Devastating banana disease found in northern Australia

CANBERRA: A potentially devastating banana disease has been found in northern Australia, prompting concerns for the local industry.

Banana freckle disease, Phyllosticta Cavendishii, has been found in the Northern Territory (NT).

It is the first outbreak of fungal disease since Australia was declared free of it in 2019.

Banana freckle disease causes spots to form on cavendish banana plants and their fruit.

The fruit remains safe and edible but fungus inhibits the plant’s ability to photosynthesize, reducing productivity.

In response to the outbreak, restrictions have been introduced requiring all bananas grown in the NT to be sold within the territory.

Paul Burke, chief executive of NT Farmers, said authorities were on high alert for more cases.

“We’ve set up a high-level steering committee that includes nursery and garden associations, the banana industry council, both levels of government and NT farmers,” he told the Guardian Australia.

“We don’t have a plan yet, but we are working on it. And certainly the industry is very conscious of the previous incursion, and ensuring that we don’t make the same mistakes.”

According to the Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC), farmers sell approximately 400,000 tonnes of bananas every year, 94 percent of which are grown in Queensland.

Rosie Godwin, a researcher for the ABGC, said that Phyllosticta Cavendishii was eradicated from Australia in 2019 by removing thousands of plants.

“We’re one of the only countries in the whole world that managed to eradicate freckle as a disease,” she said.

“Having that disease reach our main production area would be a huge extra cost burden on them to control it.”

-Xinhua