Resumen
- Research has demonstrated that plants lose up to 33% of their assimilates to the soil. Why does a plant, in this case banana, exert large amounts of energy to produce nutrients that land unused in the soil? We believe that: (1) roots are damaged by pests and diseases and the plant cannot utilize the nutrients produced in the shoot; and/or (2) the plant has evolved a health support system made up of “rhizosphere specific microbial communities” (RSMC) that live on these nutrients in symbiotic and/or mutualistic associations. These RSMC are not enhanced by standard banana production systems even though they are important for root health and growth. Research has shown that the interactions between banana and certain endophytic fungi are important for root health and growth. This interaction has been studied in detail and these forms of microbial communities have evolved concomitantly with the plant over evolutionary time. We have shown that specific fungi, and probably even bacteria, that have plant health promoting abilities are important for root health. When an ecological state is reached in which RSMC are well established and are functioning properly, we believe this leads to a disease or pest suppressive agro-ecosystem. Such a system was studied in Guatemala. The research indicated that: 1) pest nematodes are suppressed in certain areas of the Motagua Valley, Guatemala; 2) endophytic fungi play a major role in this suppressive system, and 3) endophytic Fusarium oxysporum and Trichoderma atroviride suppress Radopholus similis in banana roots.