Climate in relation to plant virus epidemiology and sustainable disease management in West Africa

In West Africa, climate influences (i) virus disease outbreaks, (ii) the rate of development and activity of virus vectors and also of their migration, and (iii) the phenology of crops, weeds and wild hosts that harbor plant viruses. Rainfall, temperature and wind are identified as key weather components in virus pathosystems involving maize (cereal), okra (vegetable) and cassava (tuber crop), and are therefore important in determining the most suitable period in which to undertake crop protection measures. The intricate interrelationships among cropping seasons, intercrop periods and virus incidence in West Africa must be thoroughly understood in order to develop ecologically-based and sustainable management practices. This calls for a greater cooperation between agrometeorologists and those involved in crop protection.