ກ້ວຍນ້ຳ / Kluai Nam Wa

Diseases, pests and control techniques
Diseases and pests
1. Fusarium is a disease caused by fungi. It usually occurs in banana plants 3–4 months after planting. The lower leaves become yellow, then wither and die.
2. Root rot is caused by the pathogens Phytophthora and Sclerotium. The characteristics are curled, yellow leaves and stalks that then wither and die. If the base of the plant is examined the roots will be found to be rotten.
3. Various pests and diseases such as nematodes, aphids, viruses, sunburn, and caterpillars can affect rhizomes, leaves, stems, flowers, or fruit.
Disease control
Disposal of dead material following fungal disease is not a useful control because the fungus can live in the soil for many years and there is no effective chemical remedy. When planting, it is essential to source suckers from disease-free stock. Although the new shoots may look perfect, be aware that the fungus may be present without symptoms. Suckers grown from trusted sources from areas without disease should be sought.
Following planting, the banana shoots should be checked regularly to ensure that symptoms are not developing. If bananas are planted in an area that has previously experienced disease, there is a very high chance of recurrence. In some countries there is increased interest in the use of biofungicides, especially to control bacterial diseases.