Effect of the characteristics of polyethylene covers for banana bunch in production and protection against fruit pests

Three experiments were?established between september 2010 and february 2011 in the caribbean of Costa Rica to evaluate the effect?of the polyethylene banana bunch covers characteristics in production and fruit protection against pests and?others damages. The bunch covers characteristics evaluated were: perforated or gas exchange area, sulfur?impregnation in addition to the insecticide (chlorpyrifos or bifentrin), polyethylene color and density. Productive?characteristics were measured as well as the presence of fruit diseases: speckling, sooty mould, sooty blotch,bacterial finger soft rot (Dickeya sp.), bacterial finger-tip rot (Burkholderia sp.), fruit insects: mealybugs (P.?elisae), aphids (P. nigronervosa), thrips (F. parvula), and soldier fly (H. illucens) and sun burn. Non-perforated?covers improved the bunch weight and fruit dimensions. However, there was a greater incidence and severity?of speckling and other diseases such as sooty blotch, bacterial finger soft rot and bacterial finger-tip rot. The?cover type, the insecticide and sulfur impregnated did not affect bunch weight and fruit dimensions. The?addition of sulfur to the cover reduced the severity of speckling and damage caused by thrips and mealybugs.The damage caused by sooty mold and the incidence of mealybugs was most efficiently controled with?chlorpyrifos than those impregnated with bifenthrin, while for trips the best control was obtained with this?last insecticide. The color of the polyethylene influenced the incidence of insects damage, the transparent and?transparent red color showed less mealybugs and less damage by aphids, thrips and soldier fly. In addition,?the sun burn damage resulted in a lower percentage in the transparent cover (with solar filter). Polyethylene?density did not influence production and the incidence of pest damages. SourcesEffect of the characteristics of polyethylene covers for banana (Musa AAA, cv. Grande?Naine) bunch in production and protection against fruit pestsEfecto de las caracter?sticas de la funda de polietileno para el racimo de banano (Musa AAA, cv. Grande Naine) en la producci?n y la protecci?n contra plagas del frutoRoxana Villalobos,?Ricardo Villalta,?Douglas Cubillo y Mauricio Guzm?nCorbana 37-43 (63): 107-123. 2017 Picture by Criado & L?pez,?CYLBAN Funda para banano