Cultural Management Practices of Farmers on Chayote Mosaic Tymovirus in Sagpat, Kibungan, Benguet

Abstract

The study was conducted in Sagpat, Kibungan, Benguet. Thirty farmers are engaged in chayote farming. It was conducted to determine the characteristics of the crops that were infected by mosaic tymovirus and cultural management practices implemented by farmers to control or manage the disease. Majority of the respondents were male, married, and attended formal education. Farmers in Sagpat conserve their land area for chayote production, but designate an area for vegetable production to augment their income. The respondents are into chayote products as their main means of livelihood. The respondents described the chayote infected by mosaic tymovirus to show symptoms of leaf crinkling, yellowing of the leaves, presence of the spots and rings on the leaves. In addition infected chayote plant do not bear fruit, are stunted, deformed and hardened fruits. The symptoms were observed when plants were one year old were few spots appeared on the leaves. Infection increased until the frequency of harvest and yield was reduced. To control this virus farmers practice the thinning of the vines. To increase the production, weeding was implemented because weeds act as an alternative for the host of disease. Farmers also replace infected vines but only after 10 years in Sagpat, Kibungan but they change the chayote plant once only for how many years then change it into a new one. For them to believe that they can harvest a lot if the plants were newly grown.