Banana Speckle
Class: Fungi
Common Name
Banana leaf speckle, banana leaf speckle, tropical speckle, and common speckle.
Scientific name
Metulocladosporiella (Cladosporium) musae, Periconiella sapientumicola, Michloridium musae, Veronaea musa, Mycosphaerella musae, Colletotrichum musae, and Fusarium species are all fungi able to cause leaf speckle.
Potential Hosts
Banana
Who am I?
Banana leaf speckle is a common general name given to several species of fungi that are capable of reflecting diffused circular or irregular blotches on banana leaves that come in many colors such as grey, brown, and black. The blotches tend to appear on the underside of older leaves and can reach up to 5 cm in diameter. The fungi spread with the aid of wind and rain. The fungi favors cool weather, high rainfall, and a high level of shade that can usually be found where close planting took place.
In general, banana leaf speckle is regarded as having a low risk and impact on yields. However in severe cases, if the banana leaf speckle is not controlled, the plant may suffer a loss of leaves.
*A disease known as “fruit speckle" also exists and should not to be confused with banana leaf speckle.
Control measures
Cultural
Sanitation: Make an effort to clean and maintain the fields’ close surroundings from weeds as often as possible. Remove and dispose of infected leaves and suckers (plants that grow not from seeds, but from buds on the root).
Proper soil drainage: Standing water will promote the development and spread of banana leaf speckle.
Conventional (chemical)
The following fungicides are still in use in one or more parts of the world: Azoxystrobin, propiconazole, tridemorph, bordeaux mixture, and copper-based products.
Note: Spray application must be of the full canopy.
Organic
Products based on tea tree oil and Potassium Hydrogen Carbonate+copper sulfate.
Biological
Bacillus subtilis.
Caution and careful notice should be taken when using any plant protection products (insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides). It is the grower’s sole responsibility to keep track of the legal uses and permissions with respect to the laws in their country and destination markets. Always read the instructions written on labels, and in a case of contradiction, work in accordance to the product label. Keep in mind that information written on the label usually applies to local markets. Pest control products intended for organic farming are generally considered to be less effective in comparison to conventional products. When dealing with organic, biologic, and to some extent a small number of conventional chemical products, a complete eradication of a pest or disease will often require several iterations of a specific treatment or combination of treatments.