preview

Sigatoka Essay

Better Essays

Black Sigatoka of banana and plantain caused by Mycosphaerella fijiensis

History and distribution of the disease
The Sigatoka disease complex currently comprises three organisms: Mycosphaerella fijiensis M. Morelet, M. musicola R. Leach ex J.L. Mulder, and M. eumusae Crous & Mour. The first species identified was M. musicola in Indonesia in 1902 (Jones 2000) causing the yellow Sigatoka; since then it is present in most banana-growing regions, and it has been a problem in high altitudes and cool temperatures (Mouliom-Pefoura et al., 1996). Mycosphaerella fijiensis, the black Sigatoka or black leaf streak, was first reported on the island of Fiji in 1963, even though isolates were more diverse in the Papua New Guinea – Philippines region indicating the center of origin of this pathogen (Stover, 1978). In less than two decades since it was discovered it had spread out to Central America; nowadays it is distributed worldwide causing significant damage in high and low altitudes (Agrios, 2005). Interestingly, it competed successfully with M. musicola causing its replacement (Carlier et al., 2000). M. fijiensis has been shown to be more virulent then M. musicola due to develop symptoms more rapidly (Ploetz et al., 2003). Other reasons for the displacement of M. musicola involve more sexual cycles per year and higher ascospore production (Strover, 1980).
In the 1990s, M. eumusae was discovered and it seems to be a close relative to the two species described above. The

Get Access