BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
The farm SOLE of the company TROPICAL AGRO is located in Quevedo city, Los Rios province approximately 130km far north from the city of Guayaquil.
SOLE farm is an organic certified farm and they introduced EM Technology in a trial to find alternatives to treat Nematode and improve root mass of banana plants as well as farm soil.
Scale:
SOLE Farm: 40ha
Production: 2,700 box/ha/year (each box of 20.5kg approximately)
Product variety: banana Cavendish
Market: organic banana for international consume
PROBLEMS
Sole farm was facing the following problems:
– Root and soil stimulators that must be eco-friendly
– Treat of Nematode since they cannot use nematocides
– Sigatoka disease, the most serious problem in banana market
EM APPLICATION
They introduced EM Technology for a period of 2 months (Jun-Aug 2017) applying EM･1 and AEM (Activated EM･1). They applied AEM in irrigation directly to 350 banana seedling and 1ha for adults plants.
After 2 months they dig the same size of soil in EM treated area and control and separate the roots only.
EFFECTS AND RESULTS
Comparing EM treated area and control area they found the following results:
– Roots increased in approximately 300% compared to control.
– 127g of functional roots in EM area sample soil versus 34g of control (Photo 1).
– EM grown roots were healthy and big as well as EM effect reduced at minimum the impact of nematode (Photo 2).
– Staff is happy since EM is easy to apply in their current protocol.
– Seedlings grow healthier than conventional farming.
– Today (2018), they started with an EM program for 9 applications of AEM per year.