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1. Fungal Diseases of Banana Next

2. Sigatoka leaf spots Anthracnose Fusarium wilt Freckle leaf spot Click on the disease End

3. Sigatoka leaf spots Yellow Sigatoka caused by Mycosphaerella after the Sigatoka Valley in Fiji where an outbreak of this disease reached epidemic proportions from 1912 to 1923. Black Sigatoka, also known as black leaf streak, was named for its similarities with the Yellow Sigatoka Next End

4. Sigatoka leaf spots Symptoms Initially, tiny brown streaks appear on the underside of the third and fourth leaves. After the streak stage, spots develop. These spots increase in size and gradually turn brown in color. Previous Next End

5. Sigatoka leaf spots Symptoms When the disease progresses these spots further increase in size, join with each other forming large dead areas on the leaf preventing photosynthetic functioning of the leaf. Previous Next End

6. Sigatoka leaf spots Symptoms Destruction of mature and functional leaves in large number leads to failure of bunches to fill out and ripen. Fruit set will be poor with reduced size, uneven ripening and angular shape having discolored flesh. Previous Next End

7. Sigatoka leaf spots Spread of disease The fungus produces conidia and ascospores, both of which are infective. They are formed under high moisture conditions, and are disseminated by wind, and in the case of conidia, also by rain and irrigation water. Infected planting material and leaves, which are used often as packing materials, are usually responsible for the long-distance spread of the disease. Previous Next End

8. Sigatoka leaf spots Spread of disease Humid weather and high rainfall periods hasten the development and faster spread of the disease. Under a crowded canopy and humid condition, the conidia rapidly spread the disease on to a susceptible variety. Soils with poor drainage and low fertility are more conducive for disease build up. Previous Next End

9. Sigatoka leaf spots Management The suckers brought for planting should be disease free. They should be dipped in a fungicide solution before planting. Proper, wider spacing must be practiced. The orchard must be clean and free from weeds and grasses to avoid humidity build up. Severely infected plants and leaf blades should be removed and destroyed. Previous Next End

10. Sigatoka leaf spots Management Periodical roguing of diseased leaves reduces the spread of the disease. The land should be well drained and leveled to avoid any water stagnation. Application of Thiophante methyl 1 g/l or bordeaux mixture 0.1 per cent + 2 per cent linseed oil or captan 2 g/l can manage the yellow sigatoka disease. Previous Next End

11. Sigatoka leaf spots Management One of the following fungicides also can be sprayed. Carbendazim 1 g/l Benomyl 1 g/l or Mancozeb 2 g/l Copper oxychloride 2.5 g/l Ziram 2 ml/l Chlorothalonil 2 g/l Previous Back End

12. Anthracnose It is an important post-harvest problem of bananas especially during transport and storage. Infection in young fruit is not always manifested until the fruit ripens, Pulp of diseased fruit is usually not affected unless the fruit is over-ripe. Next End

13. Anthracnose Symptoms On green fruit, pin-size brown or black sunken spots develop. The peel has dark-brown to black diamond-shaped lesions about 8 x 3 cm in size. The centers of the spots become dark because of the formation of small black fruiting bodies of the fungus. Previous Next End

14. Anthracnose Symptoms On yellowing fruit, brown spots initially appear that later become sunken and covered with orange spore masses. A tip rot may develop and can rot the entire fruit but the pulp is usually not affected unless the fruit is overripe. Previous Next End

15. Anthracnose Spread of disease Anthracnose spreads to banana plants by wind, insects, water and birds. The fungus thrives in heavy rainfall and temperate weather conditions. The fungus that causes anthracnose also causes crown rot, another rot-disease of banana. Previous Next End

16. Anthracnose Management Practice good field sanitation. Minimize bruising during fruit handling. Treat the fruit with hot water for 5 min at 50°C. Proper sanitation of handling facilities Sprays of jathropa oil extract at 5000 ppm (5 ml of oil extract in 5 litres of water) significantly controlled anthracnose and ripening was delayed by 12 days (Philippine Organic Agriculture Information Network) Previous Next End

17. Anthracnose Management Chemical control is effective in the early stages of infection with one of the following fungicides. Spray copper oxychloride 0.25% Bordeaux mixture 1% Chlorothalonil 0.2% Carbendazim 0.1%. Previous Back End

18. Fusarium Wilt Symptoms The first internal symptoms develop in feeder roots, the initial sites of infection. As the pseudostem is colonized, faint brown streaks or flecks become evident on and within older leaf sheaths. Next End

19. Fusarium Wilt Symptoms Eventually, large portions of the xylem turn a brick red to brown color. The first external symptoms of Panama disease are a yellowing of the oldest leaves. Previous Next End

20. Fusarium Wilt Symptoms The infected leaves fall in order, from oldest to youngest, until they hang around the plant like a “skirt” of dead leaves. A younger plant will die soon Previous Next End

21. Fusarium Wilt Spread of Disease Infected rhizomes are a common means by which this pathogen is disseminated. The pathogen can also spread in soil and running water, and on farm implements and machinery. Root tips are the natural, initial sites of infection. Previous Next End

22. Fusarium Wilt Management No chemical was found to be effective in controlling this disease. So it is necessary to take preventive measures to avoid occurrence of the disease. Select suckers from fields free from this disease for planting. Previous Next End

23. Fusarium Wilt Management Burn the infected plants in the field and destroy weeds surrounding the area with herbicides. If possible, restrict the movement of human or domestic animals in the infected area. Sterilize the farm tools with disinfectant such as household bleaching solution (e.g. Clorox) before using them in another garden. Previous Back End

24. Freckle leaf spot Symptoms This disease affects both leaves and fruits of banana. It is caused by a fungus, which has two names, Phyllosticta musarum and Guignardia musae. mptoms This has occurred because the fungus produces two types of spores. Previous Next End

25. Freckle Leaf Spot Symptoms The most characteristic symptom of both types of spot is a sandpaper feel to the leaf and fruit. This is caused by the fungal structures protruding through the surface of the leaf. Previous Next End

26. Freckle leaf spot Symptoms Both the large and small spots are dark brown to black in color. The small spots are less than 1mm in diameter and appear sooty (Fig.). They can run together to form streaks. Previous Next End

27. Freckle leaf spot Symptoms The larger spots are up to 4mm in diameter and can also appear as streaks. Spots can also appear on the midrib of the leaf (Fig.) and on the petioles. Previous Next End

28. Freckle leaf spot Symptoms Reproductive spores are emitted from the leaf in wet weather and the water moves the spores as it runs across the leaves. These spores are also spread by wind. This leads to the streaking. Previous Next End

29. Freckle leaf spot Management Mancozeb, DMIs and Benomyl, which are used to control yellow Sigatoka, will provide effective control of this disease also. The use of a plastic bag cover over the bunch may in the long run be the most economical control for freckle. Previous Back End