Effect of plantain barrier plants on potyvirus-associated diseases in yam cultivation

Abstract Yam belongs to a very diverse plant genus (Dioscorea L.), comprising more than 600 species, both wild and cultivated. In Cuba, different species are distributed in the central and eastern regions, where the most widespread cultivars belong to the species water yam (Dioscorea alata L.) and white yam (Dioscorea cayenensis subsp. rotundata (Poir.) J. Miège). Among global major constraints facing the yam production areas are those caused by viral diseases. In this sense, potyviruses have the greatest economic impact, since they can cause losses of more than 50% in agricultural yields. In Cuba, the presence of yam mosaic virus and yam mild mosaic virus has been detected in commercial plantations by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) tests. The movement of propagules between plantations without phytosanitary certification has facilitated the distribution of the viruses throughout the producing areas. Disease management involves a continuous process of events consisting of the selection and use of techniques aimed at reducing plant diseases to a tolerable level. Knowledge about the existing relationships between the host, virus, vector, and ecosystem is fundamental to the implementation of successful management. In the present work, by using potyvirus-free propagation material of two commercial yam cultivars and the perimeter protection with a live barrier based on plantain ‘Burro CEMSA’, it was possible to reduce the field incidence of viral diseases (average infection decreased from 60 to 15%). Likewise, the barrier avoided losses in agricultural yields ranging between 50–57% for both cultivars, compared to the farmer’s usual practices.