Title
Epidemic network analysis for mitigation of invasive pathogens in seed systems: Potato in Ecuador
Date Issued
01 October 2017
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Buddenhagen C.
Hernandez Nopsa J.
Andersen K.
Forbes G.
Kromann P.
Thomas-Sharma S.
Useche P.
Garrett K.
Publisher(s)
American Phytopathological Society
Abstract
Seed systems have an important role in the distribution of high-quality seed and improved varieties. The structure of seed networks also helps to determine the epidemiological risk for seedborne disease. We present a new approach for evaluating the epidemiological role of nodes in seed networks, and apply it to a regional potato farmer consortium (Consorcio de Productores de Papa [CONPAPA]) in Ecuador. We surveyed farmers to estimate the structure of networks of farmer seed tuber and ware potato transactions, and farmer information sources about pest and disease management. Then, we simulated pathogen spread through seed transaction networks to identify priority nodes for disease detection. The likelihood of pathogen establishment was weighted based on the quality or quantity of information sources about disease management. CONPAPA staff and facilities, a market, and certain farms are priorities for disease management interventions such as training, monitoring, and variety dissemination. Advice from agrochemical store staff was common but assessed as significantly less reliable. Farmer access to information (reported number and quality of sources) was similar for both genders. However, women had a smaller amount of the market share for seed tubers and ware potato. Understanding seed system networks provides input for scenario analyses to evaluate potential system improvements.
Start page
1209
End page
1218
Volume
107
Issue
10
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Virología
Ciencias de las plantas, Botánica
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85032614738
PubMed ID
Source
Phytopathology
ISSN of the container
0031949X
Sponsor(s)
This work received Institutional Review Board approval through the University of Florida IRB-02 number IRB201700024. We confirm that farmer participation was voluntary and personal and demographic information was protected. We appreciate input from Phytopathology reviewers for improving the manuscript. This research was undertaken as part of, and funded by, the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas and supported by CGIAR Fund Donors (http://www.cgiar.org/about-us/our-funders/), United States Department of Agriculture–Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service grant 11-8453-1483-CA, U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) grant EF-0525712 as part of the joint NSF-National Institute of Health Ecology of Infectious Disease program, U.S. NSF Grant DEB-0516046, and the University of Florida. We thank J. L. Brisbane and S. L. Lei for help in data management and I. Navarrete for help in testing preliminary survey drafts. The authors confirm they have no conflicts of interest.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus