Panama Disease Detection
Worry
Panama - Panama disease,
also known as fusarium
wilt, has been detected
in a commercial Lady
Finger banana plantation
near Mareeba.
Biosecurity Queensland
plant biosecurity
general manager, Mike
Ashton, said that
although this particular
strain of Panama disease
has been found on the
Atherton Tablelands
before, it was important
that growers put in
place appropriate
biosecurity measures to
protect their farms from
the disease.
The race 1 strain of
Panama has previously
been identified on the
Atherton Tablelands at
Mareeba and Tolga, and
is endemic throughout
most banana-growing
regions of Queensland
and northern NSW.
The race 1 strain of the
disease attacks the Lady
Finger and Ducasse
varieties of banana, but
not Cavendish. Panama
disease is a notifiable
pest under Queensland’s
Plant Protection Act
1989.
The Plant Protection
Regulation 2002
establishes quarantine
areas in Queensland to
prevent the spread of
banana pests and
diseases, and prescribes
measures to contain
Panama disease when it
is detected.
"We are taking immediate
steps to minimize the
affect of this outbreak,
including issuing
directions to prevent
spread from the affected
property, trace-forward
investigations to
determine the potential
for further spread, and
surveillance of the
affected property and
neighbouring properties
to determine the extent
of the outbreak," Mr
Ashton said.
"We are providing banana
growers and other farm
workers in the area with
information about the
disease, specific farm
hygiene measures, and
on-farm biosecurity
practices.
"It is important our
efforts are supported by
growers with the uptake
of these on-farm
biosecurity measures to
minimize the potential
for spread of Panama
disease."
Panama disease is a
serious disease of
bananas that eventually
kills the plant.
It is a soil-borne
disease that can survive
in the soil for as long
as 30 years, rendering
the infested land
non-viable for
production of
susceptible banana
varieties.
The disease is most
commonly spread in
infected banana-planting
material, such as bits
and suckers, and by the
movement of infested
soil and water. |
