Eradication of Phyllosticta cavendishii (banana freckle) from Australia (exclusive of external territories)

Publication Date

Fri, 14 Aug 2020, 04:10

Last Updated

Aug. 14, 2020, 4:10 a.m.

Report Number

AUS-99/1

Country

Australia

Pest Id

Phyllosticta cavendishii - (PHYSCA)

Report Status

Final

Hosts

Musa: Banana—Cavendish cultivar

Pest Status (old values from ISPM 8 -1998 )

• Absent: pest eradicated
• Present: only in some areas

Pest Status (ISPM 8 - 2021)

• Absent: pest eradicated
• Present: not widely distributed and under official control

Geographical Distribution

Christmas Island, external territories

Summary

In July 2013, Phyllosticta cavendishii (banana freckle) was detected in the Northern Territory on the Cavendish variety of bananas on two rural properties.

In January 2019, after a successful eradication program, absence of banana freckle has been declared for Australia (exclusive of external territories).

Therefore, according to ISPM 8, banana freckle is considered ‘Absent: pest eradicated’ for mainland Australia and ‘Present: only in some areas’ on Christmas Island (external territory). Presence of the pest on Christmas Island does not affect freedom of the pest in Australia (exclusive of external territories) as under the Biosecurity Act 2015, no plant or animal material or soil can be moved from external territories to the Australian mainland without meeting biosecurity regulations.

Danger

Freckle disease is an economically important disease of banana in many countries. The pathogen causes freckle spots on infested leaves that appear as either discrete brownish-black spots or in the form of circular or streaking lesions on leaf surfaces or along leaf veins. On developing fruit, reddish-brown to black freckle spots are surrounded by dark green, water-soaked halos. In severely infested plants, dense aggregation of spots may completely cover banana fruit at harvest, adversely affecting the cosmetic value of the fruit. In addition to causing significant yield reduction, diseased fruit is unsuitable for export. In 2019 banana freckle was successfully eradicated from mainland Australia following completion of the National Banana Freckle Eradication Program Response Program. Banana freckle is still present on Christmas Island (an external territory) and is under biosecurity regulations for the movement of any plant, animal or soil material to the Australian mainland.

Contact for info

Australian Chief Plant Protection Officer Australian Government Department of Agriculture GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 [email protected]

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