Vanilla is an economically important crop for low-lying humid tropical regions. World demand for natural vanilla is increasing, but cultivated plants face serious phytosanitary problems. The disease known as Fusarium wilt is mainly related to the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vanillae, and for its management, the pathogen–host relationship must be understood. Four in vitro multiplied vanilla accessions were evaluated: two Vanilla planifolia from Colombia and Mexico, one from V. odorata, and one (1) F1 hybrid (V. rivasii × V. trigonocarpa). In addition, three isolates of Fusarium from different symptomatic plants present in small-scale agroforestry systems: (1Fov) F. oxysporum f. sp. vanillae from leaf, (2Fov) F. oxysporum f. sp. vanillae from root and (3Fs) F. solani also from root. Plants with two months of growth were inoculated in vitro by immersion of roots, and the development of Fusarium wilt was recorded for 15 days, using a severity scale to describe symptoms and to calculate the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). No statistical differences were found when analyzing the interaction between Fusarium isolates and vanilla accessions. However, when independently analyzing the design factor Fusarium isolates, there were significant differences; the 1Fov isolate of F. oxysporum f. sp. vanillae induced the highest symptoms as well as death in some plants of all accessions, while F. solani was considered a secondary pathogen. There were no statistical differences for the vanilla accessions factor, but the values of AUDPC and symptoms observed suggest a slight resistance in all the accessions. Therefore, it is suggested to explore the vanilla gene pool to generate multiplication material with resistance genes and to contribute with genetic improvement to successfully integrate the management of Fusarium wilt in commercial systems.

In total, 10 populations of Helicotylenchus associated with Musa spp., six from Colombia, and four from Brazil were identified to the species level. Morphological and morphometric data were recorded for each population, performed a principal components analysis (PCA), a conglomerate, along with consensus sequences of D2 to D3 expansion segment of the large subunit of ribosomal DNA (28S) for different populations. Identify of species were performed using the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST), and the evolutionary relationships of species were explored using a phylogeny study. Four species of Helicotylenchus were identified based on morphological and morphometric data: H. multicinctus, H. dihystera, H. erythrinae, and H. californicus. PCA and conglomerate analysis clearly separated these species. BLAST and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the presence of these species associated with Musa spp. crops. This is the first report of these species in Colombia through integrative taxonomy.

Three populations, two from Colombia and one from Brazil, of Rotylenchulus reniformis associated with banana and plantain, were characterized using morphological, morphometric, and molecular methods. Morphometric data from these populations were similar to type and reference populations of R. reniformis. Partial sequences of both D2-D3 rDNA and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) regions had a strong affinity (99% similarity) to previously published sequences of R. reniformis. Phylogenetic analyses (maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) suggested that the Colombian populations of R. reniformis corresponded to the previously described Type A of the species. This is the definitive first report in Colombia of R. reniformis associated with banana and plantain crops.

Vanilla is an economically important crop for low‐lying humid tropical regions, but cultivated plants face serious phytosanitary problems. Fusarium wilt is a devastating disease affecting vanilla crops, caused by the fungal pathogens Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vanillae (Fov) and F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis‐vanillae (Forv), part of the F. oxysporum species complex (FOSC). We characterized 29 fungal isolates from a vanilla crop and crop wild relatives (CWR) using molecular (EF1‐α and ITS‐rRNA loci) and morphological traits. Fusarium was the predominant genus, followed by Colletotrichum and Clonostachys . Four Fusarium species were identified: F. oxysporum (37.9%), Fusarium solani (20.7%), Fusarium pseudocircinatum (13.8%) and Fusarium concentricum (10.3%). The latter three species were isolated only from CWR and may represent latent pathogens. Fov was isolated from both the crop and CWR, while a Forv‐affiliated isolate was also found in a vanilla crop, marking the first report in the neotropical region. The EF1‐α locus provided greater genotype resolution, as well as having reference sequences for Forv. However, the fungal barcode ITS locus is widely applied. We recommend the continued use of both loci for Fusarium diagnosis in vanilla to facilitate early detection and the development of effective integrated crop management strategies.

En el 2010 había solamente 21.381 ha de caucho sembradas en Colombia. En el 2011 esta cifra aumentó a 25.687 ha (²), en tanto que para el 2017 se tenían poco más de 56.000 ha (¹¹). Con una tasa de incremento anual oscilando alrededor de 30%, en unos pocos años se dispuso de caucho natural para satisfacer la demanda interna (20.295 TM) y se obtuvieron excedentes para exportación. En el ámbito regional, la producción se concentra en Meta (39%), Santander (22%), Caquetá (17%) y Antioquia (10%)..