Assessment of incidence, severity and farmers’ perceptions of peanut rust in rural areas of Burkina Faso

Abstract

This study investigated the socio-demographic characteristics of peanut producers and their cropping practices in relation to peanut rust incidence and management across three regions in Burkina Faso. Among the 120 surveyed producers, 62.22% were women, indicating a significant predominance of female involvement (p < 0.001). Educational levels were notably low, with 67.77% being illiterate, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). This limited literacy was found to influence the management of peanut rust, emphasizing the importance of education in disease control strategies. In terms of cropping practices, monoculture was most common (45.55%), followed by crop rotation (31.86%) and intercropping (21.97%). These differences were significant (p < 0.001), and logistic regression revealed that crop rotation significantly reduced rust incidence compared to monoculture and intercropping (p = 0.0116). Furthermore, 90.1% of producers relied on local (non-certified) seeds, a factor likely contributing to disease spread due to lack of quality control (p < 0.001). Although 93.73% of producers recognized rust symptoms, misconceptions about its cause were widespread. Only 25.09% correctly identified rust as a disease, while 56.39% perceived it as a sign of peanut maturity, and 18.51% were unsure, with the distribution being statistically significant (p < 0.001). Rust incidence and severity remained high across regions (≥70%), with significant variability among localities (p < 2e-16), though a slight overall decline was noted between 2022 and 2023. In conclusion, enhancing education, promoting crop rotation, and improving access to certified seeds are essential strategies for reducing rust impact and improving peanut production in Burkina Faso.