INCIDENCE, ESTIMATE OF LOSSES AND MANAGEMENT IN THE CONTROL OF FUNGI PATHOGENS IN SYSTEMS OF PROPAGATION OF PINEAPPLE CROPS (ANANAS ESCAMOSUS L.) IN VITRO

During the months from March to June of 2001, strong affectations were presented with rot symptoms that caused the death of the pineapple crops in vitro (Ananas comosus (L) in hybrid MD2 of the variety Cayena Lisa. These were located in areas of the Bioplantas Center belonging to the University of Ciego de Avila. With the objective of diagnosing the presence of phytopathogens, to determine the magnitude of losses and to establish the phytosanitary measures, random inspections and samplings in the total area were carried out. Infected plants were taken, the symptoms were characterized and they were analyzed in the laboratory to identify fungi pathogens present. The number of sick plants were also counted to assess how much damage the pathogens caused. It was determined that Phytophthora. nicotianae Breda of Haan, Rhizoctonia solani (Kurch) and Fusarium subglutinans (Wr and Reink), P.E. Nelson, T.A. Tousson and Marasas, were the organisms most likely to cause such high levels of mortality with P. nicotianae dominating Phase II of acclimatization is the most affected with losses reaching $248.10 in the period analyzed, for an annual estimation of $2977.20 because effective plant protection measures were not taken. Therefore the installation of integrated management systems is proposed to establish the prerequisites for the work with the crops in vitro, including phytotecnic measures, and chemical and biological controls.