Farmers’ Awareness of Bean Ascochyta Blight and Evaluation of Constraints of Bean Production in Rwanda.

Abstract

The awareness and perceptions of ascochyta blight by farmers is an important factor that affects the type of bean genotype adopted. Although farmers in Rwanda prefer large-seeded bean genotypes both for consumption and for market, these genotypes are susceptible to ascochyta blight. It was observed that farmers are abandoning large-seeded bean genotypes in preference for smaller seeded genotypes which seem to be more resistant. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess farmers’ awareness and perceptions of bean farmers on the influence of ascochyta on the type of bean genotypes being grown. A participatory study was conducted in the districts of Burera and Musanze in northern Rwanda, Kamonyi in southern and Rwamagana in eastern Rwanda, during February- November, 2021. In addition, ascochyta severity and incidence in beans was assessed over two seasons - 2020 & 2021. The study revealed that diseases were the most important bean production constraints. Based on the visual symptoms in the bean fields visited as a whole, and on the leave and pods of plants sampled per field, there were more ascochyta infection during season B than season A. Generally the incidence of ascochyta was highest in northern Rwanda where, in some villages, such as Busogo and Rwerere, all the bean fields visited had ascochyta symptoms. Bean growers were able to identify bean ascochyta, but control measures taken were insignificant, probably due to the lack of knowledge and resources. The disease was associated with excessive rainfall and many other environmental factors, as well as poor crop management practices. Varietal preferences were based on yielding ability, early maturity, marketability, diseases and drought tolerance. Other factors considered important included, taste, climbing growth habit, cooking time, large seed size and seed colour. Generally, large-seeded bean varieties were the most preferred in both regions. Farmers that preferred the small-seeded bean genotypes based their preferences on the ability to resist pests and diseases and ability to thrive under harsh environments such as excessive rainfall, drought and mist. However, the large-seeded climbing and red mottled kidney beans genotypes though susceptible to ascochyta, were the most popular bean varieties grown both for consumption and sale in the northern and eastern regions, respectively. This therefore indicated the need to develop bean genotypes that have the qualities of the large-seeded genotypes but are resistant or tolerant to disease such as ascochyta blight.