Banana Bunchy Top

What does Banana Bunchy Top Virus look like?

In its early stages, the symptoms are difficult to see to the untrained eye.  The first symptom is short dark dot-dash lines appearing along the veins of the youngest leaf starting from the mid-rib.  You can see the dot dash lines best when you look upwards towards the sunlight through the bottom side of the youngest leaf.  Dark green stripes running along the mid-rib of the infected leaf may also be present.  When the disease is more advanced each new leaf becomes shorter, narrower and stands more upright giving a bunched-leaf appearance, that is why it is called Bunchy Top.  Plant growth is stunted and the leaf edges roll slightly upwards and tend to become yellow or lighter green.  Bunches can become small and deformed also.  All varieties of bananas are susceptible.

How is it spread?

Banana Bunchy Virus can only be spread in two ways:

1:  By the banana aphid, a small black insect which looks like other aphids you see in your garden, but only the banana aphid can spread Bunchy Top Virus, after it has fed for many hours on an infected banana plant.  All banana plants may have banana aphids, but not all aphids are carriers of the disease.

2:  By the movement of infected planting material.  Well-meaning people who give away young plants or suckers to neighbours or friends risk spreading the virus.  Please do not move plants on or off a property, and only access clean planting material from an approved source.  Both the Queensland and NSW state governments have legislative rules around the movement of banana plant material. So, If you would like to access some banana plants, they are available at approved nurseries and shops.  Please contact your state primary industry authority to find out where they are available.