The Fusarium fungus was discovered on a commercial banana export plantation in northern Mozambique, and identified by plant pathologists at Stellenbosch University. Known as Foc TR4, it is soil-borne and causes Fusarium wilt or Panama disease, lethal to banana plants. It was probably introduced from Asia, where it has devastated banana plantations for the past two decades.
The reported outbreak is limited to a few lands on the farm concerned. Sites where the fungus was discovered have been isolated, affected plants have been destroyed, and appropriate phytosanitary measures have been implemented to prevent the disease from spreading.
Destructive banana disease identified in Mozambique
The first outbreak of a banana fungal wilt disease in Mozambique has been reported.
