by Antonio L. Colina IV, Manila Bulletin
The Southern Mindanao Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development Consortium (Smaardec) will embark on a large-scale study in a bid to combat the dreaded Fusarium wilt, or the Panama Disease, in bananas.
In an exclusive interview, Smaardec Deputy Director Reynilo D. Garcia said the new study will involve areas outside of Davao Region to test the results of the four-year study conducted from April, 2012 to March, 2016 on Cavendish bananas in two-hectare field tests in Monkayo and Nabunturan in Compostela Valley.
The tests were undertaken to check if processes devised during the study would work in bigger banana plantations.
Smaardec, which is a consortium of 23 agencies, state colleges and universities, received P34 million from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (Pcaard) to undertake small-scale study on ways to combat Fusarium wilt.
It likewise tested seven Cavendish variants from Taiwan Banana Research Institute.
Out of the field tests, the Smaardec found out that GCTCV 218 and 219 were resistant to FocTR4 (Fusarium oxyporum cubense Tropical Race 4), the pathogen that causes the Fusarium Wilt which has affected about 15,700 hectares in Davao Region.
Sheryl S. Bayang, former research assistant of DOST-Pcaard, said they have submitted a R68-million proposal for additional funding of a large-scale study that will cover Bukidnon and Ozamis in Misamis Oriental, and some areas in four-province and two cities in the Soccsksargen Region.
In the second phase, she added that they will be the continuation of the first phase, most especially the use of biological control agents such as trichoderma and and MykoVAM to fight off the pathogens that cause the Fusarium Wilt.
She said the first phase was composed of three projects components, namely; “Adaptability trial for seven GCTCV somaclones against Fusarium wilt”; “Development of Biological Control Strategies against FocTR4”; and “Assessment and Distribution of Fusarium wilt incidence in Mindanao.”
“There are companies that use chemicals to combat Fusarium Wilt but there is no single bullet (treatment) yet. Based on our study, when we used the bio-control agents, the Fusarium Wilt cannot affect the bananas both in the nursery and the field experiment,” she said.
She said the use of chemicals is discouraged because it may kill bio-con agents after being applied on the soil.
Source: Manila Bulletin