Banana rust thrips disease ravages plantations in Kabarole

Kabarole, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Farmers in Kabarole district are worried about their plantations following the spread of banana rust thrips disease in the area. The disease has affected several banana plantations in Karangura, Kichwamba, Mugusu, and Karangura sub countries.

The disease has also ravaged several banana gardens in Fort Portal City. An infected plant starts with changing from green to black and hardens. The bananas lose taste if cooked. As the affected fruits continue to grow, sometimes the peel cracks causing scarring.

Francis Karugaba, a farmer of five acres of banana plantations in Kasindikwa-Karambi ward says that the disease attacks the bananas shortly after developing a fruit.

He says that buyers are shunning the bananas because of their funny look and taste after being cooked.

Fred Isingoma, the District Agricultural Officer says that the samples of the bananas have been taken to the Ministry of Agriculture for testing.

He advised farmers to use proper agronomic practices and plantation hygiene.

Judith Nyamata, an agriculturalist in food and agri-business at Kabarole Research and Resource Centre says that the rust thrips are small yellow insects with narrow fringed wings, which feed on the green surface of the banana fingers.

She says that although some of the affected bananas can be eaten despite lacking palatability, buyers cannot buy them because they don’t look clean.

The causes of banana rust thrips are not yet known since the samples taken by the ministry of agriculture have not released the results, however the agriculturalists suspect to be weather changes.

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