Virus and virus-like diseases of banana and citrus in Malaysia: status and control strategies

• Main Authors: Ong, C.A, Ong, L. (Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Inst., Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia))
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Los Banos, Laguna (Philippines) 2000
• Subjects: AGENT PATHOGENE; BANANA BUNCHY TOP VIRUS; CITRUS; CITRUS TRISTEZA CLOSTEROVIRUS; CLOSTEROVIRUS TRISTEZA DEL CITRUS; CLOSTEROVIRUS TRISTEZA DU CITRUS; CONTROL DE ENFERMEDADES; CONTROLE DE MALADIES; COPO RACIMOSO DEL PLATANO; DISEASE CONTROL; IMMUNOLOGIE; IMMUNOLOGY; INMUNOLOGIA; MALAISIE; MALASIA; MALAYSIA; MUSA(BANANAS); ORGANISMOS PATOGENOS; PATHOGENS; VIRUS BUNCHY TOP BANANIER
• ISBN: 9719175117; 9789719175117

At present, only seven insect-borne viruses hav been reported on tropical fruit crops in Malaysia. Out of these, banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), and banana streak virus (BSV) infect banana while citrus tristeza virus (CTV) infects citrus. These are recognized to be serious threat in the production of their respective host crops. In the case of BBTV, asymptomatic and symptomatic variants of BBTV have been recorded only in state of Sarawak in East Malaysia while the rest of the country is still free of these variants. Similarly, several strains of CTV have also been recorded. However, CTV-D has not been isolated from pummelo. Although vectors of these viruses are present, aphid vector of BBTV, Pentalonia nigronervosa, and mealy bugs vector BSV, Planococcus citri, are seldon found in abundance in banana plantings. The only confirmed case of virus-like disease is greening disease of citrus caused by the greening organism (GO). Its psyllid vector, Diaphorina citri, are found in poorly managed orchards and on new flushes. This disease is also considered to be one of the major limiting factors in citrus production in the country. Management strategies of these pathogens through quarantine, use of pathogen-free planting stocks, field eradication of inocula, isolation from sources of infection, chemical control and mild strain cross protection are discussed in this paper