"The bacterial moko has been present in Colombia for a long time and it's handled in a somewhat satisfactory way", affirmed John Jairo Mira, director for the Centre of Banana Investigations (CENI Banano).
Until the year 2000, health-plan squads were created in the banana tree area of Urabá. It was identified and eradicated through an adequate handling of the bacteria, with very successful results and low levels of its presence. Then, due to low financial resources and since producers already knew how to handle it, the squads were ended. Since 2000, year after year, there has been a rise in the presence of Bacterial Moko.
In 2011, due to floods in banana plantations caused by a severe winter, the disease spread very aggressively. Banana production was affected and many producers are now fighting the disease.
The moko spreads in several ways: firstly, through the wounds in the plant's roots that might get contaminated through contact with water and secondly, through contaminated tools used by the people manipulating the plants.
It's possible to see if a plant is affected by the bacterial moko when there's a fading in the leaves, the color is almost orange and when cutting a branch, there's a milky substance in the interior.
John Jairo Mira says that many producers are asking for support when the problem is already too big. Often, producers try to eliminate the disease with products and procedures that are not adequate and cause a wider spread of it.
"To eradicate the disease, one must first inject the plants with Glifosato herbicide in a 5 meter area and leave the plants on a 6 months quarantine, so the living and organic tissues can decompose", affirmed the director for CENI Banano.
Due to this 6 months quarantine, and the 5 meter area, small producers opt for no control at all, or replace it by other substances not so adequate allowing the disease to spread even more.
In Colombia, the bacterial moko is affecting the banana areas of Quindío, Risaralda, Caldas, Llanos Orientales and Magdalena.
For more information:
John Jairo Mira
Director for the Center of Banana Investigation
Colombia
Tel. 00 57 48236602