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Press Release
February 2005
A New Biofungicide Benefits Flower Exporters
An ecological product is developed from the early work
of an
observant agricultural technician at CIAT
The observation and creativity of an agricultural technician
at the Centro International de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT)
led to the discovery of a biofungicide that effectively combats
certain fungi attacking beans, coffee, the 'Isabella' grape,
and some ornamental plants, including roses for export.
The technician, Guillermo Castellanos, works in Bean Pathology
at CIAT. He extracted the biofungicide from tabog or Swinglea
glutinosa, a tree introduced from Asia into Colombia by
sugarcane producers for use as live fencing.
Castellanos noticed that swinglia plants grew free of pathogens,
so he began testing extracts of the plant until he verified
that it effectively combats powdery mildew (Erysiphe polygoni)
and other fungi attacking beans.
The curiousness of this story lies in the plant's properties
being discovered almost two decades ago-when chemical products
dominated the scene. Yet, only now is it being recognized,
despite its effectiveness having already been scientifically
validated and proven for use in other crops.
"I feel it was an illusory product for its time, because
then agricultural chemicals were in their prime", comments
Castellanos modestly, whose contributions CIAT had recognized
in a public act in December 2004. "I'm just a voice for
Nature; she has the solutions to many evils, but you need
to know how to observe, and to search for her teachings",
Castellanos says.
As well as combating some of the fungi attacking beans, the
biofungicide is effective for controlling powdery mildew of
roses (Sphaerotheca pannosa var. rosae). Roses comprise
a major export crop for Colombia that, together with other
varieties of flowers, generates more than 140,000 jobs, mainly
for women.
It was precisely the Colombian Association of Flower Exporters
(ASOCOLFLORES) who contacted Dr Elizabeth Alvarez, head of
Cassava Pathology at CIAT, to help them find a solution to
the problem of powdery mildew of roses.
The researcher was familiar with Castellanos' work and she
decided to rigorously test extracts of swinglia in different
areas of the Sabana de Bogotá, a major rose-growing
region. Her goal was to find a biological alternative that
was safer for the environment and yet more economical for
flower growers.
"It should be emphasized that, from the empirical knowledge
and observations of one person, who wasn't a specialist, but
was motivated by research, we were able to obtain, through
scientific experimentation, an ecological product that can
help solve important problems for farmers", Dr Alvarez
noted.
Based on the scientific work being advanced by CIAT on this
product, farmers are beginning to use it on the crops for
which the biofungicide is effective. These crops include coffee,
the 'Isabella' grape, and some ornamental plants.
The biofungicide has several characteristics that make it
important for today's agricultural and livestock activities:
on the one hand, it does not require chemical components,
an outcome that benefits both the environment and the people
applying it; and on the other hand, its preparation costs
on farm are significantly lower than those of the chemical
products fulfilling the same function.
Currently, the extract is being marketed to flower growers
in Antioquia and the Sabana de Bogotá. At the same
time, more research projects are being conducted to discover
the biofungicide's effect on the diseases of other crops and,
by the way, rescue swinglia's image in the eyes of some ecologists,
who regard it as a stubborn, intrusive plant that is invading
the Colombian landscape.
Contacts:
- Guillermo Castellanos (guicastellanos@yahoo.com),
Research Technician, Bean Pathology, CIAT. Phone: (2) 445
0000, ext. 3388.
- Elizabeth Alvarez (e.alvarez@cgiar.org),
Phytopathologist, Head, Cassava Pathology, CIAT. Phone:
(2) 445 0000, ext. 3385.
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