Banana Diseases

Abstract

Bananas and plantains are highly susceptible for diseases due to the lack of sexual recombination and production in monocultures. Most important fungal pathogens are Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC), the cause of Panama disease, and Mycosphaerella musicola and M. fi jiensis, causing yellow and black sigatoka, respectively. Control of FOC by fungicides is generally quite diffi cult and, consequently, fungicide resistance management measures are not suitable. In particular, M. fi jiensis bears a high resistance risk and its control requires sound strategies to ensure suffi cient activity of most important fungicidal mode of actions. Important resistance cases toward specifi c fungicides such as strobilurins or azoles, major resistance mechanisms, and resistance management guidelines according to the FRAC Banana Working Group are discussed, including recommendations for the new class of SDHI fungicides. For proper sigatoka control and resistance management , restrictions for the use of single-site inhibitors, mixtures, or alternation with the maximum of available and effective non-cross-resistant fungicides are recommended, including the use of multisite compounds and biological products.