Colombia: Colombia Confirms That Dreaded Fungus Has Hit Its Banana Plantations

Aug 12, 2019 | Sabine Galvis, Science
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Colombia has declared a national state of emergency following confirmation that a dread fungus has appeared in the country’s banana plantations. The 8 August declaration marks the first time that Fusarium wilt tropical race 4 (TR4), which has devastated crops in Asia, has been confirmed in Latin America, the world’s largest exporter of bananas. Signs of the fungus were first spotted in June in northern Colombia, putting the region on high alert.