The disease is transmitted to the plant by the aphid vector Pentalonia nigronervosa and dwarf bananas are very susceptible to this disease.
Primary symptoms of the disease are seen when infected suckers are planted. Such infected suckers put-forth narrow leaves, which are chlorotic and exhibit mosaic symptoms.
The affected leaves are brittle with their margins rolled upwards.
Characteristic symptom of bunchy top virus is the presence of interrupted dark green streaks along the secondary veins of the lamina or the midrib of the petiole.
The diseased plants remain stunted and do not produce bunch of any commercial value.
Control
Systematic eradication of the diseased plants, suckers and the clumps is very essential. Planting materials should not be collected from places affected by this disease.
The aphid should be controlled to check spread of the disease by spraying with Metasystox (0.1-0.5%).
Plants adjacent to the healthy plants should also be sprayed. The affected plant should be killed with kerosene or herbicides such as 2, 4-D or 2, 4, 5-T.
The rhizome should be dug out, cut into small sections and sprayed again so that no suckers can be produced which may harbour the virus.
