The effect of Banana streak virus on the growth and yield of dessert bananas in tropical Australia

Abstract

SummaryWe have examined the effect of a strain of Banana streak virus (BSV‐Cav) on the growth and yield of dessert bananas (Musa AAA group, Cavendish subgroup cv. Williams) in north Queensland, Australia. Healthy and infected plants were compared in a replicated field experiment over plant and first ratoon crops. In both crops, symptom expression followed a similar pattern, increasing to a maximum near the estimated time of bunch initiation, then decreasing in the period prior to bunch emergence. There was no evidence of plant‐to‐plant spread of virus, but the rate of transmission through suckers was 100%. In the plant crop, the mean bunch weights of healthy and infected plants were not significantly different. However, BSV‐Cav infection resulted in an 18 day delay in harvest, causing a 6% reduction in yield per annum. In the ratoon crop, the mean bunch weight of infected plants was 7% less than that of healthy plants, and the interval between the harvest of plant and ratoon crops was delayed by 9 days, resulting in a 11% reduction in yield per annum. Also, the mean length of fruit from infected plants was 5% less than that of healthy plants, resulting in a smaller percentage of fruit in the extra large size category. We conclude that in horticulturally favourable conditions typical of the tropical Australian banana industry, the effects of BSV‐Cav infection on the growth and yield of Cavendish bananas are small.

Rolling Circle Amplification Is More Sensitive than PCR and Serology-Based Methods in Detection of <i>Banana streak virus</i> in <i>Musa</i> Germplasm

“…Banana streak disease, caused by Banana streak badnavirus, accounts for up to 90% yield losses in banana [1]. It also reduces plant growth and vigor, bunch weight and yield [2].…”

Assessment of Banana Streak MY virus-based infectious clone vectors in Musa ssp.

“…In contrast, there was no significant difference in the rate of leaf emergence between the infected and non-infected plants in any of the accessions tested. Although there was a significant reduction of bunch weight by 15% and a delay of bunch emergence by 9 days in BSV-infected Dwarf Cavendish bananas in Australia (Dahal et al, 2000;Daniells et al, 2001), this is the first record demonstrating the effects of BSMYV on plant height and leaf emergence.…”

“…Most experiments were conducted in the field and there is no clear information on specific BSV species infecting and displaying specific patterns of symptoms (Dahal et al, 2000;Daniells et al, 2001;Harper et al, 2002;James et al, 2011;Jones, 1999). Jones (1999) assigned specific symptom description to the specific genotype 'Mysore' (AAB) in Honduras as having chlorotic stripes, spindle and eye-shaped streaks on the leaf with the pseudostem having black streaks.…”

“…Severely diseased plants may have reduced bunch size and misshapen fruits (Daniells et al, 2001). Yield losses of 7 to 90% were reported in Cote d'Ivoire on variety Poyo (AAA) (Lassoudière, 1974).…”

“…In Nigeria, for example, 15% of triploid landraces such as Agbagba, Saba, Obino l'Ewai, Fougamou, Bluggoe, Cardaba, Pisang Ceylan, Pelipita, Yangambi Km-5 and Valery, as well as a range of tetraploid hybrids could be infected with BSV (Dahal et al, 2000). In Uganda, there was up to 86% infection in the field in the locally popular East Africa highland banana (EAH) cultivars from the Mutika/Lujugira subgroup (AAA-EAH) as well as in plantains (AAB) (Harper et al, 2002 Cavendish subgroup resulted in 11% yield reduction (Harper et al, 2002;Lockhart, 1995;Daniells et al, 2001). …”