Murcha de fusarium da bananeira em Missão Velha (Ceará, Brasil): percepção dos agricultores e intensidade da doença

Abstract

In the mesoregion of Cariri Cearense, located in the south of Ceará state (Brazil), around 3,500 ha are cultivated with banana trees, highlighting the municipality of Missão Velha. Despite the expressive production, productivity is below the national average, mainly due to the occurrence of diseases, with emphasis on Fusarium wilt, caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense. This work aimed to analyze the knowledge and perceptions of smallholdings banana producers in Missão Velha about Fusarium wilt and to evaluate the incidence and severity of the disease in the properties. The study was carried out on 30 smallholdings in Missão Velha, with up to 20 ha cultivated with banana trees. The owners were interviewed regarding their knowledge and perceptions about Fusarium wilt, as well as a survey of the incidence and severity of the disease in the planting areas. In each area, the incidence was evaluated in 600 plants and the severity in 25 plants. Fusarium wilt was correctly identified as the cause of symptoms by 86.7% of respondents and the majority believed that this disease leads to a reduction in production of more than 40%. Most interviewees (66.7%) had already had to abandon some cultivation area due to the occurrence of the disease. Half of the interviewees considered contaminated seedlings as the most important factor for the spread of the disease from one area to another, but only 16.7% took into account the health of the seedlings at the time of planting. Most respondents consider that the causal agent of the disease can survive in the cultural remains of the banana tree (76.7%) and in the soil (96.7%), but 63.3% leave the plant with symptoms in the area. There are gaps in farmers' knowledge about the dissemination and management of Fusarium wilt, as well as contradictions between knowledge and adopted practices. The occurrence of Fusarium wilt was verified in all evaluated properties. The incidence of the disease varied between 17.3% and 75.8%, with an average of 43.9%, and in 55.3% of the areas it was greater than 40.0%. Severity levels ranged from 12.0% to 50.7%, with an average of 32.3%, and in most areas (56.7%) it was greater than 30%. Fusarium wilt is widely distributed and highly severe in the smallholdings banana producing of Missão Velha. There is an urgent need to adopt measures to mitigate the disease in order to avoid the collapse of this important sector of the regional economy.