BANANA
In
young plants, wilt and subsequent plant death is rapid.
The central leaves break at a sharp angle
while still green. In older plants, the
inner leaf first turns yellow near the petiole.
The petiole breaks down, and the leaf wilts and dies. From the center outwards, the leaves wilt and
die. Eventually, all leaves bend down
and dry out. Fruit growth is stopped
once infection occurs. Young banana
fingers are deformed, turn black, and shrivel up. Bananas
near maturity may show no outward
symptoms, but the inner pulp may be discolored and decaying. Vascular bundles in the pseudostem appear
yellowish brown to black (1).
|
|
Splitting
and rotting bananas on plant infected
with Moko disease.
|
Banana
plant killed from Moko disease. |
(Photos courtsey of Cooperative Research
Centre for Tropical Plant Protection,
The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia)
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