Soil biological colonization is seen effective to control the destruction of fusarium wilt of banana, popularly known as Panama disease, according to a local farmer scientist.
In an interview with Philippine News Agency Sunday, Davao-based organic farmer Roni Manching said such process is proven to be a good solution since the disease is soil-borne.
Fusarium wilt is an invincible breed of fungi that is attracted to banana plants. It has the ability to live or exist in long time dormancy of 30 to 50 years. The fungi block plants vascular system, depriving the plant of the necessary minerals, nutrients and moisture, thus causing it to turn yellow until it dies down.
Manching developed excellent microbial inoculants, the KWR super foliar feed with amino+ and KWR super plant feed with AMF. These inoculants are mixture of kitchen wastes and various elements used as feed and effective insect and disease repellant.
The acidity of the soil is the main cause why the pathogens become active and this is when fusarium arises and destroys the plant, he said.
He added the foliar solution would arrest Sigatoka infection of banana plants and will allow fruit-setting, while the biological control for soil treatment aims to manage the fusarium wilt.
Manching said many products in the market are claiming having pure biological agent but were discovered these were mostly closed or sealed and stored culture.
Of the dwindling banana industry, Manching said crop shifting is not always a solution. He added that using tolerant or resistant varieties is ânot always a good choiceâ because most of its produce is not acceptable in the market.
Manching said eradication is not a good remedy to combat fusarium wilt for it will only kill the soil nutrients, and not the disease. (with a report from PNA/PN)
