Weed hosts of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 in northern Australia

Roots from 18 plant species collected from two banana plantation sites infested with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) tropical race 4 in northern Australia were analysed for the presence of the banana pathogen. Foc tropical race 4 (VCG 01213/16) was isolated from one monocotyledenous species Chloris inflata and three dicotolydenous species, Euphorbia heterophylla, Tridax procumbens and Cyanthilium cinereum. All four species are common in disturbed areas throughout northern Australia. Current management protocols for fusarium wilt of banana involve the immediate destruction of symptomatic banana plants to reduce fungal sporulation, but do not consider alternative weed hosts. If root colonisation of non-host species by Foe tropical race 4 enables the pathogen to persist, even in fallow fields, weed management must be considered when managing this disease. � Australasian Plant Pathology Society 2005.