Pacific Pests, Pathogens and Weeds - Online edition

Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds

Banana diamond leaf spot (072)

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Photo 1. Large diamond-shaped spots of Cordana musae, parallel to the leaf veins.

Photo 2. Association of diamond leaf spot, Cordana musae, with leaf spots of banana black cross, Phyllachora musicola. The suggestion is that Cordana is a weak pathogen needing a wound to infect.

Photo 3. Diamond leaf spots, Cordana musae, centred on those of banana black cross, Phyllachora musicola.

Summary

  • Widespread. In the tropics ('old world'). On banana only.
  • Oval to diamond-shaped spots up to 10 cm, brown, zoned, with yellow margins, often on spots of black cross (Phyllachora). Often merge at leaf margin.
  • Spores on underside, turning spots greyish/brown.
  • Minor importance on Cavendish; more severe on cooking bananas. Worse if misting oils used for black Sigatoka disease control.
  • Cultural control: resistant varieties.
  • Chemical control: Unlikely to be needed.

Common Name

Banana (Cordana) leaf spot, banana diamond leaf spot

Scientific Name

Cordana musae

Photo 4. Leaf spots of Cordana johnsonii, up to 2 cm x 1 cm, brown or grey on lower surface, with small black centres. Paler on upper surface. (This is a photo of a herbarium-dried leaf.)

AUTHORS Helen Tsatsia & Grahame Jackson
Information from McKenzie E (2013)  Cordana musae: PaDIL - http://www.padil.gov.au; and (including Photo 4) McKenzie E (2013) Cordana johnsonii: PaDIL - (http://www.padil.gov.au); and Vézina A, Dreyer BS (2020) Cordana leaf spot. ProMusa. (https://www.promusa.org/Cordana+leaf+spot).

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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