The Ultimate Guide to Controlling Banana Burrowing

The banana burrowing nematode, Radopholus similis, is the most economically concerning nematode parasite that attacks the banana world. Infection caused by these nematodes can cause the toppling disease of bananas. It not only does not attack bananas but also pepper and citrus plants. 

In pepper, banana burrowing nematode causes yellow disease and spread the decline of citrus plantations, too. These diseases occur mainly because of the destruction of the root tissues and leaving the plantations without any ability to take water and nutrition for their growth. It is essential to regulate these nematodes properly, and this post can be a guide for it. Soon you can end the horror of banana burrowing nematode with ease.

Preventing banana burrowing nematode

Banana burrowing nematode lifecycle is always a headache for the farmers who do regular banana farming. It is better to have preventive measures in place so that the nematodes stay away and the plantation grows well to give an excellent yield. A few preventive measures you should prefer to follow are:

• Follow the land before the plantation for at least six to 12 months. This helps to reduce the potential nematode populations. Even if you just plough deeply and leave, in summer, the nematodes are exposed to heat and cannot survive.
• Always clean the planting materials before using them for planting.
• To avoid nematode attacks in the future, farmers can prefer to have nematode-free tissue-cultured planting materials from certified nematode-free nurseries.
• Cover the soil with a transparent polythene sheet. Doing this for about one month during the summer helps to kill the nematodes.
• To avoid nematode attack, rotate the banana crops with non-banana crops for 2 to 3 years. Citrus plantations cannot be preferred as they also host nematodes in their roots.

How can we monitor and avoid attacks of Radopholus similis, a banana burrowing nematode?

Radopholus simils are very tiny invisible worms. They live in the soil and roots. They prefer to spread with soil and planting materials. A few things a farmer should follow for monitoring are:

•  Arrange for a root and soil analysis before planting to identify the nematodes.
•  Look for single stunted plants on small farms or for a group of stunted plants in large plantations.
•  Observe the banana plants growing at a very slow pace. You might find that these plants reach the fruiting stage very late due to limited root capacity to absorb water, which hampers overall plant growth.
• Check for cankers on the roots. Cut some roots and check the necrosis on the inner edges of the roots. This can confirm the presence of these dangerous nematodes.

How to control banana burrowing?

Biological treatment to tackle banana burrowing nematode

Using biological methods is highly preferable in the industry because it helps in sustainable farming, which is good for the future of the soil and earth. There are revolutionary products that use fungi like Paecilomyces Iilacinus, which are known to attack nematodes in egg, juvenile, or even adult stages very quickly. Knowing the proper manufacturer and the product can help you have an excellent yield in the current farming of bananas and sustainable planting in the future. Purpureocillium Iilacinum nematode treatment is always a necessity. They are revolutionary manufacturers like

Novobac that are constantly developing biological treatment methods to maintain the quality of the soil.

La Ceiba is a growing town in Honduras but is notorious with banana farming. For instance, banana growers in the said region suffered from the severe infestations of banana burrowing nematodes in the recent past that lowered the yields remarkably. Due to the grim situation analysed above, the local agricultural co-op addressed the issue and enacted an integrated nematode management program which included Novobac’s Nematicide among the main strands of action.

It first opted for an assessment of the affected plantations before launching the other cooperative structures. The roots and soil samples were collected to identify the population of nematode infecting the plant and symptomatology. The analyses proved the high presence of banana burrowing nematode.

Implementation of Management Strategies

Cultural Practices:

Farmers were instructed to pull out the infected plants and bury them to deter the nematode from continuing with its life cycle and by also practicing intercropping where the genetically susceptible crop is planted in a different season from the previous one.

Resistant Varieties:

The cooperative notified resistant nematode banana varieties to the plantations on the banana disease.

Biological Control with Novobac’s Nematicide

Nematicide used by Novobac was equally poured on the soil as recommended by the manufacturer’s instructions. This bio-nematicide comprises natural ingredients that are aimed at the destruction of nematodes.

Results

Since the integrated management strategies of the plantations involved the application of Novobac’s Nematicide among others, the nematode stock was drastically depleted. Within the first six months of implementation of the above mentioned strategies, the nematode infestation levels reduced by 85%. Research also revealed that the banana plants evidenced significant positive response to the use of biocontrol agents in the sense that it yielded more fruits than before and was healthier according to the farmers.

This case study aims at identifying and establishing how Novobac’s nematicide has helped in the farming process.

The nematode control program in La Ceibia was productive and Nematicide by Novobac contributed greatly into the program. Here’s how it contributed:

Mode of Action: The nematicide acts specifically on the nematodes wherein their development is affected and are killed while the banana plants are not affected and other beneficial organisms in the soil are not affected also.

Application: The preparation of the product was rather uncomplicated; it only involved mixing with water then soil-drenching around the banana plants.

Use Nema Pro: Organic nematicides for root-knot nematode control

Nema Pro is a popular organic nematicide developed by Novobac to control the nematode attacks that ruin banana plantations. It uses the active ingredient Paecilomyces Iilacinus, which understands the actual nematode activities and specifically attacks them without hampering the good microbes living in the soil, unlike the usual chemical treatment. It also promotes the growth of the roots and strengthens the crops for excellent yields. Novobac has worked sincerely in this formulation to develop a product that the farmers can trust. Purreocillium Iilacinum biocontrol can be done if the farmers get knowledge about it.

Using Nema Pro of Novobac is always a magical solution for the farmers who do regular banana farming. It has Paecilomyces Iilacinus as its active ingredient, which is permanently active, and it knows how to kill Radopholus similis at any stage. There are a few significant ways to control banana burrowing that are followed globally, as mentioned in this post. Understanding the symptoms of burrowing nematodes in banana plants and then taking the proper steps can always be very helpful. Burrowing nematode pest control should always be done in a sustainable manner so that banana burrowing nematode never appears again!

References:

1. Broadley, R. A. “Non-volatile nematicides for control of burrowing nematode in banana plantations in north Queensland.” Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 19.100 (1979): 626-630.
2. Nhung, Tran Thi Phuong. “Nematicidal Effect of Linn. Aqueous Extract on Burrowing Nematodes () and its Application to Control Toppling Disease on Cavendish Banana ().” Journal of Horticultural Research 31.2 (2023): 69-78.