary and tasting advantages [1; 2]. It is then relevant to
involve the majority of end-users in perceptive evaluation of a new technology on yam in order
to assess performance at different phases: vegetative, harvest, food processing, and tasting.
From the beginning of the process - wrapping of seed yam cv. Klatchi with banana-fiber paper
impregnated with micro-doses of abamectin- to the end - various dishes made from yam, it
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Dedehouanou, H., Affokpon, A., Badou, A., Guenther, R. H., Mathew, R., Sit, T. L., Byrd, M. V., Pirzada, T., Pal, L., Khan, S. A., & Opperman, C. H.
(2022). Wrap & Plant Technology: An Innovative and Cost-Effective Method for Seed Yam Treatment for Nematode Control in Fields. Advances in
Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(5). 39-59.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.95.12240
should be clear and straightforward that the new technology overshadows farmers' practices.
However, as reference [3] put it, performance of an agricultural technology does not rely solely
on end-users' adoption model, but more importantly on so-called spatial and environmental
heterogeneities. Thus, piloting new agricultural practices on three different sites should not
only reveal end-users' sensitivities but also ecological variability [4]. The question here is not
if banana-fibre paper and abamectin are physically and financially accessible to farmers, but if
cost-effectiveness is ensured. The answer should be sought on both agricultural researchers
and farmers' sides before any kind of dissemination of the technology to producers. The team
of researchers seek to emphasize various advantages of the new agricultural practices with
respect to pest control and quality enhancement on the one hand and cost-effectiveness on the
other. The technical-economic analysis of agricultural innovation is used to assess the relative
advantage of wrapping of seed yam cv. Klatchi with banana-fibre paper impregnated with
micro-doses of abamectin over farmers' practices.
This paper is organized in four sections: assessment of perceptive adoption; materials and
methods; insights on the results; and discussion of the findings.
ASSESSMENT OF PERCEPTIVE ADOPTION
Perception and adoption of agricultural innovation
The system combining "zero" tillage with intermittent irrigation in order to control malaria in
rice-producing areas caught our attention for the interdisciplinary teamwork needed for the
development of new agricultural practices [5; 4]. This system showed that several disciplines
contribute to the making of the adoption process, each one looking at it through its own prism.
These disciplines include economics, sociology, agronomy, crop protection, and others.
Economists look at agricultural innovations with respect to the economic development of
societies. From such a view point, innovation is the meaning of progress, of sustainable growth,
and sustainable development. Accordingly, economic advantages explain adoption of
innovations [6].
Sociologists rather analyze circumstances that lead to adoption rather than the innovation
itself. For instance, references [7; 8; 9] were most involved in studying the performance of an
innovation. Reference [8] defined innovation as an idea, a practice, or an object that was
perceived to be new by individuals. The author suggested that innovation was relative and a
function of space, time, and actors. According to [10], spatial variability should be emphasized:
the so-called spatial and environmental heterogeneities [3]. Innovation was meant for problem
resolution in the society by the adoption of a new practice or a new good. Therefore, needs and
problems determined the adoption rates of innovations. That was the rationale of why, in the
search for solutions, [11] recommended priority ranking of the problems from the outset.
To the point of view of agronomists, they consider agricultural innovation to be a new practice,
a current but modified practice, or equipment that reduces work strains and allows
improvement of productivity [12].
Crop protectionists envision more the extent of damage to crops [13; 14] or to people [5]. As
soon as those damages are significantly reduced, the innovation has a potential to be adopted.