Banana disease
07 April 2014 publication
Recent epidemiological reports from Mozambique have identified the spread of a fungal disease, Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4 (TR4), that kills Cavendish bananas. It has the potential to impact food security on the African continent if it spreads further.
If the disease appeared in Latin America or the Caribbean, it could progressively destroy the export trade that supplies bananas to the EU and USA.
The fungus persists in the soil for long periods, so that the ground cannot be used to grow bananas for 30+ years once infection has set in. Fungicide spraying does not control TR4.
