JCA433

I have a possible nematode problem with severe infestation on the Namwa plant was earlier suspected to have a virus. This plant was tested for virus with no virus detected in the leaf tissue. Unfortunately my problem may be even worse: nematode infestation. I removed the plant yesterday and discovered many dead roots with the root cortex missing on some roots and the inside of the corm was rotted.

Tytaylor77

Any possibility of overwatering or anything else that would rot the corm? I know your zone 10 but even a little lower temps can change how much water the plant uses. When banana corms or roots die they still have the tough string like inside of the root intact. The outer part of the root will slip off and leave that part. Kinda reminds me of what nematodes do.

From what I've seen with burrowing banana nematodes pictures you should be able to cut a root lengthwise and see alive tissue mixed with the black tissue. If all the tissue is black it's either rot or too late to check. Where all has your plants come from? I know banana nematodes are bad in the tropics but haven't read anything about them in FL. Just going off what I've read and seen in pictures. Hopefully its not nematodes and something else. I know they do a lot of damage worldwide including causing plants to topple over. Hopefully someone experienced with them will chime in. Keep us updated.

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a.hulva@coxinet.net

y I doubt you have nematodes. I bet bet from a poor quality corm. Scrape ALL rotten material off. I would pot it in pure coarse sand with no soil. Keep BARELY damp for three or for weeks. Hope for the best.

JP

You're an official coarse sand preacher now! Lol! It does almost miracles!!!

HMelendez

I totally agree with Al and JP!.....Coarse sand is the way to go!....

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JCA433

Yesterday I cut some of the roots length wise. Here are some pictures of the cut roots. What is your opinion? Nematode infestation or just rot?












This banana plant with the above roots did have some healthy roots and it was well anchored in the ground and could not topple easily.

Tytaylor77

I'm not an expert but I would say no. No nematodes. Nematode signs would be large solid black areas. You can google "banana nematode" and look at pictures. There are lots. It's hard to describe but looks almost like someone colored in with a sharpie.

Those roots look simi-healthy. Looks like they were still functioning but are starting to rot. I would say water 1/4 of what your watering now until spring/summer.

With warm weather it will grow new roots blazing fast. Just remember simi dry is so much better than wet. Bananas will live months in dry soil but will die in weeks in wet soil.

I'm glad they are not nematodes. That would be really bad. Rot is easy to fix.

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Tytaylor77

It's been in the 80s so I don't want any more heat. Lol.

I live in 100% sand. My bananas grow great in my native sand. I would never go buy sand to haul sand to add sand to my sand to grow my bananas in ground in sand.

My rooting sand is a little different than native sand. First of all when I say course sand I am talking about quartz silica. More ground up rock than sand. Sandblasting sand is alwsome too.

I also use clean course sand for 1 purpose only. Rooting corms. They stay in the sand a month max. After they develop roots I plant into soil. I have tried Over 50 different mediums to root in I bet and course sand is by far best at rooting faster and easier. Another major factor to rooting in sand is that you can pull up the corm while flushing water and check roots and progress without damaging any roots.

Fill a pot with native sand then fill a pot with pool filter sand (quartz silica) and see which drains faster. No matter where you live it's the quartz. It's made to run lots of pool water through and you see how fast the water comes out of the pool jets.

The reason it drains better is my native sand has broken down organic material and silt. As all uncleaned sand has.

I don't agree with planting in ground with it if you already have sand. If your in clay maybe. I can't say since I don't have experience with clay.

In a pot I never use sand. Anything I pot will be transplanted into the ground later. If you add sand when you remove from the pot to pot up to a larger size or plant into the ground half of the rootball will fall down onto your feet since the sand is loose and will not hold together outside of the pot. It can really set a plant back.

I always use perlite. I mix peat moss and 30-40% perlite in my potting mixes. Perlite is popped volcanic rock and has tiny holes and cracks that hold water for roots to access. Perlite is also super light making moving pots around easier. If you grow bananas in pots you really need to try perlite. Bananas love it.

Anyway guess im on both sides of the sand wall.

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Juicy Bananas

Looks like corm weevil damage. I have been cleaning one of my clients banana patches... mind you, she let them get way too big. The site doesn't let me upload photos, but one of the mats was heavily infested and rotted away. Not sure if these guys are a problem for you guys.


On the topic of sand. I wish I could get sand to experiment with. It is way too expensive to buy here. I also do not like taking sand from our beaches... so that's not an option. Also, everyone is in a completely different climate. With our 11 different microclimates here our banana junkies have developed different methods.

JP

Try coarse sand , not too fine because it compacts too much.