Colombia strengthens pest surveillance for avocado, citrus and plantain

Colombia’s Agricultural Institute (ICA) has expanded phytosanitary work on avocado, citrus and plantain crops in Caldas together with ASOHOFRUCOL and local agricultural authorities, the institute reported. A technical session in Pácora brought together 43 ICA specialists, association technicians and municipal representatives.

The avocado work covered pests including Heilipus lauri, Heilipus trifasciatus and Stenoma catenifer, along with thrips, soil fungi and other threats. Citrus monitoring is focusing on Diaphorina citri, mites, HLB and anthracnose. For plantain, teams reviewed detection of Fusarium R4T, Moko and black and yellow Sigatoka, among other problems.

ICA said earlier identification of pests and disease allows preventive and control measures to be introduced before losses increase. Citrus is grown in 18 of Caldas’s 27 municipalities, while plantain is present throughout the department and avocado has an important production base in areas including Aguadas, Pácora and Salamina.

source and photo: ica.gov.co