In 2024, it will be six years since Fusarium tropical race 4 (Foc R4T) was discovered for the first time in the region. It was in the Guajira sector, in Colombia, in 2019. Then in 2021, it was the turn of Peru, in the department of Piura. A new discovery took place in 2023 in that country, and in the same year it appeared in three states of Venezuela. To the surprise of many, Ecuador, which is in the middle of the countries where the fungus was discovered, still does not have it. The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Ecuador, Danilo Palacios, explains the scientific reason why, according to him, the country has remained undefeated and the programs that are still being developed as a preventive measure to introduce varieties resistant to the pest.

Ecuador has gone six years without the plague since it arrived in the region, why is that?

The microbial population we have in our soil is what made it possible Fusarium in our country, why, how to explain that Colombia has Fusarium, He has a feather Fusarium. What happened?

What is special about our soil that other countries do not have?

Our soil is rich in microbial population, especially a microorganism called trichoderma, a fungus like Fusarium. These trichodermas are fungi that quickly take up space in the soil and cause Fusarium He is latent there, but does not harm with his presence.

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Since when are these trichoderms on our soil?

This has been done for a long time because there is a lot of organic fruit production, organic producers have been working with these microorganisms, trichodermas, for a long time and putting them in the soil to improve their condition.

At the same time, with this great concern that Ecuador is the main exporter of bananas, one of the largest exporters after oil, along with shrimp, since this began to try to bring tolerant varieties, there are two types: Formosana 218 and Gal de Israel.

Here we already have Formosana, tests are being carried out, there is even an authorization that we can import a million plants, the tests that were carried out in Iniap have already passed, by 2024 we could start bringing these plants and in return we are also authorized to work with Gala, another variety. This comes from the private company Rahan Meristem, they already have experience, they tested these plants in the Philippines.

Is it a resistant or tolerant variety?

Based on the information that they presented, they say that it is resistant, we continued to take it, until we have proof, as tolerant, in time their version will be verified. This is coordinated with the Association of Banana Exporters of Ecuador.

And Gal of Israel?

Since I have been here (in the ministry) I have tried to speed up this issue, for example, the introduction of Gal, which is also ready to start working with this variety this year, has to go through a trial process of about five years. , because you can bring another disease that can be worse.

Banana sector: Ecuador is already issuing permits to start the controlled commercial distribution of the variety resistant to Fusarium race 4

How is the formosan 218 process going?

The commercial name of this clone, formosane 218, is cavendish GCTCV 218, it originates from Taiwan, it was developed in South Africa and marketed in Latin America by the Galitec laboratory, it is a material that has been subjected to adaptation testing for three years, in accordance with all Agrocalidad protocols, phytosanitary quarantine before release, you must first comply with all these controls. In the middle of this year, we could begin planting areas in producer trials to monitor this.

What is the difference between this variety and the traditional one from Ecuador, cavendish?

As far as we know, it doesn’t taste the same as our banana, cavendish seems to be less sweet, but on the other hand it is an alternative, we already experienced the problem with gros michel which was sweeter than cavendish. Of course, we have to see how the market will accept it, but at a given moment when this disease devastates all plantations, we will have to go for that option, the market will have to learn.

What is the budget for these programs?

We have $1.3 million for that plan. Now there is a connection between the producer and the company, because those who actually perform the activity as such are the producer, the exporter and the importer who buys the product, so we give this budget for the introduction of the product, from then on the producer will have to buy seedlings and create his product, as happened with Gros Michel and Cavendish, that budget is intended for exactly that: product introduction, testing and then it is up to the private sector to continue the process.