Fusarium wilt is already present in South America, particularly the Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4) strain.
As a result, experts say Caribbean countries must be on the alert to avoid the spread of the plant pathogenic disease in the region.
Fusarium wilt is a soil-borne fungal infection known for being difficult to control and particularly threatening to food crops, causing plants to yellow and wither over time.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), other plant diseases can be treated with cultivation methods and pesticides.
On the other hand, Fusarium wilt is insidious and can persist for decades—jeopardizing the livelihoods of farmers and a country’s general food security of a country.
Recently, agriculture workers from Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago underwent training to prepare for a potential outbreak of Foc TR4 in the region.
Using the farmer field school approach, the training programme was facilitated by the FAO in partnership with the Caribbean Plant Health Directors Forum (CPHD).
In a keynote address, FAO plant pathologist Maged Elkahky said, “Through this training, we are equipping countries to conduct surveillance and monitoring, analyze risks, and enforce strict phytosanitary measures to prevent the introduction of the pathogen and contain it swiftly in case of any incursion.”
Effect of fusarium wilt (Photo courtesy Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States)
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