Produtividade e manejo fitossanitário da bananicultura em municípios do Território do Velho Chico na Bahia: implicações para adoção do sistema de mitigação de risco (SMR)

Banana cultivation in the Velho Chico Territory of Bahia holds great socioeconomic importance, standing out as one of the main agricultural activities in the region. However, variations in production scale and phytosanitary challenges directly influence crop performance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between productivity, technological level, and pest and disease diversity across six municipalities, aiming to identify performance patterns and propose sustainable management strategies. The research was conducted in 2023, based on phytosanitary surveys carried out to meet the requirements of the Risk Mitigation System (RMS) a necessary step for producers to export or trade fruit with other states. Descriptive and multivariate analyses (PCA, correlation matrix, and hierarchical clustering) were used to relate productive and phytosanitary variables. The results showed that productivity is strongly associated with cultivation scale and level of technification, rather than the mere presence of pests and diseases. Municipalities with greater production structure, such as Bom Jesus da Lapa, achieved high yields even under higher phytosanitary diversity, while Barra and Muquém de São Francisco exhibited lower productivity and simpler pest profiles. These differences demonstrate that integrated management and technological investment are crucial to sustain productive efficiency. It is concluded that the adoption of Risk Mitigation Systems (RMS) is essential to balance productivity and phytosanitary control, promoting sustainability, loss reduction, and greater resilience of banana production systems in Western Bahia.