Fungal Disease (Pre & Post Harvest) – Brown spot or Diamond Spot:

Fungal Disease (Pre & Post Harvest) – Brown spot or Diamond Spot:

Symptoms:

The disease is caused by Cercospora hayi often in conjunction with Fusarium spp. These fungi are common saprophyte (fungal organisms which obtain nutrients from dead organic matter) on banana leaf trash and on senescent (aged, from full maturity phase to death) weed leaves. Spores are produced on the dead leaves and are released onto fruits even at very low wind velocities.

Cercospora hayi causes black, sunken, diamond shaped lesions on the harvesting grade fruits.  Inconspicuous spots may become prominent lesions during shipping and ripening. The first symptom caused by this fungus is slightly raised yellow spots, 3 – 5 mm in diameter on the green peel.  Fusarium sp. and Cercospora hayi inoculated together extend the initial yellow lesions into the typical diamond shape lesions. The infected cells fail to expand as the fruit grows and a longitudinal crack surrounded by a yellow halo develops resembling a diamond shaped lesion.

Brown spot or Diamond Spot disease in Banana fruit

 Control:

• Regular removal of drying and decaying leaves including bracts especially during rainy season. 
•  Using Polythene bunch cover is found to be effective. 
• Spray or dip the raw or harvested hands with 0.05% Bavistin or 0.01% Tilt or 0.25% Indofil M45 at 15 days interval.