Banana disease that wipes out plantations detected on Queensland farm
The fungal disease Panama TR4, which has no known cure or treatment, is confirmed on an eighth property in the Tully Valley.
BigThink
A devastating banana disease has spread further in Queensland, with the industry confirming the eighth case of Panama tropical race 4 (TR4).
Key points:
The fungal disease makes an infected area unsuitable for growing bananasThe banana industry says the spread is sad but expectedResearch to combat TR4 is looking at developing commercially viable banana varieties that are resistant to the diseaseThe fungal disease starves banana trees of nutrients, eventually killing the plant.
There is currently no treatment or cure and, because the disease lives in soil, infected areas can no longer grow most banana types including the popular cavendish variety.
The latest positive Panama TR4 test result came from a commercial plantation in the Tully Valley last month.
The disease enters banana trees through the roots, causing discolouration in the trunk and leaves.(ABC Far North: Charlie McKillop)Australian Banana Growers Council chair and Tully grower Leon Collins said the fungal disease spread was sad but not surprising.
"It is next to an infected property," he said.
"[Panama TR4 is] gradually on its move down the river.
"It's amazing that we've slowed it up so much, to tell you the truth."
However, Mr Collins said the current prevention measures including on-farm biosecurity were slowing the spread of the disease.
"There's no doubt it has been working," he said.
"It's a credit to all the growers that they have been doing what they have done.
"To be living by that was a big change for us to start off with but we're all used to it now.
"Everywhere else overseas it's taken off like a Bondi tram but here's we've reduced it to a slow trickle which is very good news."
ABGC chair Leon Collins says the disease will keep progressing.(Supplied: ABGC)Mr Collins said banana trees on the infected property would need to be destroyed but otherwise the region's growers would continue "business as usual".
"It's not a lot of trees [being removed] but then the monitoring will ramp up and that's what will decide what happens later on," he said.
"It's sad for all growers but this thing is not going away, and we have to manage it."
Other bananas could be solution
Bettering the gold finger banana variety could provide growers with another tool to fight against Panama TR4.
A Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries-led study is trialling more palatable type of the gold finger banana variety, which has some resistance to the disease.
Research horticulturalist Katy Robertson was interviewed by the ABC at a conference in Cairns last month and said gold finger had never become popular in Australia.
Cavendish remains a popular variety with consumers despite its disease risk.(ABC Far North: Charlie McKillop)"The fruit is lacking a bit of flavour, it's a little bit soft, it has a short shelf life," she said.
She said the study at DAF'S South Johnstone site in far north Queensland was looking to improve the variety for consumers.
"So retaining the TR4 resistance but improving its eating characteristics," she said.
"It's probably not something that will replace Cavendish but [could] just be another option for growers as the disease potentially spreads further."
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Posted 7h ago7 hours agoThu 15 Jun 2023 at 7:18am
