Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

Either my banana is not 'Ice Cream" or Ice Cream is not as resistant to Sigatoka as many claim.

I am so angry right now. I can't stand the lousy chemically-induced bananas at the grocery store. They are blan and have a terrible perfume-like aftertaste. Does anyone even test grocery store bananas to see what the toxicity levels are? And I know they drench them in fungicides for shipping because the stem is the last part to rot.

Well maybe by some miracle my bananas will die a slow and painful death, only to tease me with a half-developed bunch tangling before it falls.


UPDATE: See Pictures below

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

Do you have some photos of your bananas you can post? Are you certain it's Sigatoka?

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

If it is Black Sigatoka it is not an Ice Cream!! Ice Creams are very resistant to BS (Black Sigatoka). :2239:

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

I'm not laboratory-certain its Sigatoka, but it appears to match the order of symptoms. I Have updated with pics to illustrate the progression.

No fruit yet, but will know for sure in a few more weeks. I wouldn't be surprised.

It would be a great relief to learn this is not Sigatoka and just turn out to be something that can be treated. Please bear in mind, we are not in the rain season yet, and have been in a drought with low humdity all Spring. I believe this is the only reason the disease has not been able to spread any faster.


Pic1 - This is the earliest sign of the disease. You will need to click on the picture to "zoom" in order to see the brownish/red splotches. The black flecks are more noticeable, but the reddish/brown patches (not the spots) are the earliest indication.


pic2 here is a better example of the early reddish/brown streaks emerging.


pic3 underside of leaf symptoms


pic3 top side of the leaf above


pic4 At this stage, you can see the reddish/brown streaks begin turning black.


pic5 This is the final stage before the leaf begins weakening. Here you can see black patches, specks, or streaks starting to turn grey.

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

It's Sigatoka allright. Can I use some of your photos in the upcoming BQ article on it?

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

:waving:Ouch! I was hoping you would say it was not Sigatoka. If nothing else, maybe the pics will help others in FL too, so, use the pics however you need.

I'm not cutting this nanner yet, I have grown it for too long, and no one else in my area is growing any bananas that it can spread to. What is really dissappointing is that all 3 of the pups are now showing symptoms too, and if it truely is SIgatoka, my banana growing dreams are over. Looks like its pineapples only from now on.

Chris in FL.

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

Sorry to hear that it's Sigatoka.

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

Do NOT cut down your banana! Sigatoka is NOT a lethal disease AND it is treatable!!!!!

Black sigatoka greatly reduces fruit production. Once the infected leaf is so badly damaged is does not carry on photosynthesis cut the leaf, but before the infection sets in, spray either with a nutritional spray containing copper sulfate or a copper sulfate only spray. Be sure to follow container instructions!!! I have three varieties that are not resistant to sigatoka, and they are all infected, but using the above remedy they do well. Check out my photo gallery, I think I still have a few infection shots, and all those banana plants are doing well!

If you follow these suggestions, Black sigatoka is not lethal and can be effectively delt with!!! :2239:

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

what is the cure for this and i have the same looking black on a thia black tc from agristarts the plant isnt even a foot tall and showing this on the bottom leaves

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

Chris, DON'T CUT THEM DOWN. It's a controllable disease, not a death sentence! Like Caloosa says, Copper Sulfate or CuSO4 Nutritional will keep the fungus in check. There are also preventative measures - make sure the ground around your bananas is either bare or with low plants that don't hold moisture, and dispose of your dead leaves far away from your nanners.

You need 10 leaves to ensure good bunch production, so you can trash anything older than the newest 10 and still be in good shape vis a vis your fruit.

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

Is this black sigatoka

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

Good morning Sunfish,

It could be and judging by the looks of the leaves in the background it probably is. Use a nutritional spray containing Copper sulfate (CuSO4). I am going to post new pictures of my "infected" cultivars. They are doing well.
Don't be too disheartened this is treatable. Best wishes.

It looks like the California AgroNazis did not prevent this disease from entering their "pure" state. :2239:

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

Good morning. This is a white iholene that I got as a pup growing here in San Diego.

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

Thanks Tony, my Red Iholena has some but it is not as suceptable to the disease as some other cultivars like SH 3640 and Kofi. Most of the bananas I grow are resistant to Black Sigatoka.

Sigatoka presents itself most during the wet season, and the winter if I remember correctly is the wet season in California, with an ocasional summer thunderstorm. Best wishes. :2239:

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

I'm just going to poke my nose in here and be shamelessly commercial for a second.

If any of you haven't subscribed yet to Bananas Quarterly, you might want to. Issue 2 has an in-depth special on Black Sigatoka, its causes, and how to control / treat it.

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

:woohoonaner: You go, Beth! Nothing wrong with a little promotion- especially here on our own site!

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

Thank you all for the advice. I read up on the UHawaii and have been trying to cut off the infected areas of the leaves without taking down too much. The plant is at 10ft of psuedo now, but there are not ten healthy leaves. I understand BSigatoka is not systemic, so I let the leaves break on their own as long as they aren't touching each other.

I have tried a systemic fungicide already with no success. Halt Systemic rose, flower, lawn, ornamental fungicide =

Dimethyl 4, 4-0-phenylenebis(3-thioallophanate). . . 50% I don't think it has copper though.

Thanks again, Chris in FL.

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

You are not far from me, I would be happy to give you an Ice Cream corm.

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

ok just because im still new at the nana thing, can the black sig. be treated like black spot on roses with a mix of baking soda and water???? or can it only be treated with the copper?

Re: Blk Sigtka - I officially hate FL
 

I might take you up on that, but I have a 6ft pup growing next to the parent, so I'm going to try the copper for now. I have spent so much time and money on this nanner to just give up now. Only thing is, where do I find the copper?

I imagine the soil in Tampa is probably the same as Largo. My bananas are not getting the right fert, and until recently, I didn't know the pH was terribly high. I have begun adding sulfur and pH Down in small amounts about a month ago, so far this method has realized a drop from 8 to 7-7.5. It is moving really slow. I have also tried various citrus and/or palm fertilizers, the last was 16-8-16. I think the grass is stealing most of it from around the mat, and now I am afraid these products contain way too much salt because the old leaf sheaths are peeling away from the psuedostem while they are still green. I'd really appcreciate any advice you can give me.

Chris in FL