The detection of a second commercial property infested by Banana freckle has prompted the Territory’s plant biosecurity team to review and rectify its initial response plan for the eradication of the disease, the NT Government has said.

An upgraded version of the Banana Freckle response plan is expected to be approved by the National Management Group within the month.

Both the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Trade and the Consultative Committee on Emergency Plant Pests agreed that Banana freckle can still be effectively eradicated despite the discovery of the disease on a second commercial property.

“For many growers, times are tough – if this disease is allowed to spread, there is a potential that it could devastate our local and national growers,” said Chief Health Plant Officer Dr Anne Walters

“We need the community to work with us to protect our farmers – both in the NT as well as nationally.”

Dr Walters said the plant biosecurity team continues to work on finding effective ways to remove banana plants from infected properties.

To date, infected plants have been removed from 14 properties.

There has been a total of 48 banana freckle detection since May, with 42 infected properties located in the Batchelor and Rum Jungle region.

Other properties where the disease has been found include Middle Point, Marrakai, Fly Creek and the Tiwi Islands.

Banana Freckle is a ‘wet spore’ organism affecting banana leaves and fruit but is not considered a health risk to humans consuming affected bananas. It can spread through splashes of water droplets, wind-driven rain or by people moving infected fruits and plants and suckers used for planting.

Thousands of banana plants were destroyed across the Top End after the first outbreak hit in 2013. The commercial banana industry was wiped out during the eradication program. The program had caused massive anger from Territorians who accused the government of poor communication and taking too strict an approach.

Signs of a banana freckle include sandpaper-like texture on leaves and fruit; spotting of flower bracts, leaves and bunch stalks; fruit blemishes and blackening of large areas of the fruit’s surface due to dense spotting.

“We thank all the property owners who have cooperated with our staff and have had the infected banana plants removed and their properties surveyed. We understand this is a difficult process and we are grateful for the community’s help in eradicating this potentially devastating disease,” Dr Walters said.