Water can be boiled in any suitable container that is large enough, over an open fire on a temporary or
purpose-made frame. Used oil drums are perfect for this purpose, either cut in half or used whole. Suckers are
submerged using a basket or net.
A. B.
C.
A. Peeling (paring) suckers. B. Pared suckers ready for treatment. C. Boiling water treatment of suckers using
oil drum. – D. Coyne
Although 20-30 seconds is simple to count out, experience in the field
showed considerable variability between the rates at which people
counted. It is therefore proposed to use 30 small objects (pebbles,
beans, etc.) placed on the floor and picked by hand and placed in a
small container, cup, or placed to the side. This action takes
approximately 1 second/item moved, but it can be timed beforehand to
assess accuracy.
Counting 30 seconds. – D. Coyne
The boiling water technique has proved a promising alternative to the use of hot water, reducing the length of time
needed for the operation, and simplifying the temperature and timing measurements. It also effectively disinfested
suckers of various sizes of plantain and banana without detriment to sucker germination. A period of 30 seconds
is viewed as an optimum duration; a longer time has risks of sucker damage for especially small suckers, and a
shorter time may be less effective for especially larger suckers (Coyne et al. 2010).
About the authors
Hauser, S. Coyne, D.
Stefan Hauser is an
agronomist with interest in
nematodes; he is IITA country
representative in DR Congo.
Danny Coyne is a plant
nematologist currently
stationed at IITA-Tanzania.
email:
iita_dr_congo@airpost.net
This Technical Innovation
Brief is published by:
SP-IPM Secretariat
SP-IPM@cgiar.org
www.spipm.cgiar.org
Upscaling boiling water treatment of Musa spp. suckers
Treatment of suckers with boiling water will improve plant quality and productivity through the elimination of pests
and the consequent long-term improvement of root health. It remains a radical treatment however, which will
initially require care and skill when it is promoted to famers who will be likely to have reservations about using it.
The use of demonstration plots compared with normal sucker practice is therefore recommended as a mode of
introduction. Smallholder farmers have relatively few options for nematode and weevil management so this
treatment offers a suitable mechanism for disinfesting Musa planting material which could prove essential in
reducing losses among smallholders.
Further Reading
Coyne, D.L, Wasukira, A., Dusabe, J., Rotifa, I., Dubois, T. (2010). Boiling water treatment: a simple, rapid and
effective technique for producing healthy banana and plantain (Musa spp.) planting material. Crop
Protection 29, 1478-1482.
Elsen, A., Goossens, B., Belpaire, B., Neyens, A., Speijer, P.R., De Waele, D. (2004). Recolonisation by
nematodes of hot water treated cooking banana planting material in Uganda. Nematology 6, 215-221.
Hauser, S. (2000). Effects of fertilizer and hot-water treatment upon establishment, survival and yield of plantain
(Musa spp., AAB French). Field Crops Research 66, 213-223.
Hauser, S. (2007). Plantain (Musa spp. AAB) bunch yield and root health response to combinations of
mechanical, thermal and chemical nematode control measures on suckers. African Plant Protection 13,
1-15.
IITA. (2003). Forefront: Sauna for Suckers. IITA i.new. Issue 5.
ftp://ftp.cgiar.org/iita/Pragati/2003_CD/AnnualReportCD/inew/inew5.htm#4
Lescot, T. (2008). Genetic diversity of banana in figures. FruiTrop 155, 29-33.
Tenkouano, A., Hauser, S., Coyne, D.L., Coulibaly, O. (2006). Clean Planting Materials and Management
Practices for Sustained Production of Banana and Plantain in Africa. Chronica Horticulturae 46, 14-18.
SP-IPM Steering Committee Members:
Sikora, R (Program Chair); Nwilene, F (AfricaRice); Ramasamy, S (AVRDC); Staver, C (Bioversity); Buruchara, R (CIAT); Nicol, J (CIMMYT); Kroschel, J (CIP); Yahyaoui, A (ICARDA);
Chabi-Olaye, A (icipe); Sharma, H (ICRISAT); Narrod, C (IFPRI); Bandyopadhyay, R (IITA); Heong, KL (IRRI); Bramel, P (DDG – R4D convening center, IITA); Hoeschle-Zeledon, I (Program
Coordinator, IITA)