Control of Leaf Spot Disease (Sigatoka Disease) in Banana

Leaf Spots in Banana (Sigatoka Disease)

This is a widely distributed fungal disease that can be controlled. Disease can affect the plants at any growth stage but destructive in productive stage. Hot and humid condition, frequent dew or light rains favorable for the disease.

Causal organism- Mycosphaerella musicola

Symptoms

Two type of sigatoka commonly observed as black sigatoka and yellow sigatoka.

These two types show somewhat different in symptoms .Black sigatoka shows tiny black and dead spots at initial stage and later the spot turn to dark brown or black while yellow sigatoka shows yellow spots and later turn to brown that are surrounded by yellow margin.

These spots are about 1-2 mm long Parallel to the veins could be observed in mature leaves usually third or fourth leaves from the center. The spots are large in older leaves. When spots are large they coalesce to form dead areas, and finally leaves get dry.

When disease is severe fruits bunches become small fingers are poorly filled and fruits ripe early.

Control

• Destroy diseased leaves and keep good sanitation by controlling weeds.

• Remove suckers.

• Use resistant cultivars

• Fungicides are effective in controlling the disease. Protective fungicides like mancozeb, maneb , zineb or chlorothalonil are effective when disease is not severe. When disease is severe Propiconazole could be used to eradicate the fungi.

These fungicide treatments are helpful to control other fungal diseases of banana like fruit and leaf speckle and anthracnose.

• Bordeaux mixture is also effective.