A major expense in the banana production is the treatment for the control of black sigatoka, caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis, which causes premature ripening of the fruit.
The possibility of lowering these costs has led a group of local researchers to initiate a scientific test with ozone to measure the effect that the gas has in controlling the disease. The investigation began with the planting of bananas in several farms in Baba and Juján to test the ozone.
Cristobal Aguirre, associate researcher of the project promoted by the Research Institute of the Catholic University of Guayaquil, explained that the work consisted in applying the ozone diluted in water on the foliage of the banana plants. It will be applied via irrigation and manual spraying, in cycles of two, four, six and eight days in different lots. There will also be a control lot that will receive the usual fumigation.
The idea is to compare the efficiency of the ozone for the management of sigatoka. The test will be conducted until the plants produce.
Aguirre noted that they had tested the application of ozonated water on a twenty -acre plantation in Puebloviejo between 2012 and 2013. In this preliminary test, which had the support of the Spanish Technological Agricultural and Food Centre, the sigatoka was contained at its third state (small stains on the plant's leaves).
Aguirre says that the current trials were aimed at determining the ideal doses for the control of black sigatoka.
The researcher stated that they had contacted the Ministry of Agriculture to seek cooperation for this project.
Source: Eluniverso.com