Choose for the disease you already have, not the bunch you hope for

Pests and diseases decide whether a tropical planting lasts. Banana wilt and leaf spots, guava wilt and rust, cashew dieback — the names change; the farm lesson does not. Size and colour of fruit will not save a susceptible line.

Before you plant

• Ask neighbours and local extension what actually kills or stunts this crop here.
• Treat resistance or a tolerant rootstock as part of the purchase, not a bonus.
• Keep tools, soil, and water from moving a problem from an old block into a new one.
• Clean planting material still needs field hygiene. Resistance is not a licence to ignore sanitation.

This is not a spray programme or a dose guide. Product, timing, and legal use come from the label and local rules.

If a whole block collapses, stop filling the next hole with the same material and get local advice.

In this series

• Trial a small block before you fill the orchard
• Buy clean, uniform planting material — not the cheapest seedling
• Choose for the disease you already have, not the bunch you hope for
• Kilograms are not the crop if the buyer will not take them
• Compact trees are a labour tool, not a fashion
• Match the plant to the soil, the water, and the actual buyer