Post Harvest Disease of Banana in context to Nepal

1. POST HARVEST DISEASES OF BANANA
TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL SCIENCE (IAAS)
POST GRADUATE PROGARM
KIRTIPUR, KATHMANDU
PREPARED BY:
SAGAR BHATTARAI
ROLL NO: R-2022-PLP-03M
Post Graduate Program
1st Semester, IAAS

2. Introduction Cigar End rot
Fingertip rot
01
Crown rot Anthracnose
02 03 04
05
Table of contents
06 07
Stem end rot Management Strategies

3. Introduction
 Banana fruit is a highly perishable commodity with a post-harvest loss estimated upto 26.5 %
(Gemechu et al., 2021).
 Postharvest diseases of banana are caused by different types of pathogens that infect the fruit
during harvesting, transportation, storage, or ripening (Snehalatharani et al., 2021).
 However, postharvest diseases are a major constraint for banana production and marketing in
Nepal, causing losses up to 50% in some cases (Bhatta et al., 2023).
 The most prevalent postharvest diseases of banana in Nepal are anthracnose and crown rot,
caused by Colletotrichum musae and Fusarium musae respectively.
 These fungi infect the immature banana fruits in the field and remain latent until the ripening
stage, when they produce visible symptoms such as brown spots, blackening of the peel,
softening of the pulp, and rotting of the crown tissue (Triest & Hendrickx, 2016).

4.  Crown rot is a complex disease affecting banana bunches.
 It is commonly observed in cut ends after transportation or storage.
 Global incidence rates vary from 4% to 98%.
Causal Organisms
 Multiple fungal pathogens are associated with crown rot.
 Colletotrichum musae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Ceratocystis paradoxa,
Lasiodiplodia theobromae, Nigrospora sphaerica, Musicillium theobromae, Cladosporium
sp., Acreronium sp., Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., and Fusarium species major
responsible pathogen for crown rot.
 Fusarium musae is exclusive to banana fruits, which has a potential link to human
infections.
CROWN ROT

5. Symptoms:
 Crown rot starts as dark brown or black rot in the
crown.
 Then spreads to pedicels and may extend to fingers
under severe conditions.
 Under severe condition mycelium and fungal fruiting
bodies are clearly visible.
 In severe cases weakened crown and detachment of
infected fingers is seen. Fig. 1: Banana Infected by Crown rot disease
Image Credit: Better Banana

6. Disease Cycle:
 The primary inoculum enters through flower
parts and the bracts of the last bunch through
rain splash conidia.
 Rain splash and airborne spores contribute to
pathogen spread.
 Pathogens infect de-handled crowns after
harvest.
Factors Influencing Infection:
 Fruit susceptibility: dessert bananas > cooking
bananas.
 In low altitude and in specific regions the
susceptibility increases.
 When rainy seasons and harvest days coincide
the disease incidence increases.
 Crown rot infection is also influenced by the
presence of phenolic compounds in the fruits.

7.  Anthracnose is a common postharvest disease in
bananas.
 Caused by various species of the Colletotrichum
fungus.
 Colletotrichum musae is the most prevalent
pathogen.
 Disease accounts for nearly 40% losses of total
loss.
ANTHRACNOSE OF BANANA
Fig. 2: Banana Infected by Anthracnose disease
Image Credit: Factsheet

8. Symptoms:
 Brown sunken spots on the peel as fruit ripens.
 Spots increase in size and form extensive areas of
sunken, brown-black tissue.
 Orange-colored spore masses is seen under favorable
conditions.
 Pulp remains unaffected until the fruit becomes overripe.
 Disease starts as quiescent infections in the field.
Fig. 3: Figure showing orange mass

9. Disease Cycle:
 Fungus produces spores on senescing banana tissue, leaves, bracts, discarded fruits and fruit
stems.
 Spores are then dislodged by water which reaches onto the fruits in the field by rain splash
or irrigation water.
 Conidia germinate and form appressoria within 24-48 h.
 After infecting the fruit, C. musae remains in latent sphase until the initiation of ripening.
 Infection also takes place directly through wounds which stimulates condial germination.

10.  Cigar end rot is a important pre-harvest and
postharvest fungal disease.
 Causal organisms: Musicillium theobromae,
Verticillium theobromae, and Trachysphaera
fructigena.
 Major economic impact in Central and Western
Africa and other regions.
CIGAR END ROT
Fig. 4: Banana Infected by Cigar end rot disease.
Image Source: Tissue Culture Banana Cultivation Technology

11. Symptoms:
 Field symptoms includes localized necrosis at the tip end of the
fruit.
 Darkening and wrinkling of the skin.
 Early ripening without maturity due to disease infection.
 Powdery greyish conidia on the wrinkled black portion under
favorable conditions.
 Cigar end appearance with a burned tip of the fruit.
Fig. 5: Banana Infected by Cigar end rot disease
Image credit: Green life

12. Disease Cycle:
 Pathogen enter through the flower and infection of immature banana fingers
takes place.
 Immediate fruit infection upon emergence.
 Damage to fruits in pre-harvest and postharvest conditions.

13.  Fingertip or black tip rot is a wound pathogen
during storage.
 Causal organism: Botryodiplodia theobromae.
 Severe forms have been documented in various
regions.
BOTRYODIPLODIA ROT
Fig. 5: Banana infected by Finger tip rot
Image credit: Green life

14. Symptoms:
 Surface growth of a greyish-black mycelial mass.
 Infection initiation from the persistent perianth or stem end.
 Progressive brownish-black discoloration.
 Rapid spread in the pulp, turning it into a black watery mass.
 Soft, black, and encrusted skin with pycnidial growth.
 Association with fruit spots, blemishes, and extensive tip rot.
 Dark and wrinkled skin, rapid pulp rotting, and extensive fruit
involvement.
Fig. 6: Finger tip rot infected
Banana

15. Disease cycle:
 The spores or mycelium enter through wounds, such as cuts or bruises on the fruit or plant tissues
which are present in the soil, infected plant debris, or on tools and equipment.
 The fungus colonizes the tissues, typically starting from the wound site causing decay and rotting
symptoms.
 The affected tissues show signs of rot, which may begin as small, dark lesions or water-soaked areas.
 Under suitable environmental conditions, the fungus produces spores (conidia)
 These spores can be dispersed by wind, water, or other means, potentially infecting new host plants
or spreading the disease within the same plant.

16.  Causal organisms: Colletotrichum musae and Chalara paradoxa.
 Occurs when the pedicel or stem of green banana fruit is injured.
 Similar to crown rot.
 Decay starts from the cut end when individual fingers are cut from
the bunch and marketed as single fruit.
 Not that much important now due to changes in handling
procedures.
Stem End Rot:
Fig. 8: Banana infected by Stem end rot
Image Credit: Plantix

17. 1. Season:
 Plan and manage cultivation practices to allow for harvesting predominantly during
the winter season when the incidence and severity of postharvest diseases are lower.
2. Avoidance:
 Practice clean cultivation and address pre-harvest diseases in the banana orchard to
decrease the levels of inoculum associated with postharvest pathogens.
3. Managing the Process
 Implement management practices during the pre-climacteric phase to minimize
postharvest diseases.
 Bananas are more resistant to diseases during the pre-climacteric phase.
INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT FOR OVERALL POST
HARVEST DISEASES.

18. 4. Sanitation:
 Remove and eliminate dried flower parts and maintain proper field sanitation practices to
effectively eliminate pathogen inoculum from the field.
 Remove senescent plant materials, especially dead and decomposed leaves, as they can
serve as a reservoir for fungal pathogens.
5. De-Handling Technique:
 Properly separate hands from the bunch after harvest to minimize the risk of pathogen
infection.
6. Bunch Sleeving:
 Protect bunches from fungal contamination by using perforated plastic film for bunch
sleeving.

19. 7. Modified Atmosphere:
 Create modified atmospheric conditions during transit and storage to prolong the green life of
the fruit and prevent premature ripening.
 Reduce oxygen levels to 3-7%, increase carbon dioxide levels to 10-13%, and absorb ethylene.
 Combine modified atmosphere with refrigeration to extend the green life of banana fruits and
decrease crown rot initiation.
8. Physical Control:
 Use hot water treatment at specific temperatures and durations to reduce the incidence of
crown rot.
 Consider UV irradiation, particularly UV-C irradiation for 45 minutes or more, to inhibit
postharvest pathogens.

20. Biological Control:
 Explore biological control using yeast, bacteria, or fungi as alternative methods for postharvest
disease management.
 Trichoderma asperellum, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma harzianum,
Pantoea agglomerans, Enterobacter sp., and other organisms have shown effectiveness in
suppressing postharvest pathogens.
 Use individual biological control agents or a consortium of organisms for better results.
Chemical Treatments:
 Chemical treatments may involve fruit dip or spray with appropriate fungicides.
 Common fungicides used include thiabendazole, benomyl, imazalil, bitertanol, chlorothalonil,
triazoles, strobilurin, and imidazoles.
 Proper application and uniform coverage of fungicides are essential for efficacy.

21. Thanks!
Any Questions?