How to control fungal disease in banana plants

Fusarium wilt is a fungal disease that leads the banana leaves to wilt and turns yellow around the margins. The disease is said to have spread globally in the 20th century. It is the most destructive banana disease that is a threat to the production and export of banana fruit.

According to promusa.org, it started spreading in Asian countries and reached African countries in 2013. The site adds that the fungal disease enters the banana plant through the roots and colonises the xylem vessels thereby blocking the flow of water and nutrients. 

Symptoms

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The diseases cause the plant vascular system to start discolouring from reddish to dark brown. The older leaves margins will turn yellow and hang down. At extreme stages, the leaves will wilt and the stem splitting.

How it spreads

The disease will be spread from one area to another through infected planting materials, infected soil and water.

During planting new banana plants

Infected Suckers can transmit the disease during planting. This has contributed to the local, regional and international widespread of the disease.

Soil

Staff and visitors spread the fungus in and out of the infected areas through vehicles, tools and shoes. Animals move the fungus around the soil by spreading it in the whole area. Untreated soils transmit the disease to the plants.

Water

Surface run water can spread the fungus very quickly. This is the major cause that contributed to the spread of the disease in Asian countries.

Control

The disease cannot be controlled by the use of fungicides and fumigants as drainage, environmental conditions and soil type influence host-pathogen interactions.

While planting new bananas, ensure that the suckers are from a reliable source to avoid it's spread. Farmers should embrace tissue culture technology as it aims to produce clean and disease-free planting materials.

A soil test is recommended to ensure the plants are free from diseases. Restrict unauthorised access to the plantations to control the spread. Before and after entering the banana plantation ensure you disinfect visitors and all materials to be used on the farm.

Remove and destroy infected plants by burning the affected areas. Disinfect the materials used to remove the affected crops to prevent spreading it to other plants.

Although it is hard to control surface run water from spreading the disease, farmers should be careful while using water from their irrigation reservoirs.