Scaling up alternative solutions to protect banana crops against black Sigatoka in tropical conditions in the French West Indies - CERCOTROP

Accelerating alternatives to fungicides

Black Sigatoka, a fungal disease, is now a major challenge for the banana industry in Guadeloupe and Martinique (BGM) because of its impacts on fruit yields and quality. As the use of plant protection products becomes increasingly restricted, developing pesticide-free production systems will depend on overcoming this technical constraint. The BGM sector already has technical alternatives to other pesticides (nematicides, insecticides and herbicides), most of which are no longer in use, but it still lacks sufficient alternatives to fungicides to phase them out completely.

A disease that threatens the banana industry

The management of black Sigatoka is a strategic priority for the banana industry in the French West Indies. The current reliance on fungicides, combined with the declining number of active substances available, poses a real threat to production continuity.

The project is part of the PARSADA* programme for the banana sector and aims to support the transition towards sustainable agroecological systems while maintaining the economic performance of farms.

An integrated strategy, from the laboratory to the field

Coordinated by the Tropical Technical Institute (IT2), in partnership with CIRAD, SICA CERCOBAN and producer organisations in the French West Indies, the project is based on an integrated approach structured around five complementary areas.

Producing knowledge on new agroecological management approaches

• Integrating climate factors into an epidemic forecasting model (IT2);
• Studying the importance of conidia in the epidemic dynamics of plantations intended for export (CIRAD). This knowledge will be used to explore two new management approaches: i) innovative preventive practices (such as new leaf-pruning strategies targeting conidia production), and ii) the introduction of intra-plot hedgerows to limit the spread of conidia;
• Studying the effect of nitrogen nutrition on epidemic dynamics (IT2);
• Modelling the impact of the disease on yields in order to optimise corrective measures (earlier harvesting, fruit removal) during severe infestations (CIRAD).

Testing biocontrol solutions

• Screening the biological efficacy of biofungicides (IT2);
• Assessing biocontrol products through field trials (IT2).

Combining agroecological management approaches

• Integrating agroecological approaches into system trials (IT2);
• Conducting a multicriteria assessment (agronomic, environmental and economic) of changes in practices (CIRAD).

Supporting stakeholders and disseminating innovations

• Establishing lasting transfer of methods to assess fungicide resistance to the French West Indies (CIRAD);
• Monitoring pathogen resistance to fungicides in Guadeloupe and Martinique (CIRAD);
• Implementing regulatory monitoring and developing Certificates for the Reduction of Plant Protection Products
• Building the capacities of stakeholders in the sector (workshops, technical events) / IT2;
• Sharing knowledge and providing support to producers (producer organisations);

Ensuring project coordination

• Providing scientific and technical coordination (IT2).

*PARSADA: Strategic action plan to anticipate the possible withdrawal of active substances at the European level and to develop alternative crop protection techniques