Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
O.K., that's "Physan 20" which is 10% dimethly benzyl ammonium chloride and 10% ethybenzyl ammonium chloride: 10% + 10% = 20% -- from which the name is derived. See Physan 20.
Nematode is a Phylum of 12,000 species, from microscopic to gigantic: the Placentonema gigantissima achieves 8 meters in the placenta of the sperm whale. Earthworms are nematodes. The nematodes that farmers worry about are usually viewed with a magnifying glass -- too small to see with the naked eye. If you clean (rinse) your plant off to remove soil particles, then remove excess moisture, then spray lightly with a 0.01% solution of Physan [dilute by 1:2000, or about 1 drop Physan per 1/2 cup water]. This dosage will kill any remaining tiny nematodes, any trace amounts of fungi, virus, algae, and bacteria without harming the plant.
Follow this up with a light spray of Spinosad just before you wrap up the plant. This will be a death sentence to any eggs or larvae within the plant flesh that surface in the near term.
Keeping your plants healthy and free of noxious pests long before you ship them is of course the best practice by far.
 |
Richard, I knew it was Physan 20 but my mind hybridized the words that were floating around inside of my head! (phyto + physan).
I will admit that I have bought a banana or two from out of state but don't plan on doing so unless I'm sure it is free of reniform nematodes. This is a serious pest and it is best not to downplay the risk by bringing in things such as earth worms.
I have a private applicator's license for applying restricted pesticides in California but do not use any nematicides for any of my crops so do not have any means that I know of for treating bananas for nematodes.
My bottle of Physan 20 makes no mention on its label for controlling such pests. It is labeled as a algaecide, fungicide, bactericide, and virucide. I wish I could trust it as being useful for controlling nematodes, but see no support for this. A friend of mine who operates an out-of-state nursery says that plants being shipped to California should not be grown in soil but that a dip in a solution with a nematicide should be an effective control. I still wonder about something as large as a banana corm, however, as it would be quite easy for a nematode to be deep enough in the tissue to be protected from a dip solution.
I do not own any Spinosad, though I've been looking for it at the consumer level for a while. Where can I find it? I didn't come up with anything while searching online to indicate that Spinosad cntrolled nematodes.
I could purchase something like Vapam but it would need to be listed on my permit and I have no valid reason for needed it on my farm. I think it's just better for me to follow the rules which were established for good reasons.
Best wishes,
Harvey