What were they all about?

With banana bunchy top virus the most serious viral disease of bananas, these projects represented the third phase in a 10-year-plan aimed at controlling the disease in Australia. Project activities were designed to protect uninfested areas; remove infestation from farms and protect from reinfestation; and to reduce the disease range.

The combined program’s strategy involved risk-based surveillance and plant rogueing, conducted by surveillance teams, along with awareness activities. All commercial banana farms that had previously had bunchy top infections continued to be inspected on a monthly program, with inspections also taking place in buffer zones around commercial growers, and in private backyard properties on an invitational basis.

These projects drew to a close in mid-2019 and were followed briefly by the investment Short-term BBTV surveillance in NSW (BA18002), which formed a bridging piece of work between the conclusion of the old program and the beginning of the new, Banana bunchy top virus project, phase 4 – national surveillance and education (BA18000).

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• The project's final research reports are available to download here:
  • National banana bunchy top virus program – Phase 3 – QLD (BA15006)
  • National banana bunchy top virus program – Phase 3 – NSW (BA15007)
    
    
• Click here to learn more about banana bunchy top virus, including symptoms and how it’s spread.