Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
of the greatest achievements in the history of plant pathology.
29
But this
feat meant little for small-scale growers such as Ángela Coto-Moreno's
brother. Unable to afford the ''imported medicines'' needed to control
Sigatoka,hereplacedhisbananaswithfoodcropsforlocalmarkets.
30
How
many small-scale growers underwent similar transitions is di
cult to de-
termine with precision, but the number likely ran into the hundreds be-
cause the costs associated with spraying were well beyond the financial
means of most non-company growers in the region. Following a tour of
banana farms along the Ulúa River in 1937, U.S. diplomat John Erwin re-
ported that ''it was very noticeable at some places along the line, where
independentbananaproducershadnotusedeitherofthemethodsofcon-
trol against the blight, that the plantations were practically destroyed for
a considerable distance.''
31
Export figures confirm the devastating effect
of the pathogen on non-company growers: between 1937 and 1939 their
exportsplummetedfrom1.7millionbunchestoamere122,000bunches.
32
Tela Railroad Company ocials apparently advised planters to await
the outcome of their fungicide trials in order to avoid investing finan-
cial resources in unproven control techniques. Some planters, including
RobertoFasquelle,consideredthistobeapragmaticstrategy.However,
noteveryonewaswillingtoassumeapassiverolewhiletheirbananafarms
succumbedtoSigatoka.
33
Lackingthefinancialresourcestoimportchemi-
cal control equipment, growers in Choloma pruned infected leaves and
carefully placed them upside down on the ground in order to prevent the
spores from drifting to other plants. This ''provisional'' measure report-
edly slowed the movement of the fungus and permitted a greater per-
centage of fruit to be harvested.
34
In 1937, William T. Coleman, a wealthy
Cholomaplanterwitha900-hectarefarm,riggedatruck-drawnfungicide
applicator that functioned effectively regardless of weather conditions.
35
The degree of disinfection was ''complete'' according to Governor Milla,
who reported that the treatment killed ''all classes of insects, and other
animal pests such as squirrels.''
36
However, even for growers like Cole-
man who could afford manufactured inputs, there was no guarantee that
they would be able to control Sigatoka on their farms because spores from
untreated banana patches could re-infect plants up to a distance of one
kilometer or more.
37
In other words, an individual cultivator had to con-
tend not only with infected plants on his/her property, but also those on
neighboring farms since the pathogen paid little heed to property lines.
As early as 1936, Cortés Governor Milla urged the government of
Tiburcio Carías to assist ''national producers'' by purchasing an airplane
and the materials needed to make Bordeaux spray, pointing out that the
