Caribbean banana producers are worried about the spread of Black Sigatoka through the region, and its effects on the livelihoods of banana farmers.
From the American Phytopathological Society:
Black Sigatoka, which is also known as black leaf streak, causes significant reductions in leaf area, yield losses of 50% or more, and premature ripening, a serious defect in exported fruit.
…
In export plantations, Black Sigatoka is controlled with frequent applications of fungicides and cultural practices, such as the removal of affected leaves, and adequate spacing of plants and efficient drainage within plantation. In total, these are very expensive practices. …Their great expense makes them essentially unavailable to small-holder farmers who grow this crop, it is these producers who are affected most by this important disease.
This report from windward-bananas.com [PDF] informs that Black Sigatoka has been present in Belize, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Trinidad for several years. More recently, the disease has been found in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (see also), St. Lucia (more), and Guyana. Agriculture officials in Dominica have been preparing farmers for the arrival of the disease.
[Photos: American Phytopathological Society and CT Snow]
You report on the plight of the banana plant has caught my attention. I am an artist living in Oregon and I have been painting a new series based on this wonderful plant.
I am so sorry to learn that it is threatened. I want to include your link in a future newsletter if I may. My hope is that if enough people become aware of this problem, there will be pressure to solve it.
Thanks you for taking the time to bring this to my attention.
Linda Bray
Yes, indeed many are out of work as a result. A sad consequence magnified by mono-cropping practices imposed by the giant governing bodies. What now? How else will they squeeze the life out of us? Maybe get us to grow apples.