Kostas

The genome of BSV is integrated in the genome of Mysore subgroup cultivars so they dont need to be infected from another plant,they already have it but in an inactive form that cannot be transmitted to other plants nor does it cause any harm to the banana. Under certain circumstances though,these integrated BSV sequences can be activated and the virus start expressing itself. From then on,the virus can be transmitted and it is affecting the health of the plant negatively, with streaked leafs meristem death,failure to flower or smaller bunches. Once activated,the virus rarely goes back to inactive form and the plant should be considered as infected from then on. There is no cure other than a few treatments developed to treat this virus in tissue culture so the plant should ideally be killed and disposed of to avoid the risk of spreading the disease through mealy bugs.
Fortunately,most plants never express the virus and never become infectious but its not too rare for a ''Mysore'' to develop BSV either. Pisang Ceylon is supposed to never express BSV and Pisang Klotek has so far a clean history among the members growing it. They are all very attractively colored,more so than other bananas and i have found them to be more leaf hardy than most varieties. I dont know about pseudostem hardiness though relating to other cultivars.

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