Seed Potato Production Practices and Quality of Farm Saved Seed Potato in Kiambu and Nyandarua Counties in Kenya

Potato production in Kenya is mainly constrained by limited supply of quality seed potato tubers. The objective of this study was to determine seed potato handling practices and quality of farm saved seed potato. A survey involving 79 farmers was conducted in potato production areas in Kiambu and Nyandarua Counties to collect information on seed potato production practices including sources of seed tubers, seed selection, seed tuber storage, pests and diseases. Samples of seed potato were collected from farmers and evaluated for quality parameters such as tuber size, weight, stout sprout length and infection with diseases. Factors affecting potato production included limited quality seed supply, pests and diseases. Shangi was the main potato variety grown by majority (62.8%) of farmers and all the farmers used own farm saved seed. Most (45.5%) farmers recycled the seed for four seasons and 44.1% of farmers stored seed potato for three months. Freeness from seedborne diseases was the main seed quality preference by farmers. The main pest reported was cutworms (42.6% of farmers) while potato late blight and bacterial wilt were the major diseases reported by 87.1% and 86.7% of the farmers respectively. All farm saved seed potato samples were infected with Fusarium coeruleum, 51.2% with Rhizoctonia solani, 53.3% with Fusarium sambunicum, 33.3% with Fusarium solani and 48.3% with Aspergillus niger. Over 69% of the farm saved seed samples were infected with Ralstonia solanacearum while 40.1% were infected with Potato Virus S, the most dominant. Due to poor post-harvest handling practices, farmers incurred seed quality and quantity losses in storage. Farm saved seed is contaminated with multiple seed borne diseases. Farmers should be sensitized on appropriate seed potato handling practices and there should be increased supply of certified seed potato.