ABSTRACT
Bananas are plagued by a variety of nonmicrobial pests. Most attention has focused on the banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus Germar and a complex of plant-parasitic nematodes, of which the burrowing nematode Radopholus similis Cobb Thorne has received the most attention. Radopholus similis has been considered as the most damaging nematode affecting bananas worldwide, especially in lowland tropical areas. Nematodes generally cause damage through the destruction of root and rhizome tissue. Damaged tissue becomes necrotic and dies, reducing nutrient and water uptake, reducing bunch weights, and retarding harvest. Banana weevil attack has been reported to interfere with root initiation, kill existing roots, limit nutrient uptake, reduce plant vigor, delay flowering, and increase susceptibility to other pests and diseases. A large group of foliage-feeding insects, originating from several taxa, can cause damage to banana. The economic damage they cause is usually limited, with populations remaining below economic injury levels through natural predation and parasitism.
