A leading Australian researcher has dismissed claims that bananas will be extinct within five years.
Professor Andre Drenth from the Centre for Plant Science at the University of Queensland said there was little relevance in the media reporting of an impending ‘bananageddon’ to Australia’s banana industry.
Reports on August 16 by an international plant pathologist stating that the disease black Sigatoka would wipe out the industry were blown out of proportion according to Professor Andre Drenth from the University of Queensland.
“We currently do not have black Sigatoka in Australia. But we are fully aware of the threat that it poses to the industry and we are continuously monitoring this,” Professor Drenth said.
“A high level of awareness among our banana growers, ongoing monitoring of leaf spot samples from production areas, effective diagnostic tests to distinguish it from the endemic yellow Sigatoka pathogen, restrictions on imports of banana plants and quarantine inspections at sea and airports are part of the extensive measures to safeguard the industry from this important disease,” he said.
“The last outbreak of black Sigatoka in Australia was in 2001 and we eradicated it.
“While it is a pathogen that is very adaptable to fungicides, the Australian industry has a very good handle on this disease. We have systems in place and we keep plugging away to ensure that it does not become a problem.”
Professor Drenth said Australia’s diverse geographical growing areas and tight disease management would ensure the security of the banana industry going forward.
“Neither growers nor consumers need be concerned by reports that the industry is facing its end. The Australian industry is progressive in comparison to other countries, which have not had the measures that we have, to prevent the establishment of this disease,” he said.
Black Sigatoka in many banana exporting countries overseas is controlled through weekly application of fungicides. The development of resistance to fungicides in the fungal pathogen means that new ways of control need to be sought, including higher levels of resistance than currently available in popular Cavendish varieties. The increasing cost of management and control of diseases such as Black Sigatoka will at some stage lead to the end of the cheap banana for importing countries, according to Professor Drenth.
Australian Banana Grower’s Council (ABGC) Chairman Doug Phillips backed the sentiments by Professor Drenth. “We’re certainly aware of the damage done in other countries by black Sigatoka, but the controls, the monitoring and the systems we have in place in Australia will mean that we will never experience the same widespread damage from this disease.”
For more information:
Paula Doran
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ABGC
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