TR4 confirmed in Venezuela.

After its official detection in Colombia in 2019, then in Peru in 2021, the dreaded Fusarium oxysporum Cubense tropical race 4 continues its expansion on the American continent. Now in 2023, Venezuela has become the 3rd country in the Americas to be officially affected by the fungus. It has been detected in three states in the north of the country. Two outbreaks are located near the Caribbean coast, around Valencia Lake, in Aragua and Carabobo, and the third is in Cojedes, about 150 km south of the lake, towards the centre of the country. Although the official report dates from 19 January 2023, it should be noted that several suspected cases had been reported in 2021 and 2022. Difficulties in analysing samples would have slowed down the process of detecting the disease and therefore the implementation of biosecurity measures to contain its spread. Venezuela is not a major player in the international banana trade, but musaceae are a staple of the local diet. The arrival of TR4 represents an additional danger to the food security of a population already in severe economic distress.  

TR4 Map

TR4 Map