Agri Local

Create Awareness to Address Bacterial Black Spot Challenge

The chairman of the Yilo Krobo Mango Farmers Association has observed that there is a need to create awareness on the current outbreak of the Bacterial Black Spot disease.

Speaking in an interview with Captain Adabuga during the Akuafo Sesen segment on the Rite Morning Ride to highlight on the recent outbreak of the disease on local mango farming, Rev. Kwame Lomo said the disease is currently devastating mango farms and continue to affect the district’s mango farmers.

Mango farmers in the Yilo Krobo, Lower Manya Krobo and surrounding areas have appealed for an urgent action to help stop the spread of the bacterial black-spot (BBS) disease attack on their crops, as it is ravaging farms, killing trees and destroying yet-to-mature fruits.

The disease causes cracks in both the trees and the fruit, resulting in the fruit getting rotten and dropping from the tree prematurely.

The disease is said to be spreading in the Yilo Krobo municipality, Lower Manya Krobo municipality and other sectors of the southern zone. The disease is also said to be devastating mango-growing areas in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Several hectares of mango plantations in the affected areas have come under attack from the disease.

The situation has compelled a workshop held on Tuesday at Somanya for mango farmers to be trained on how to identify affected mango plants and adopt best farming practices to avoid a further spread of the disease.

Reverend Lomo indicated that BBS found its way into the country from Burkina Faso through the northern part of the country by mango farmers in the three Northern regions, thus the Upper West, Upper East and Northern Region who brought the affected mango seedlings into the country and has consequently spread across the country.

Describing the characteristics of the disease, Mr. Lomo explained that Bacterial Black Spot grows in the mango seedlings and when planted gets matured and spreads throughout the whole tree and even beyond to others which are not affected.

For now, affected mango farmers are still grappling with an effective chemical to tackle the situation because the use of all recommended chemicals have not still, the situation is still pending and if care is not taken in the next four to five years to come, Ghana will start importing mango into the country.

Source: Prince Paul Amuzu/ritefmonline.org/princeamuzu667@gmail.com

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