Abandonment of traditional techniques cause coffee crop losses

The abandonment of traditional techniques of coffee cultivation and indiscriminate use of pesticides and fungicides is increasing dramatically the spread of rust fungus that is affecting crops and coffee plantations in Central America and Mexico, informed the ecologist John Vandermeer, from the University of Michigan.
Ecologist conducted scientific studies on organic coffee plantation in southern Chiapas, Mexico, for 15 years.
"Over the past 20 to 25 years, many coffee farmers in Latin America have abandoned the traditional techniques of cultivation, which was done under the shadow cast by various species of trees."
In order to increase production, much of the planting converted to the so-called "coffee sun" in which there is no cover that protects the coffee fungi, creating greater reliance on pesticides and fungicides to keep pests under control.
John Vandermeer said more than 60% of the trees that have been studied now 80% of leaf fall due to the rust fungus.
The rust fungus attacks the plant leaves and interferes with the ability of the same to perform photosynthesis. These plants, 30% had no longer any leaf and about 10% have died.
According to John Vandermeer, cultivation in shade has a very different picture as active fungus halo white helps to contain the spread of rust fungus as well as attack by certain insects harmful.
To the ecologist, the result of crop losses is given by the indiscriminate use of pesticides and fungicides and the low level of biodiversity found in coffee plantations in the sun.
"Without the white halo fungus to halt the spread of rust fungus, it has been able to decimate the coffee plantations of Colombia and Mexico," said John Vandermeer.
The current situation is the worst seen in Central America since the plague arrived in the region for over 40 years, recently joined the Guatemala to Honduras and Costa Rica declared "national emergency" due to the plague.
"The Guatemalan president said that due to the plague, coffee production could have a loss of 40% in the country during the crop year 2013/2014," said ecologist.
"I have personal information of friends who work with coffee in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico. Everyone says this is the biggest loss they have ever had, "added John Vandermeer.
What remains unclear is whether this infestation will decrease over the course of this year and return to previous levels.
"Maybe this will turn into something relatively permanent and fixed in the region," said John Vandermeer, warning of the serious consequences for coffee producers.
The rust fungus was discovered near Lake Victoria in East Africa in 1861 and was later identified and studied in Sri Lanka in 1867, according to data from the Department of Agriculture of the United States, cited by the University of Michigan.
The plague spread over much of Southeast Asia and Africa. The rust fungus is known in the Western Hemisphere in 1970, when he was found in Bahia, Brazil. Since then began to spread to all the coffee plantations of America.
The fungus infects mainly leaves of coffee, but also affects fruits, sprouts and other cultures. The spores of the fungus are spread by wind and rain.
Source: The Epoch Times