Diseases of banana and plantain.

Abstract

This chapter reviews the taxonomy, anatomy and general attributes of banana and plantain fruit, together with the distribution, importance, aetiology, epidemiology and control of their diseases. Important diseases of banana include rhizome rot (caused by Erwinia spp.), Moko disease (caused by Ralstonia solanacearum), black Sigatoka (Mycosphaerella fijiensis), yellow Sigatoka (M. musicola), anthracnose (Colletotrichum musae), Botryodiplodia finger rot (Botryodiplodia theobromae [Lasiodiplodia theobromae]), cigar-end rot (Trachysphaera fructigena and Verticillium theobromae) and Panama disease (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense). The most important nematodes are Radopholus similis, Pratylenchus coffeae, P. goodeyi and Helicotylenchus multicinctus, while virus diseases include banana bunchy top virus.