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First Outbreak of Banana Streak Badnavirus Infection in Commercial Export Bananas in Costa Rica

Banana streak badnavirus (BSV) is the most widely occurring virus in banana and plantain (1) but has not been reported to be a significant problem in commercial export bananas. In early 1999, the first severe outbreak of BSV infection in commercial export bananas (Musa AAA cv. Grand Nain) was recorded at Siquirres on the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica. Disease incidence in the plantation was 60% and symptoms included foliar chlorotic streaks, stunting of plants, splitting and internal necrosis of pseudostems and fruits, cigar leaf necrosis, and bunch emergence through the pseudostem. Diseased plants within a 0.8 ha area were eliminated to prevent possible further spread of the disease. The presence of BSV in diseased plants was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunosorbent electron microscopy (1). Cucumber mosaic virus and Banana mild mosaic virus, which also occur in banana and plantain in Latin America (2), were not detected in the plants tested. Other recent accounts of BSV occurrence in commercial banana plantations in South America (our unpublished results) suggest that BSV occurrence in export bananas may be more significant than previously thought.

References: (1) F. Gauhl et al. Int. J. Pest Management 45:167, 1991. (2) D. R. Jones, ed. 1999. Diseases of Banana, Abacá and Enset. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, U.K.