<span name="style_bold">Response of banana to nematicide application in Urabá, Colombia. </span>The objective of this study was to determine if plant parasitic nematodes affect banana production in Urabá, Colombia. The study was conducted in three commercial banana (<span name="style_italic">Musa </span>AAA) farms were two treatments were applied. Treatment one was the application of the nematicide ethoprop used to reduce nematode populations, and the other treatment was an untreated control. The experiment was replicated in three farms of the Urabá zone: Estadero (southern zone), Toscana (central zone) and La Llave (northern zone) where nematode population, root content, root damage and yield variables were recorded. <span name="style_italic">Radopholus similis </span>(67-74%) and <span name="style_italic">Helicotylenchus multicinctus </span>(22-28%) were the most abundant nematodes in the three farms. Ethoprop increased in 2.5 kg (P= 0.025), 2 (P= 0.0612) and 2.2 kg (P= 0.046) bunch weight and in 0.4 (P= 0.0202), 0.7 (P= 0.1994) and 0.3 (P= 0.0459) units the number of banana "hands" in Estadero, Toscana and La Llave farms, respectively. Increases in bunch weight and number of hands agree with a significant reduction in nematode population and an increase in root content. The results show that in commercial banana farms where the experiments were conducted, nematodes reduce yield and chemical control using nematicides is feasible; however, it is necessary to find other management strategies.(22-28%) were the most abundant nematodes in the three farms. Ethoprop increased in 2.5 kg (P= 0.025), 2 (P= 0.0612) and 2.2 kg (P= 0.046) bunch weight and in 0.4 (P= 0.0202), 0.7 (P= 0.1994) and 0.3 (P= 0.0459) units the number of banana "hands" in Estadero, Toscana and La Llave farms, respectively. Increases in bunch weight and number of hands agree with a significant reduction in nematode population and an increase in root content. The results show that in commercial banana farms where the experiments were conducted, nematodes reduce yield and chemical control using nematicides is feasible; however, it is necessary to find other management strategies.

Helicotylenchus multicinctus; <span name="style_italic">Musa </span>AAAAAA; <span name="style_italic">Mononchus </span>sppspp; Radopholus similis