Bananas are a key food source for millions, whilst their production supports the livelihood of farmers across the globe. However, recent research has identified the vulnerability of particular banana varieties to major pests and diseases, such as the threat of Tropical Race 4 (Panama disease) to the Cavendish variety.
With the banana industry under threat of extinction, more research is required into understanding the biology of the pests and diseases that pose this threat so that more effective management strategies can be developed and the risk of future outbreaks reduced.
Achieving sustainable cultivation of bananas Volume 3: Diseases and pests provides a comprehensive review of the major pests and diseases affecting global banana production including Tropical Race 4, black Sigatoka, banana streak virus, root knot nematodes, weevil borer and thrips. The collection explores existing methods for pest/disease diagnosis and identification, as well as current management strategies used to control and/or prevent outbreaks, such as cultural, chemical and biological control methods, the development of disease resistant cultivars and integrated pest and disease management.
- Provides a comprehensive analysis of the major pests and diseases affecting global banana production, including their impact and occurrence, as well as the modes of disease transmission and distribution
- Addresses the economic impact of individual pests and diseases on farm profit margins and provides examples of the quantified impacts of losses per ha and whole farm/plantation
- Reviews current management strategies available to banana growers and producers to control and/or prevent future outbreaks of pests and disease
This collection reviews the major pests and diseases affecting global banana production. Chapters explore the key stages of disease identification, development and management, including the initial pathogen diagnosis, the disease cycle and epidemiology, as well as best practices to treat diseased crops and prevent future outbreaks.
Part 1 Fungal diseases
1.Major banana leaf diseases: yellow and black Sigatoka, eumusa leaf spot:
Jean Carlier, CIRAD, France;
2.Fungal diseases of banana: freckle: André Drenth, The University of
Queensland, Australia;
3.Fungal diseases of banana: Fusarium wilt R1: Einar Martinez, Wageningen
University, The Netherlands;
4.Fungal diseases of banana: Fusarium wilt TR4: Gert Kema, Wageningen
University, The Netherlands;
5.Towards sustainable management of Fusarium wilt in banana: André Drenth,
The University of Queensland, Australia;
6.Minor fungal diseases of banana: Speckle, Rust (Uredo musae), Black Cross
(Pyllachora musicola), Marasmiellus rot, Cigar end (Verticillium Theobroma),
Anthracnose: Luis Ernesto Pocasangre, EARTH University, Costa Rica;
Part 2 Bacterial and Phytoplasma diseases
7.Bacterial diseases of banana: Moko: Mauricio Guzmįn, Corbana, Costa Rica;
8.Bacterial diseases of banana: banana blood disease: Jane Ray, The
University of Queensland, Australia;
9.Bacterial diseases of banana: Xanthomonas wilt: Guy Blomme, Bioversity,
Italy;
10.Bacterial soft rots of pseudostem and rhizome in banana and plantain:
Luis Pérez-Vicente, INISAV, Cuba;
11.Phytoplasma diseases in banana: banana wilt associated phytoplasma (BWAP)
and emerging phytoplasmas: Lilia Carvalhais, The University of Queensland,
Australia;
Part 3 Viral diseases
12.Viral diseases of banana: banana bunchy top virus: John Thomas, The
University of Queensland, Australia;
13.Viral diseases of banana: banana streak virus: Andrew Geering, The
University of Queensland, Australia;
14.Emerging banana viruses: banana mild mosaic virus, bract mosaic virus,
banana mosaic virus, novel banana viruses: Sebastien Massart, University of
Liege, Belgium;
Part 4 Nematode pests of banana
15.Nematodes of banana: Mieke Daneel, Agricultural Research Council (ARC),
South Africa;
16.Towards sustainable management of nematodes in banana: Tony Pattison, DAF
- Queensland, Australia;
Part 5 Insect pests of banana
17.Insect pests of banana: weevil borer: Cesar Guillen Sanchez, Corbana,
Costa Rica;
18.Insect pests of banana: banana Red Rust thrips: Frans Wielemaker
Sanderse, Consultant (formerly Director of Research at Dole Fresh Fruit
International), Costa Rica *;
19.Insect pests of banana: common bunch pests and their sustainable
management: *Luud Clercx, Project Manager AgroFair Benelux BV, The
Netherlands;
Part 6 Disease affecting the fruit
20.Management of diseases on banana fruit in the field: Marc Jackson, Global
Fruit Protection, Australia;
21.Post-harvest diseases in banana and their sustainable management: Maria
Gloria Lobo, Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias, Spain;
Dr André Drenth is Professor in Tropical Plant Pathology and Theme Leader for crop protection in the Centre for Horticultural Science at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), at the University of Queensland. He leads several projects on tropical plant diseases and he initiated and led a national Banana Plant Protection Programme set up to protect Australias banana industry from the impact of a range of pests and diseases. Dr Gert Kema is Professor of Tropical Plant Pathology at the Laboratory for Phytopathology of Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. He leads several international banana research programs, including interdisciplinary research projects and public-private-partnerships focusing on Panama disease and black Sigatoka. He is a cofounder of several spin-off companies focusing on banana improvement, disease management and bioprocessing. Dr André Drenth is Professor in Tropical Plant Pathology and Theme Leader for crop protection in the Centre for Horticultural Science at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), at the University of Queensland. He leads several projects on tropical plant diseases and he initiated and led a national Banana Plant Protection Programme set up to protect Australias banana industry from the impact of a range of pests and diseases. Dr Gert Kema is Professor of Tropical Plant Pathology at the Laboratory for Phytopathology of Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands. He leads several international banana research programs, including interdisciplinary research projects and public-private-partnerships focusing on Panama disease and black Sigatoka. He is a cofounder of several spin-off companies focusing on banana improvement, disease management and bioprocessing. Frans Wielemaker is an independent consultant and Director of TRANSASTRA - a materials input company for organic banana farmers. Frans previously worked for Dole Fresh Fruit International for 33 years, of which the latter he spent as their Director of Research. He is internationally-recognised throughout the Latin American banana industry due to his pioneering role in the development of Dole's Organic Program in 1995. Frans has contributed significantly to the research community and has published work in journals and books.