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View Full Version : Fungus threatens banana crops


JoeReal
08-14-2005, 11:40 PM
Anyone here knows about Panama Disease Race 4?

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Science/story?id=1036562&page=1

Gabe15
08-15-2005, 12:03 AM
yeah yeah yeah, blah blah blah. Its only the banana industry making a big deal about nothing. All they have to do is switch from 'Cavendish' to one of the other new 50 cultivars that can take its place. But they are afraid people wount accept the "new" banana very well (oh no!!!). Trust me, there are bigger problems and we'll get over it.

JoeReal
08-15-2005, 12:38 AM
And what is the banana industry? Only Dole and Chiquita, and they use the same cavendish types.

Who else knows if the Panama Disease Race 4 afflicts other bananas aside from cavendishes?

Gabe15
08-15-2005, 12:43 AM
Dole and Chiquita are the main banana exporters for the US and they both grow the 'Gran Nain'. Panama disease affects many bananas but it really only becomes a problem when growing a plantation, backyard home growers need not worry about it.

JoeReal
08-15-2005, 12:02 PM
Sometimes I have to worry about it, especially if you have plenty of bananas planted close together in a small yard.

I have already one leaf disease afflict Mysore, and have to dig it out and burned it. Never planted another banana in that spot. I am not sure about the disease but it has small rusty spots all over the young leaves and the mature leaves these are yellow to orange streaks. It developed when I was wintering it in the garage, and initially thought it was due to cold, so planted it during the spring and hoping it will disappear as it got warmer but then the spots grew worse as the plant grew, so dug it out and got rid of it.

Gabe15
08-15-2005, 12:25 PM
Panama disease is really only common in the US in South Florida (the other races), if I were you I would not worry about it at all. If it were somehow introduced into your yard, it would be easy to spot the infected plants and destroy them. The real problem is when they have thousands of acres planted and have to keep track of all the plants. Race 4 is not even in the US yet and if proper precautions are taken then it never will be.