Tropical & Subtropical Fruits

Pests and Diseases

Some of the important pests and diseases are listed here under.
Pests

1. Pseudostem borer-most of the commercial cultivars are attacked by the borer. Exudation of plant sap is the initial symptom and blackened mass comes out from the holes bored by the larvae.
2. Rhizome weevil-Nendran is highly susceptible, damaged corms show feeding tunnels filled with mass of rotten tissues.
3. Banana aphid-vector of the virus disease bunchy top
4. Fruit and leaf scarring beetle-The beetle feeds on young leaves and skin of young fruits, occurance is maximum in rainy season.
Diseases

1. Panama wilt - Fusarium oxysporium F.sp cubens, It is the most severe and important disease of banana. Rasthali is highly susceptible cultivar. It is serious in poorly drained soil. Resistant varieties are Robusta & Dwarf Cavendish.
2. Leaf spot/Sigatoka – It is a fungal disease, initially,presence of light yellowish spots on the leaves under sever condition formation of brown spots and lator dies, turning light grey surrounded by a brown ring. The Gros Michel and Cavendish group are all (AAA ) highly susceptible to sigatoka. While, all ABB clones are resistant.
3. Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV):-Transmitted by aphid vector, Pentalonia nigronervosa. The dwarf banana cultivars are very Susceptible. The leaves are bunched together like a rosette at the top, the margins are wavy and slightly rolled upward. Dark green streaks of the lamina or midrib. The plants are stunted and do not produce bunch of commercial value. Some of the other diseases are Pseudostem heart rot, Diamond spot, Anthracnose, Cigar end tip rot, Crown rot, Bacterial soft rot, Bacterial wilt or moko disease, banana streak virus, banana bract mosoic virus etc., causing damage to banana plants.