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Management of bunchy top disease in banana
Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) is one of the most deadly viruses of banana. Infected plants are dwarfed in nature and their emerging leaves are small and narrow with yellow edges. The leaves grow upright and have a stunted, bunched appearance.
Mature plants infected with the disease usually do not produce fruit. Banana bunchy top virus spreads by the banana aphid. The aphid can retain the virus through its adult life, for a period of 15-20 days.
During this time, the aphid can transmit the virus to a healthy banana plant by feeding on it. Environmental conditions and aphid reproduction capacity are important factors in disease development.
Management practices
Regular inspection, destruction of weeds and alternative hosts, creation of banana-free buffer zone around the farm and adoption of diversified agriculture are important BBTV reducing factors. An isolation distance of 100-200 mts between two new banana orchards is very beneficial to control BBTV. Removal of diseased banana plants and replanting with virus- free banana plants leads to effective management strategy. Destruction of wild or unattended patches of bananas is must.
Chemical control
The aphids should be controlled by spraying with an effective insecticide like metasystox 0.1 to 0.5 per cent or dimecron or parathion. Spraying of soap water also helps in checking of aphid population.
Injection of monocrotophos solution diluted with water at 1:4 ratio at 30-day interval twice or thrice at 2-3 months after planting is effective.
Y. MALLIKARJUN, KENGANAL, HEMAVATI RANEBENNUR & BYADGI, A. S.
Department of Plant Pathology
University of Agriculture Sciences, Dharwad
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