Socorro Garcia Pantaleon, a specialist and researcher in plant protection of the Dominican Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Research (Idiaf), proposed using biological controls to control the nematodes that cause damage in the country's banana plantations.
Garcia Pantaleon made the proposal during a meeting with banana producers and technicians from the Northwest Line, Valverde and Monte Cristi provinces, where researchers from the Dominican Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Research (Idiaf) socialized the Exploration and selection of antagonistic native microorganisms for the control of phytoparasitic nematodes in banana plantations project, which is being carried out with the support of the Ministry of Higher Education Science and Technology (Mescyt).
Garcia Pantaleon said that nematodes were one of the main phytosanitary problems that reduce the productivity and quality of Musaceae, i.e. bananas and plantains, since they affect the plants' growth and development.
The Dominican Republic exports 60% of its banana production with organic certification. According to official statistics, in 2017, exports amounted to 198.1 million dollars.
Salvador Estevez, who was representing the Board of Directors of the Dominican Association of Banana Producers (Adobanano), highlighted the importance of the project, as international markets require pesticide-free crops and the technologies that the project will provide will be useful to the organic banana producers in the country.
The project involves an investment of 8.17 million pesos over a period of two years.
Source: hoy.com.do