Department of Agriculture and Fisheries

Biosecurity Queensland

Pest alert

Quick facts: Panama tropical race 4 strain• Isasoil-bornefungaldiseasethatkillsbananaplants.

• ThediseaseaffectsLadyFinger,DucasseandCavendishbananavarieties.

• Panamadiseaseenterstheplantrootsviathesoilandspreadsthroughouttheplantblockingthevasculartissue.

• Externalsymptomsincludeyellowingalongtheleafmargins,wiltingoftheolderleavesandeventuallyplantdeath.

• Internalsymptomsincludedarkpurple/redstreakinginthepseudostem.

• Thediseaseisspreadbymovementofinfectedplantmaterial,andthesporescanbespreadincontaminatedsoilandwater.

• Thediseasecansurviveinthesoilforaslongas30years.

• ThereisnoknownculturalorchemicalcureforPanamatropicalrace4;diseasepreventionisthebeststrategy.

• IfyoususpectyoumayhavePanamadisease,donotattempttoremoveit.Instead,contact Biosecurity Queensland immediately on 13 25 23.

Panama Tropical Race 4

Yellowingofthelower(older)leaves:PicturecourtesyofAndrewDaly,NorthernTerritoryDPIF

Pseudostemsplittingstartingfromthebaseofthepseudostem.PicturecourtesyofAndrewDaly,NorthernTerritoryDPIF

InternalsymptomsofPanamadisease.

Panama tropical race 4 in Queensland BiosecurityQueenslandhasconfirmedacaseofPanamatopicalrace4inNorthQueensland.BiosecurityQueenslandisaskingbananagrowerstochecktheircropsforsymptomsofPanamatropicalrace4andreport any signs of the disease immediately to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23.

Description Panamadiseaseiscausedbythefungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense.Therearefour(4)racesofPanamadisease,withthetropicalrace4strainposingthemostseriousthreattothecommercialbananaindustry.Panamadiseasecausesyellowinganddyingofbananaleaves.PlantsaffectedbyPanamadiseasemayappearwiltedwithaskirtofdeadleaves.Thebananapseudostemmaysplit,withtheinsideofthepseudostemandcormbecomingdiscoloured.Thesymptomsoftropicalrace4aresimilartothosecausedbytheotherracesofPanamadisease.

SpreadPanamadisease,includingthetropicalrace4strain,iseasilyspreadbythemovementofinfectedplantingmaterial.Thediseaseisspreadbetweenplantsviaroottorootcontactandfromparentplantstosuckers.Thediseasecanalsobespreadbysoilandwater.Anythingthatmovessoil,suchascontaminatedmachineryandequipment,vehicles,shoes,cancarrythedisease.

Prevention TopreventthespreadofPanamadiseasetropicalrace4,producersshould:

1. Alwaysuseclean,diseasefreeplantingmaterialsuchastissuecultureplantsorplantsfromaproven diseasefreesource.

2.Avoidsharingequipmentandmachinerywithothergrowers.

3.Practicegoodhygienemeasuresbyensuringshoes,equipmentandvehiclesarecleanandfreeofsoilandplantmaterialpriortouse.

4.ImplementtrainingprogramstoeducatestaffaboutPanamadiseaseandtheimportanceofworkinghygienically.

5.Displaysignsattheentranceoffarmsclearlydetailingtheproperty’sbiosecurityrequirementstovisitors.

AsthereisnoculturalorchemicalcureforPanamatropicalrace4,preventionisthekeytoprotectingthehealthofbananacrops.

If you suspect you have Panama tropical race 4IfyouseeplantsshowingsymptomsofPanamadiseaseorbelieveyoumayhavecropsaffectedwiththisdisease,youmust notify Biosecurity Queensland immediately on 13 25 23.Donotattempttoremoveordestroyaffectedplantsasthismayincreasetheriskofspread.Earlydetectionandinterventionisvitaltomanagethisdisease.

Further informationFormoreinformationaboutPanamadiseaseortropicalrace4,visitwww.biosecurity.qld.gov.auorcallBiosecurityQueenslandon132523.

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Theinformationcontainedhereinissubjecttochangewithoutnotice.TheQueenslandGovernmentshallnotbeliablefortechnicalorothererrorsoromissionscontainedherein.Thereader/useracceptsallrisksandresponsibilityforlosses,damages,costsandotherconsequencesresultingdirectlyorindirectlyfromusingthisinformation.

©TheStateofQueensland,DepartmentofAgricultureandFisheries,2015.