Costa Rica Faces Banana Emergency With Mealybugs Outbreak – New Tang Dynasty Television Details Alert sent: No Sites: PH Publish date: Fri 2013-Dec-13 Author: New Tang Dynasty Television Channel: Pests/diseases Text (summary): Costa Rica calls a “national emergency” as a double plague of insects infects vast swathes of the Central American country’s banana plantations. (TOMAS STARGARDTER/AFP/Getty Images) A local Costa Rican merchant loads free bananas onto his truck after they were categorized as unfit for export at a packing station in Guapiles on the Atlantic Coast of Costa Rica. (TOMAS STARGARDTER/AFP/Getty Images) Authorities in Costa Rica have declared a “national emergency” for one of Costa Rica’s most important agricultural exports, as a double plague of insects threatens banana exports from the Central American nation. An outbreak of mealybugs and scale insects has quickly infected swathes of banana plantations across the country, with some 24,000 hectares of banana plants reportedly infected. Agricultural engineer Eric Bolanos said the insects extract nutrients from banana plants, leaving them weak and causing dark stains on the fruit. “Basically, what it does is suck out the nutrients, or sap from the plant’s organs, stems, leaves. It could reach the fruit, causing damage (like) dark stains,” he added. Read more: www.ntd.tv [English Locations Location Coordinates Zoom Relevance Show on map Costa Rica, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil 23.4167°S 54.65°W 0.823 Guápiles, Costa Rica 10.2159°N 83.7866°W 0.152 Discovery Discoveries: Discovery method: Robot discovered URL: http://www.ntd.tv/en/news/world/south-america/20131213/83871-costa-rica-faces-banana-emergency-with-… Original language: English Original title: Costa Rica Faces Banana Emergency With Mealybugs Outbreak – New Tang Dynasty Television Original text (summary): Costa Rica calls a “national emergency” as a double plague of insects infects vast swathes of the Central American country’s banana plantations. (TOMAS STARGARDTER/AFP/Getty Images) A local Costa Rican merchant loads free bananas onto his truck after they were categorized as unfit for export at a packing station in Guapiles on the Atlantic Coast of Costa Rica. (TOMAS STARGARDTER/AFP/Getty Images) Authorities in Costa Rica have declared a “national emergency” for one of Costa Rica’s most important agricultural exports, as a double plague of insects threatens banana exports from the Central American nation. An outbreak of mealybugs and scale insects has quickly infected swathes of banana plantations across the country, with some 24,000 hectares of banana plants reportedly infected. Agricultural engineer Eric Bolanos said the insects extract nutrients from banana plants, leaving them weak and causing dark stains on the fruit. “Basically, what it does is suck out the nutrients, or sap from the plant’s organs, stems, leaves. It could reach the fruit, causing damage (like) dark stains,” he added.
