What makes fruit fungal diseases thrive?
Warm temperatures, high humidity, wet conditions and poor air circulation are the perfect recipe for fruit fungal diseases like fruit speckle, sooty blotch, and sooty mould. These conditions make managing these diseases particularly challenging at this time of year.
Managing fruit speckle and sooty blotch
Management options for fruit speckle and sooty blotch are limited. Certain cultural practices may help to reduce their impact. Practices associated with bagging such as the use of a flue or chimney may help to improve air flow and minimise/lessen fungal issues. Other practices such as good drainage and improving airflow within blocks through regular desuckering and deleafing may also assist. The Banana IPDM project team has recently started a field trial exploring possible treatments that can be added into bunch sprays to help manage sooty blotch and fruit speckle.
Sooty mould: A different challenge
Although similar in name to sooty blotch, sooty mould is a very different fungus to manage. Ants play a key role in its occurrence, acting as protectors of sap-sucking insects particularly aphids and mealybugs. These insects produce honeydew, which the ants feed on and provides the perfect surface for sooty mould to grow. By managing ants, natural predators can control sap-sucking insects, reducing honeydew build-up and, in turn, minimising sooty mould. Breaking this cycle is important for effective management!
More info including identification guides of these fruit fungal issues is available on the Better Bananas website:
- A guide to identifying banana fruit fungal issues. – Better Bananas
- Grower case study. Bagging technique improves fruit quality for Sellars Bananas – Better Bananas
- A growers’ guide to ant related problem and their management – Better Bananas
Contact the DPI Banana Extension team to discuss your bunch pest management – Tegan Cavallaro – 0459 846 053 or Ingrid Jenkins – 0497 801 980