Panama disease

Panama disease is not known to occur in WA and must be reported to the department if found or suspected to be present in WA. Panama disease TR4 has been detected in North Queensland. Early detection and reporting of possible cases will help protect the WA banana industry. 

What is Panama disease? 

Panama disease Tropical Race 4 (TR4) is considered one of the most destructive diseases of banana plants worldwide. It is caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Tropical Race 4).  

In March 2015 it was detected on Cavendish banana plants at a property in the Tully Valley, North Queensland. Panama disease TR4 is not known to occur in Western Australia, and the department has put in place several biosecurity measures to help protect the state's banana industry.

What plants are affected? 

Panama disease TR4 infects most banana varieties including the main commercial variety Cavendish. 

What do I look for? 

• Initial external symptoms of Panama disease TR4 include yellowing leaf margins on older leaves.  

• As the disease progresses, older leaves die and form a skirt around the lower part of the plant.  

• Internal browning of stems and corms is the key diagnostic symptom, where if the stem is cut near the base, rings of discoloured tissue can be seen.  

Images courtesy of DAF, Queensland

What damage can this disease cause? 

• Affected plants rarely produce marketable fruit. 

• Once established, the fungus persists in the soil for many years and is not eradicable, making the production of susceptible banana varieties such as Cavendish economically unviable. 

• The fruit itself does not pose a risk to human health. 

Legal duty to report 

Panama disease is not known to occur in WA. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense W.C. Snyder & H.N. Hansen 1940 (Tropical Race 4) is a declared pest under section 12 of the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007.

This means that any person who finds or suspects the presence of Panama disease must report it to the department.

How does Panama disease survive and spread? 

The fungus that causes Panama disease TR4 lives in the soil. Panama disease is commonly spread by the movement of infected plant material but can also spread with soil and water movement or by contaminated equipment. It is not an airborne disease. 

Current biosecurity measures 

The department has implemented biosecurity measures to restrict the intrastate movement of containers into an area within 50 km of the Kununurra and Carnarvon post offices that contain or have contained banana fruit grown or packed in Queensland unless each container has been: 

• inspected by a department Quarantine WA Inspector, and found free from soil and plant debris; and  

• marked with a ‘passed quarantine’ stamp or sticker by Quarantine WA. 

The re-packing of bananas on arrival in WA does not negate the requirement for inspection and identification.

What is the Queensland Government's response to these detections? 

Biosecurity Queensland's response is a program of surveillance and containment, community engagement and education in partnership with industry. Growers are encouraged to focus on strengthening their on-farm biosecurity practices to protect their businesses. More information can be found on the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries website. 

Actions to minimise spread 

Growers are encouraged to protect their businesses by strengthening their on-farm biosecurity practices, including: 

• obtaining new planting material from tissue culture plants or from reputable sources where the plants or propagation material origin are known 

• not sharing farm machinery and equipment with other growers 

• decontaminating any plant or soil material from vehicles, machinery, equipment, clothing and footwear prior to entry to their property. 

A Biosecurity Code of Practice is available from the Australian Banana Growers’ Council website.