A team from the Federal Superintendency of Agriculture of São Paulo (SFA/SP) is carrying out surveys on rural properties in various regions of the state with the objective of guaranteeing and maintaining the free area status of the Tropical Fusarium of Bananeira Race 4 in Brazil and the Moko da Banana in the state.
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Rural producers are receiving guidance on the risks of the entry of these pests, which can compromise the cultivation of the fruit in the country.
Brazil is currently the fourth largest producer of bananas in the world, with an area of ​​466,000 hectares and estimated production of 6.7 million tons. The state of São Paulo is the largest producer, with 1 million tons per year, cultivated on 50 thousand hectares, 76.4% of which in the Vale do Ribeira region.
In July, the servers already carried out a survey of these pests in this region and the work will now continue in other areas.
Race 4 Tropical (FOC R4T) has not yet arrived in Brazil, but it is already present in Colombia and Peru, which is of great concern to the Phytosanitary Defense, as there is no curative treatment or resistant varieties to the disease.
“It is very important to prevent to prevent the entry of this pest, which can be spread mainly through banana seedlings and contaminated soil adhered to shoes and vehicle wheelsâ€, explains Wilson da Silva Moraes, agronomist and phytopathologist at the Unit Regional Agricultural Technician Ipanema (Utra Ipanema/SFA-SP). He is responsible for the annual survey of FOC R4T and Moko da Bananeira in the State of São Paulo.
The Tropical Race 4 of Banana Tree Fusarium is a soil-dwelling fungus that infects the roots and colonizes the sap-conducting vessels of the pseudostem [false stems composed of remnants of leaf sheaths that attach to the stem] of all banana varieties, mainly those of the Nanica type, preventing the transport of water and nutrients to the aerial part of the plant, causing its death.
The fungus can remain viable in the soil for up to 40 years, making production unfeasible.
Another caution is about importing seedlings. As Race 4 Tropical of Fusariose has already been found in Colombia and Peru, it is forbidden to bring banana seedlings and ornamental plants from these countries, as well as handicrafts made from banana fiber.
“Producers must buy quality seedlings from nurseries registered in the National Register of Seeds and Seedlings, the Renasemâ€, said the agronomist.
Moraes also emphasizes the need to keep agricultural implements and equipment clean, as they can also carry the fungus from one area to another. “It is always important to disinfect shoes, tools and equipment when entering the cultivation areas, so you can avoid the transmission of these pests from one plantation to anotherâ€, he explains.
During handling, care must be taken with clearing so as not to damage the roots and pseudostem of the banana tree. The use of balanced organic and mineral fertilizers based on soil analysis is an important recommendation to keep bananas healthy.
Unlike the Fusarium race 4, which has not yet arrived in Brazil, the banana Moko already occurs in the northern region of the country.
It is caused by a soil-dwelling bacterium, which infects from the root to the inflorescence [part of the plant where the flowers are located] or bunch, and can be spread by infected seedlings, contaminated tools or by root-to-root or soil contact to the root.
That is why it is so important to monitor this disease in the states where it does not yet occur, as is the case in the state of São Paulo.
Another important transmission vehicle are inflorescence visiting insects, such as bees, wasps and fruit flies. The disease compromises the banana tree's development and the only form of control is early detection and rapid eradication of infected plants and those that are nearby.
“Even though the seedlings appear to be healthy, they may already have contracted the disease,†says agronomist Wilson da Silva Moraes. ■