Technology boosts profitability of banana farming in Brazil

The most consumed fruit in Brazil and the world has a special day to celebrate: September 22nd is Banana Day. According to Embrapa, each Brazilian consumes an average of 25 kg of the fruit per year. In addition to being tasty and versatile, bananas are a great source of energy, with a high carbohydrate content, and are a valuable source of vitamins A, B1, B2 and C, as well as minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium and magnesium. These attributes make bananas an excellent food choice for maintaining good health.

Cultivated in all Brazilian states, the country produces around 7 million tons annually. According to the IBGE, almost 99% is destined for the domestic market. Banana farming also plays an important social role, as almost half of the production comes from family farming, from small producers.

Under ideal climate and soil conditions, the fruit is easy to grow and has a high production capacity. However, it is necessary to implement effective pest and disease management strategies. One of the biggest challenges for producers during the hottest seasons of the year is controlling Thrips, an insect responsible for attacking the fruit and causing marks and rashes on the skin, reducing its visual quality and impacting the sale value of the product.

This attack can be prevented by using a plastic anti-insect bag that is placed right at the beginning of the banana flower formation, covering the bunch and should remain there until the fruit is harvested. BASF has developed an anti-UV additive for the plastic that reduces the damage caused by the insect. The film filters the wavelength of vision of the Thrips, causing the insect to become confused when entering the bag and leaving the bunch without causing any damage to the banana. This system results in repellent action, eliminating the need for additional insecticides.

“This innovation has the advantage of controlling the pest with greater practicality, bringing sustainability to production, improving the quality of the fruit and thus bringing better profitability to the producer”, he explains. Daniella La Torre (pictured above), technical specialist for plastics additives at BASF.

The bag, developed by BASF in partnership with Braskem and Unesp (São Paulo State University), can be reused for two harvests, ensuring the same efficiency in controlling the insect. It is also quick and easy to install, which reduces application costs. The polyethylene (PE) film is 100% recyclable after use.

Integrated management

Another very common pest that causes great damage to banana crops is Sigatoka disease, which can be classified as yellow sigatoka and black sigatoka. Also known as cercosporiosis, it is considered the most serious disease in banana crops, appearing most intensely on the young leaves of the banana plant and progressing until its death.

Initially, small discolorations occur on the leaves, which evolve into yellow or black streaks. As the leaves weaken, there is a reduction in the photosynthesis process, and the fruit may decrease in size and ripen prematurely, which drastically impacts the productivity and quality of the crop.

The most efficient way to combat sigatoka is chemical control. To this end, BASF's Agricultural Solutions Division has a complete portfolio of fungicides that act on different stages of the fungus that causes the disease. Of particular note is the recently launched Mibelya, which has excellent selectivity and effective action against different pathogens in a wide range of crops.

In addition to chemical control, integrated disease management is the most recommended, including soil drainage, elimination and destruction of infested leaves and shading of plants.

With proper integrated management, banana cultivation in Brazil continues to be a success, making the country the fourth largest producer of the fruit in the world.