జర్నల్ ఆఫ్ ప్లాంట్ పాథాలజీ & మైక్రోబయాలజీ

నైరూప్య

Distribution and Relative Importance of Black Sigatoka of Banana in Major Banana Production Areas of Ethiopia

Endriyas Gabrekiristos*, Adem Nemo

Banana plays an important role for food security, income generation for small holders and also source of foreign currency as export commodity. In Ethiopia large scale cultivation of banana is mainly found in Bench-Maji, Gamo Gofa, Jimma, Sidamo and Upper Awash. Survey was conducted in 2016 in major banana growing areas of Ethiopia. The survey confirmed that in all assessed areas banana orchards were infested by black sigatoka in different magnitude ranged from 12-80%. This result shows that almost all assessed field were caused by black sigatoka. Recent assessment result indicates that, 100% diseases incidence was recorded in Jimma and East Wollega Zones. In Kersa district of Busa Bechena kebele, 75% black sigatoka severity was recorded as a highest disease severity in 2021 growing season. During the 2016 growing season, the highest black sigatoka severity was recorded 80% in Gura Ferda district of Bench Maji Zone. This indicates that black sigatoka is important disease of banana which did not get attention in banana production system. Based on field symptomatic assessment as well as cultural and morphological characterization, Mycospherella fijiensis was identified as causal agent of the disease and threatening banana production in the surveyed areas. These findings provide information on the magnitude of the damage due to black sigatoka disease and will be useful to devise disease management strategies. It is necessary to investigate the reactions of the available banana cultivars against the pathogen and select disease tolerant banana materials.