Banana freckle disease
Banana freckle is a disease of banana leaves and fruit, caused by the Phyllosticta cavendishii fungus.
There is no risk to food safety or human health from eating bananas infected with this disease.
Current situation
The Northern Territory Government is continuing with its response to an outbreak of banana freckle disease detected in May 2022.
There are currently 52 infected premises. Of these, 44 are located in the Batchelor-Rum Jungle area. There have been detections in Middle Point, Fly Creek, Tiwi Islands, Marrakai and Humpty Doo.
Response activities
(DPIR) has conducted surveillance at more than 1,786 properties since the initial detection.
Along with working closely with the affected communities, NT is working closely with the banana and nursery industries, the Commonwealth, and state and territory governments through the national response arrangements.
The Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests (CCEPP) continues to meet in response to this outbreak and agrees that it remains technically feasible to eradicate banana freckle disease. A revised response plan has been developed aimed at eradication of banana freckle disease. The plan takes a phased approach to eradication of the disease based on removing infected and at-risk host plants from affected premises, tracing and surveillance, compliance, and community engagement. The plan allows for response activities to be cost-shared under national arrangements, including owner re-imbursement costs.
Plant Health Australia has information on owner re-imbursement costs under the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed.
In addition, NT is working with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to train Indigenous ranger groups on banana freckle surveillance. The Indigenous ranger groups are part of the Northern Australian Quarantine Strategy which is a program that works across northern Australia and with its communities to keep watch for exotic pests and diseases.
Movement restrictions
Following confirmation of the disease, banana growing states including Western Australia, New South Wales and Queensland, have restrictions in place that prohibit banana fruit and/or banana plant material being brought in from the Northern Territory.
Travellers
While there are quarantine checkpoints at some state borders, travellers should not take banana fruit, the peel or banana plant material out of the area from which it was purchased.
See more on the Australian Interstate Quarantine website.
Biosecurity and reporting
Disposing of bananas and peel
All waste banana fruit, peel and material should be disposed of in appropriate waste disposal bins and should not be discarded onto the ground or on other plants, regardless of whether you are in the Northern Territory or not.
Growers
This new outbreak reiterates the need for banana growers, householders and banana production nurseries, especially in northern Australia, to check their banana plants regularly and report any signs of disease. Simply call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.
Reporting any sick or dying plants is critical to help minimise impacts on businesses and the community.
What to look for
Banana freckle appears as dark raised spots and feels like fine sandpaper on the leaves or fruit. On fruit, individual spots first appear as minute, reddish-brown flecks surrounded by a halo of dark-green, water-soaked tissue.
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About banana freckle
Banana freckle is a pest of banana leaves and fruit caused by a fungal pathogen. Affected bananas are safe to eat but blemishes on the skin reduce their visual appeal and saleability. Banana freckle reduces the productivity of banana plants.
The fungus Phyllosticta cavendishii infects Cavendish and non-Cavendish bananas and is not considered established in Australia.
Banana freckle has been recorded in 27 countries across South-east Asia, Oceania and India.
Previous banana freckle outbreak
Between 2013-2019, a large four-phase banana freckle eradication program was conducted in the Northern Territory. This response was cost-shared under national arrangements by the Australian banana industry, several state and territory governments, the Commonwealth and the nursery industry.
The eradication program involved destruction of host material, a host-free period of at least 6 months including a full wet season, monitoring of sentinel disease-free banana plants, and proof of freedom of the disease.
43,589 properties engaged with the NT-wide surveillance program in phase 1, with over 500,000 banana plants destroyed on 9,500 properties. Banana freckle was detected and treated on 260 properties.
The disease was successfully eradicated with proof of freedom declared on 1 February 2019.