BANANA CROWN ROT

This is the most prevalent post-harvest disease that affects the

banana. It can reach peduncles and even individual fingers in the
severest cases.
It begins with the softening of the surface tissues in the remains of the
stalk and in the crown, which turns dark brown or black.
This is a disorder triggered by the use of air conditioning (AC).
One or more of the following pathogens cause crown rot:
Thielaviopsis Paradoxa, Lasiodiplodia Theobromae, Colletotrichum Musae,
Deightoniella Torulosa and Fusarium Roseum, which attacks the cut surface
of the hands. Starting from the diseased tissue, the fungus spreads to the
collar of the finger, eventually reaching the fruit pulp itself. (Adel A. Kder.
Department of Sciences, University of California, Davis).
Recommended treatment is with Imazalil, a post-harvest systemic
fungicide, manufactured by Agrochem.
Also used is the fungicide Thiabendazol, although in the Canary Islands
it is less used than Imazalil.
Manufacturers recommended doses range from 0.5%- 0.6%, but
lower doses are generally used.
Imazalil is a broad spectrum fungicide, an inhibitor of ergosterol
biosynthesis. Ergosterol is a sterol, a biological precursor of Vitamin D2 and
a component of the cellular membranes of fungi. It is an easy target for
anti-fungal drugs.
At doses of 0.25%, Imazalil has proven useful for reducing the size of
fungal colonies, although it does not eradicate them totally in all
varieties.
Fungicide treatment in the Canary Islands is conducted by means of
showers or cascades. In recent years, the pulverized spray system has
entered use. (Project MAC/I/C054. BIOMUSA).
THE PROCESS AS CURRENTLY USED.
1. The hands of the plant are sprayed with ozonated water.
2. Rinsed with jets of recirculated water.
3. Once they have dried, the hands are immersed in vats for 30 min
containing 30 litres of liquid with fungicide (FRUITGARD-IS-7.5:
Imazalil sulphate at 7.5% P/V 0.75 grams per litre).
4. The fruit is dried and packaged in boxes.
DRAWBACKS In the study mentioned (Project MAC), it was shown that the
level of residues in the 12 days following the application of the fungicide
exceeded the maximum permitted residue limit (MRL) which is 2 mg*kg in
bananas. From two weeks after the treatment, the concentration of active
substance was found to be less than the MRL.

The reduction to 50% in the concentration of Imazalil takes 33 days from

the moment of its application.
INTRODUCTION TO THE OZONE- PHITO SYSTEM.
This begins with thorough washing of the bunch, this is achieved with
the application of a catalyser (Fenton effect) in the recirculated water in
the washing tunnel.
The next stage is separation of the individual fruits (fingers), (using
decontaminated tools, of course) and then spraying with ozonated water
using our nitrozone system.
Finally, for total safety fungicide showers are replaced with our
proprietary product Aquasal (thymol-based)
The end product is a residue-free fruit, as is also the case with the run-off
water, with the accompanying benefits for its subsequent treatment.

CARLOS TABARES. +34660744286.