Integrated Pest Management for Banana Production in Hawaii

Banana Bunchy Top Virus

Banana Rust Thrips

Banana Rust Thrip Damage  

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Banana IPM Program Authors:

L.C. Chia (UH Horticulture), C. Evensen (UH Agronomy: Water Quality), J. DeFrank (UH Horticulture), R. Ebesu (UH Extension), R. Hamasaki (UH Extension), M. Kawate (UH Environmental Biochemistry), R. Mau (UH Entomology), S. Nelson (UH Plant Pathology), B. Sipes (UH Plant Pathology: Nematology), and the HBIA Board of Directors.

Project Goal: IPM implementation on 75% of Hawaii’s active crop lands.

Our highest priority is implementation to meet President Clinton’s goal for IPM implementation on 75 percent of crop acres. Four crops were selected for the Hawaii 1998-2001 performance plan.  The crops are pineapple, macadamia, banana, and sugarcane.  Program implementation for all of the crops will utilize the certification model used by extension programs in northeastern states.  University and industry experts will assemble IPM programs for each crop.  Each of the practices in the program will be given application points.  Certification will be given if the grower has met 80% of total possible points.

In 1997, total statewide acreage devoted to banana production reached a record high at 1,590 acres, of which 1,020 acres or 64% were harvested. Three-hundred additional acres are anticipated for the 1998 growing-season. Total harvested yield amounted to 13.7 million pounds, which was valued at 5.2 million dollars. Although 170 farms are listed, commercial production is concentrated on less than 20 farms.

Extensive losses have occurred due to the establishment of banana bunchy top virus.  Eradication efforts are being conducted on an island to island basis. Bio-controls provide excellent control of insect pests such as the banana skipper and armored scale. The banana rust thrips is a significant new pest to the island of Hawaii.  Significant increase in thrips induced losses has occurred due to feeding damage to the fruit.

UPDATE

The Banana Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Protocol was modeled after the National IPM Protocol for Potatoes. The Banana IPM Protocol is supported by guidelines which were defined by a multi-disciplinary team of faculty from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (UH-CTAHR) and the Hawaii Banana Industry Association (HBIA). This program was specifically designed to establish the best management approach for the production of bananas in the State of Hawaii. Guidelines and point values are used to determine the level of IPM being utilized and are subject to change with new IPM developments. Adoption of the IPM program for banana production will begin in August 1999.

Also, The HBIA is a partner in the Environmental Protection Agency's Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP). PESP is a program which strives to minimize risk associated with the use of pesticides. HBIA has constructed and submitted an industry background and is working on a statewide stewardship strategy towards pesticide risk reduction.