Verticillium Lecanii for Banana – Control Red Rust Thrips & Aphids (Bunchy Top Vector)

Your Nendran or Robusta bananas are almost ready, but when you open the bunch, the fruits are covered in brown, corky scars – that’s red rust thrips damage. Scarred bananas fetch a much lower price, or can’t be sold at all. Meanwhile, aphids are spreading bunchy top virus – a disease that has no cure and destroys entire plantations.

The Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has a solution: Verticillium lecanii (also called Lecanicillium lecanii). KAU recommends spraying it at 20g per litre of water for thrips management.

How to use Verticillium for banana:

Sucker treatment (before planting):

• Mix 10g of Bactostore’s Verticillium powder (or 10 ml liquid) in 1 litre of water

• Dip the base of the banana sucker or tissue‑culture plantlet for 10‑15 minutes

• Shade dry for 30 minutes before planting

Foliar spray for thrips and aphids:

• For liquid: Mix 2‑5 ml in 1 litre of water

• For powder: Mix 5‑10g in 1 litre of water

• Critical timing: Apply the first spray at the flag leaf stage (when the bunch is emerging)

• Apply the second spray 7‑10 days later

• For aphids, spray every 20‑30 days during vegetative growth

Soil drench for existing plants:

• Mix 200‑250g powder (or 200‑250 ml liquid) in 10 litres of water

• Drench around the root zone every 2‑3 months

Why this works: Verticillium kills thrips that hide inside flower bracts – something chemical sprays cannot reach. It also kills aphids, reducing the spread of bunchy top virus.

Farmer testimonial:

“Red rust thrips were ruining our Nendran bananas. After using Bactostore Verticillium spray at flag leaf stage, the scarring has almost disappeared. Our bananas are now fetching first grade price.” – Radhika, Kuttanad.

Order Verticillium for your banana garden now.

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