The bacterial disease Banana Xanthomonas wilt (better known as BXW) has caused significant losses in banana production in East and Central Africa over the past decade. It continues to spread, devastating farms planted with the local banana varieties that many Africans depend on as staple food and income source.
Single Diseased Stem Removal (SDSR) is a crop management practice that consists in cutting at soil level a plant showing symptoms of BXW in order to control the disease. It was developed as an alternative to uprooting the entire mat. To be successful in controlling the disease, the SDSR technique needs to be applied in combination with the cultural practices that prevent infections, namely debudding and disinfecting farm tools. Read more on the Single Diseased Stem Removal (SDSR) method.
The story of the Katana’s banana farmers in the Democratic Republic of Congo illustrates how BXW can be managed using the SDSR method. Read more on the successful Congolese experience rehabilitating banana fields devastated by Xanthomonas wilt.
Fruits of banana plants infected with BXW/Bioversity International
