Examinando por Autor "Rengifo, D."

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Ma$ Banano: an app to leverage data from smallholder organic export banana for continual improvement
(International Society for Horticultural Science, 2023-05-16) Staver, C.; Mora, G.; Coria, J. J.; Guzmán, E.; Flores, O. E.; Acevedo, G.; Rengifo, D.; Perez, A.; Paulino, A.; Perez, E.; Suarez, P.; Torres, J. C.; Rojas Llanque, Juan Carlos; Nuñez Ticliahuanca, Edwin Oberti; Bustamante, A.; Espinoza, G.; Corozo, R. E.; Durango, W.; Tiselema, S.; Lara, G.; Arias, M.
The export banana sector depends on weekly data to ensure that a perishable fruit reaches distant consumers regularly, meeting quality and ripeness standards. Emerging organic and Fairtrade consumers have offered a window to small growers and their associations in dry tropical regions to export bananas, although with increased data demands to document production practices. A survey among small growers and their associations in Dominican Republic, Peru and Ecuador showed that data are collected to ensure that contracted containers meet certification requirements primarily in paper forms, checklists, farm visits and phone calls. Data are not managed and analyzed systematically to improve production efficiency and profitability or risk reduction. FONTAGRO financed the development of an app for data collection and analysis for small growers and their organizations as a key strategy to scale promising innovations to reduce banana rejects from red rust and increase productivity through soil health. Ma$ Banano, the name of the app, operates off-line with data uploaded opportunely to a central server. Multiple users linked to production and fruit processing in each banana farm can enter data depending on their work responsibilities. Data entry is organized in 2 sections aligned with the promising innovations. For red rust, modules capture 1) bagging efficiency and timeliness and application of repellents and insecticides, and 2) quantification of rejects and their causes at processing. For soil health, modules receive data on 1) mat density ha‑1, 2) plant vigor, 3) residue and fertilizer management and placement, 4) roots and soil biological, physical and chemical parameters, and 5) nutrient balance. Two initial modules serve to identify the farm and field and to capture weekly reporting of flagged and harvested bunches and boxes processed. A routine of app use begins with an assessment using all modules. Monthly follow-up scouting of key practices and general quarterly monitoring orient continual improvement. Data reports are generated through a web interface for individual growers and associations. The overall base with data privacy mechanisms in place will be available for big-data research.
Red rust thrips in smallholder organic export banana in Latin America and the Caribbean: pathways for control, compatible with organic certification
(ISHS, 2020-03-23) Arias de López, M.; Corozo Ayovi, R.E.; Delgado, R.; Osorio, B.; Moyón, D.; Rengifo, D.; Suárez, P.; Paulino, A.; Medrano, S.; Sanchez, L.; Rojas Llanque, Juan Carlos; Vegas, U.; Alburqueque, D.; Staver, C.; van Tol, R.; Clercx, L.
Since 2010, red rust thrips (RRT) have become a serious pest in organic export banana plantations, causing yield losses of 30-40%. Although RRT blemishes on banana peel are only cosmetic, exporters apply zero tolerance. During 2014-2017, FONTAGRO co-financed studies on measures to reduce RRT damage in smallholder organic export banana. Research was initially guided by an IPM approach based on thrips population thresholds and linked abiotic factors, in order to schedule practices. Initial studies resulted in a preventive model for thrips management based on the yearround use of transparent bags with 3-mm orifices to protect bunches just as the bell emerges and before bracts open. This approach minimizes losses due to both Chaetanaphothrips signipennis found in Peru and Ecuador and Chaetanaphothrips orchidii common in the Dominican Republic. Experiments to develop scouting methods and establish thresholds suggested three conclusions: C. signipennnis flies very little, complicating trapping even with pheromones; thresholds for economic damage are very low; and scouting is difficult, costly and not practical for decision making. Routine monitoring of losses caused by RRT and other factors should be done during packing. Experiments to test the effectiveness of bagging and the use of applied products to repel or kill thrips showed that bagging alone reduced losses by 90-100% compared to bunches with no bag. Applications of organic products to the bell at bagging and the leaf whorl and the upper bunch stem simultaneously with other bunch practices reduced losses further by 0-8%. Studies of biological control identified predators, parasitoids and entomopathogens which attack different stages of thrips. Preliminary lab and release studies suggest that biological control should be further developed. However, RRT form part of a complex of insect bunch pests, and the use of general or targeted applications should be reviewed to avoid the use of products which reduce beneficial organisms.