Incidence and severity of Panama Disease (Fusarium Sp) on Guineo (Musa balbisiana ABB)

Abstract

The cultivation of musaceae (Musaceae) in Nicaragua has been an area of good profitability and acceptable production rates, representing a promising product in the department of Rivas and in some areas of the country. The income of this crop has been threatened by this disease that affects the plant and its fruits. With the objective of contributing to scientific knowledge through a study of the main symptoms and environmental conditions of Panama Disease, associated with the guineo crop, this research was conducted from March 2014 to March 2015, in a Taungya system, to describe the main symptoms of damage and calculate the incidence, severity and ABCPE of Panama Disease in guineo crop. Pathogen data collection was done through visual monitoring in the field and laboratory diagnosis at the National Agrarian University. Sampling was carried out weekly; for the field test, samples of diseased or symptomatic plants of the causal agent were taken and eliminated. As a result of the study, Fusarium sp associated with the guineo crop was identified. In general, the incidence of this causal agent showed a similar behavior in the guineo (0.53 %) and mahogany (0.61 %) blocks, followed by melina (0.36 %), the cedar, pochote, oak and teak blocks showed vascular wilt symptoms in percentages ranging from 1.12 % to 1.80 %.