Hongos asociados a la pudricion de la corona en frutos de banano organico (Musa spp. L.) en Piura, Peru/Fungi associated with fruit crown rot in organic banana (Musa spp. L.) in Piura, Peru/Fungos associados a podridao-da-coroa em frutos de banana organica (Musa spp. L.) em Piura, Peru

The department of Piura is the principal banana-producing zone in Peru, sharing 87% of exportations. In this zone, one of the most important postharvest diseases is crown rot. The economic loses attributed to this disease are estimated to be between 25 and 30% of organic bananas exported. The objective of this study was to identify the causal agents associated with this disease. Samples taken refrigerated fruit from the areas of Querecotillo, Salitral and Mallares were taken and selected after the fact. Thielaviopsis paradoxa, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Colletotrichum musae and Fusarium verticilloides. In order to demonstrate the pathogenicity of the isolated species, inoculations were given in the area of the crown of the fruit on healthy bananas. These fungi caused symptoms of infection in different proportions, concluding that crown rot is a disease with a complex etiology.