Microbial dynamics in the soil and presence of the avocado wilt complex in plots cultivated with avocado cv. Hass under ENSO phenomena (El Niño – La Niña)

Mitigation of the Adverse Effects of the El Niño (El Niño, La Niña) Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Phenomenon and the Most Important Diseases in Avocado cv. Hass Crops

“…Nurseries can be an important source of inocula of several pathogens that are involved in the AWC disease. Therefore, production of seedlings with high quality and a better selection of the planting terrain by avoiding flat places that accumulate water in the soil profile and the sowing method (appropriate hole in the field), have been shown to be useful to reduce humidity accumulation into the soil profile, which, in turn, protects against disease development [ 18 ]. Integrating all the strategies analyzed in the present work resulted in better growth and development of avocado trees.…”

“…These phenomena occur intermittently every two to seven years [ 14 , 15 ]. There have been multiple negative consequences of the ENSO phenomenon in agriculture, highlighted by a reduction of yield and an increase in pests and diseases [ 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”

“…Avocado roots can be seriously affected by AWC causing large losses, usually between 45–90%, but which could reach 100% if no prompt and appropriate control measures are performed during all stages of crop establishment, growth, and development [ 27 , 29 , 32 ]. Disease development is considered to be influenced by high rainfall and soil waterlogging [ 18 , 33 ], which is not only associated with water dispersion of infective units but also with increased aggressiveness of microbial pathogens such as Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands [ 34 , 35 ].…”

“…Avocado plants are sensitive to extreme edaphoclimatic conditions such as those observed during the ENSO phenomenon that are the result of high rainfall and flooding, and other extreme severe droughts [ 18 ]. Avocado plants can decrease or halt growth and development during severe stress conditions causing large losses and delayed production [ 18 , 36 , 37 ]. Mitigation measures have been proposed for several crops and target negative impacts caused by climatic extremes such as experienced during the ENSO phenomenon [ 1 ].…”

“…The new trend in climate change studies worldwide is to perform modeling, risk analysis, and prediction, but also to move forward and look for alternatives that allow mitigation and adaptation of agricultural systems to extreme conditions of climate variability such as those observed during the ENSO phenomenon [ 1 , 2 , 42 ]. There is a direct relationship between soil moisture and AWC [ 18 ] and global evidence on variations of climatic parameters as a result of climate change. Those extreme variations of climatic parameters have been impacting areas planted with avocado crops in Colombia [ 24 ].…”