Abstract:
Numbers of burrowing nematodes (Radopholus similis) in banana planting material were reduced by paring the infested tissue from the planting bit, or by dipping the bits in water at 53-55�C for 20 minutes or in nematicides at ambient temperatures (ethoprophos 600 ppm for 20 minutes; fenamiphos 250 ppm for 10 minutes; oxamyl 1000 ppm for 20 minutes; dibromochloropropane 5000 ppm for 1 minute). Heavy paring was necessary before hot water treatment for good nematode control, but with dips of ethoprophos, fenamiphos and DBCP, good control was achieved with light paring. In a field trial, germination, early growth and bunch weights of plants from bits dipped for 20 minutes in 1000 ppm of oxamyl, benomyl or thiabendazole at ambient temperatures (23 to 25�C) or at 53 to 55�C were not increased when compared with the standard hot-water treatment.