Banana Disorders and Disease
Banana production is frequently affected by floods and windstorms. A wind storm causing plants to fall over is called a blowdown (although this is less of a problem with Cavendish bananas than Gros Michel).
Losses from storm damage are classified as doubling when the pseudostem collapse, uprooting when the plan falls over with the rhizome attached and snap-off when the rhizome breaks near ground level when the plant falls.
Banana plants are also subject to insect damage, including both nematodes, which attack root systems and insects such as caterpillars, scales and mealy bugs which attack leaves.
Also they suffer bacterial and fungal infections. Frequent inspection of banana plants are conducted to check for insect infestations, and leaves, soil and water can also be tested for the presence or certain diseases.
With the conversion from Gros Michel to Cavendish varieties in the late 1950s and early 1960s root not cause by the burrowing nematode replaced fusarial wilt – Panama disease – as the most serious soil borne disease in tropical areas.
A strain of the Panama diseases pathogen, Race 4, remains a problem even on Cavendish varieties in some subtropical areas.
The shipping of Cavendish varieties in various plastic wrappings inside cartons has made post-harvest rots of the crown and peel sporadically important.
Banana Disorders and Disease
