Distribution and Management of Bacterial Wilt (Xanthomonas Campestris pv. Musacearum) of Enset (Ensete Ventricosum) in Ethiopia: a Review

Abstract

Enset has high significance in the day to day life of more than 20 million of Ethiopian’s as a food source, fiber, animal forage, construction materials, and medicines. However, enset production in the country has been severely affected by bacterial wilt disease of enset (BWE). This review was carried out to investigate the spatial distribution and management options for bacterial wilt of enset, and identify gaps to guide future research. The diseases is widely distributed in major enset growing regions of the country and found to the crop at all developmental stages and lead to losses of up to 100% under severe damage. Currently, over 80% of enset farms are infected by BWE and no enset clone completely resistant to bacterial wilt has been reported. The distribution of the disease varied greatly with altitude having higher disease pressure at higher altitude range than the low altitude. Participatory based integrated disease management (IDM) through collective action approach is reported as a viable option for the successful and sustainable control of BWE. However, different resistant breeding research should be conducted to identify the appropriate resistant gene and to develop resistant clones as other management options.