MustGrow commences banana ‘Panama Disease’ testing in Colombia

MustGrow Biologics Corp. announces the commencement of testing of MustGrow’s proprietary TerraMG bio-pesticide formulation on the Panama Disease (Fusarium wilt TR4), a devastating disease pathogen ravaging the $25 billion global banana industry. MustGrow’s TerraMG bio-pesticide has been proven to control soil-borne diseases similar to Panama Disease.

The laboratory testing in Colombia will focus on the treatment of the Panama Disease. MustGrow’s previous independent efficacy studies in Canada have proven that TerraMG’s treatment of Fusarium oxysporum, a soil-borne pathogen, had 100% control of the fungus. Panama Disease is among the most destructive banana diseases, affecting particularly Cavendish bananas, which are half of all bananas produced globally. Currently, there are no effective treatments for the infected banana plantations, with the disease remaining viable for decades in the soil and can cause 100% yield loss.

MustGrow has already been working towards its US-EPA and Canadian-PMRA registrations of TerraMG for pre-plant treatment of soil-borne pests and diseases in high value crops such as fruits & vegetables. Now, MustGrow is replicating this strategy in Colombia’s besieged banana industry – focused on controlling and eliminating the Panama Disease. This work will build on MustGrow’s existing field data and serve as a benchmark for achieving registration labels in Colombia and other leading South American agricultural countries. MustGrow anticipates laboratory results in Q4-2020.

“This is an exciting program for MustGrow, as we push the boundaries of our bio-pesticide into a new continent with a currently untreatable disease,” remarked MustGrow CEO Corey Giasson. “With both banana producers and banana consumers rooting for us, we look forward to potentially providing a much needed solution for Colombian farmers.”

The spread of Panama Disease through banana plantations in South America has prompted Colombia to reportedly declare a National State of Emergency, enacting special measures to stop the disease from spreading, including the preventive eradication of 168 hectares of infected crop. A flurry of media reports has followed, revealing a race to save bananas from extinction after the disease has left a trail of scorched banana plantations in its wake.