Bananas are a tropical crop that grows best in warm, humid conditions with high rainfall. To maintain healthy banana plantations, disease control measures are essential. Here are some common banana diseases and the controls for managing them:
Banana Mosaic or Infection Chlorosis
The disease is characterized by typical mosaic symptoms on the leaves. Mosaic plants are easily recognized by their dwarf growth and mottled, distorted leaves. The earliest symptoms appear on young leaves as light green or yellowish streaks and bands giving a mottled appearance. Subsequently produced leaves become small and distorted with wavy margins.
In severe cases, rotted areas are found throughout the leaf sheath and pseudostem. Diseased plants do not reach maturity. Occasionally they produce a bunch of fruit which never matures and is unfit for consumption. Affected plants become stunted. Youngest leaf shows discolouration and roots resulting in heart rot.
Management
Systematic eradication of the diseased plants, suckers and the clumps is very essential. Planting materials should not be collected from places affected by this disease. The Aphid (small bug which feeds by sucking sap from plants) should be controlled by spraying Dimethoate 30 EC (1.5 ml/litre of water). Plants adjacent to the healthy plants should also be sprayed. The affected plant should be killed with Kerosene or herbicides such as 2, 4-D or 2, 4, 5- T. The rhizome should be dug out, cut into small pieces and sprayed again with herbicide so that no suckers can be produced which may harbour the virus.
Avoid growing vegetables like beans, peas, lentils, cucumber, bitter gourd, pumpkin etc; as intercrop. Before planting, spread lemon grass in the pits. Apply Carbosulfan 6G ( 15 gram /plant ),20 days after planting around the rhizomes in soil for controlling vectors and subsequently in the leaf axils ( 5 gram Carbosulfan 6G) at 2 1/2 months and 5 1/2 months after planting.
Rhizome Rot
This disease primarily affects the banana plant’s underground rhizome, leading to rotting and decay of the root system. Early detection and quick action are crucial in managing Rhizome Rot, as this disease can spread rapidly and lead to significant crop losses if left uncontrolled.
Affected plants show discoloration and soft rotting of rhizomes and suckers. It eventually becomes soft and mushy due to the rotting of the internal tissues. The disease also affects the root system, causing it to decay and turn brown. The roots become weak and unable to support the plant. Badly affected plants remain stunted with water-soaked, discolored leaf. Sheath bases and yellow leaf blades which give slightly burned appearance, pockets of dark water soaked areas and cavities develop in the rhizome. Small sized fruits are produced which may fail to emerge from the shoot tip. Newly planted rhizomes rot and fail to sprout.
Management
Eradicate/destroy infected clumps of suckers. Subsequently, disinfect the area with Bleaching Powder (1 gram/litre of water) solution. Avoid furrow irrigation and follow basin irrigation.Disinfect the irrigation water with 0.1% bleaching powder ( 1 gram / litre of water) Solution. Spread Bleaching powder or 10% fresh cow dung slurry (100 gram / Litre of water) in the banana basin.
Drench soil with 1% Bordeaux mixture of Copper oxychloride 50 wp (2 gram/litre of water). use disease free plan material. Remove Heliconia spp. and other weeds from the field and nearby area. Disinfect implements and tools used in the field with bleaching powder or phenol.
Provide better drainage. Leave soil Fallow for 6 months, especially in Summer. Adopt crop rotation involving non-host crops for 12 months. Before planting, treat suckers with Copper oxychloride 50wp (4 gram/litre of water) for 30 minutes. Drench Soil with antibiotics like Streptomycin / Streptomycin 500 ppm (5 gram/litre of water).