Relationship between soil fertility and plantain nutrition in Cundinamarca (Colombia) with the incidence of two bacterial diseases

The bacteriosis and moko of plantain are ones of the most important phytosanitary problems in the production of musaceae in Colombia. To contribute to the management of these diseases in the department of Cundinamarca, soils and foliar tissues were analyzed, as well as the symptoms of the diseases in 149 farms of producers in the municipalities of Chaguani, La Palma, La Vega, and Viota (Cundinamarca). A descriptive analysis of the chemical properties of soils and foliar concentration of nutrients was carried out; the Student-Welch t-test was applied (P<0.05); the distribution patterns of the diseases were represented cartographically. According to the results obtained, the sampled soils are not saline, they have extreme to strong acidity, low effective cation exchange capacity and low fertility; meanwhile plants show a deficit of elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, copper, zinc, and boron. Considering the total number of farms evaluated, the incidence of bacteriosis and moko disease was reported in 63 and 14% at the departmental level, respectively. A higher concentration of sulfur and zinc was observed in farm soils free of both diseases. Finally, plants reported as free of bacteriosis showed a higher concentration of potassium and lower concentrations of calcium and manganese; while plants reported as free of moko disease showed higher concentrations of nitrogen, sodium, and copper, and a lower concentration of calcium. The results obtained contribute to the planning of large-scale management strategies, in order to reduce the risk of dissemination of diseases of economic importance for plantain crop.