Banana bract mosaic disease or Kokkan(Banana bract mosaic virus)

Symptoms

• The symptoms appear as Reddish/pinkish streaks of few mm to 10 cm length appear on the pseudostem, petiole and midrib.
• Later the pinkish streaks turn to dark brownish or blackish and become necrotic streaks which remain throughout the growth period.
• Numerous reddish/pinkish streaks make the entire pseudostem reddish or pinkish.
• Outermost leaf sheath will be more reddish or pinkish and it progress to the inner sheath as reddish or pinkish streaks.
• The outer leaf sheaths detach from the pseudostem in succession and break at the base.
• Lamina shows mosaic mottling and becomes brittle.
• Leaves are arranged in both sides of the affected plant in a single plane giving a traveller’s palm appearance.
• Affected plant produces only a small bunch with longer time
• The fingers are small, curved and widely divergent with pale green to ashy green colour as compared to healthy ones.

Management

• Systematic eradication of the diseased plants, suckers and the clumps is very essential.
• Planting materials should not be collected from places affected by this disease.
• Symptoms of the disease will appear within two to three months of planting the banana. This disease can be controlled by uprooting the plants immediately.
• Before planting, spread lemon grass in the pits.

Chemical Control

Extremely Toxic

Highly Toxic

Moderately Toxic

Slightly Toxic