Annie6078

My RA started out SO well this year ... very healthy and vital. However, something has been attacking it lately and I can't tell what it is. I have probably 18 other bananas of 5 or so other varieties, and they are not the least bit affected ... even those in close proximity to the RA. Do the Abyssinians have a particular nemesis? Any ideas of what to try?

Thanks in advance for any advice or assistance,
Andrea

D_&_T

Found few cutworms around some of our plants here lately!

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Chironex

What is happening to the plant? Attacking the leaves, roots, overall vigor???

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Scot

Annie6078

The first symptoms were brown ends to 2 leaves, but it was still producing ever-larger leaves & height at a good pace. Then one leaf had an entire side of the length gone and 2 leaves had a few holes and brownish tips. The longest I had gone without checking the plant was only 2-3 days max, so whatever it was was fast.

Next, while still seemingly healthy (strong base, erect leaves) any leaves it was trying to produce became smaller and smaller -- then slower and slower to even produce any. It is either a single plant that whatever is bothering it is contorting into being pretty deformed, or has a pup that is so close and tied in that it is hard to tell if it is truly a separate entity. Either way, the last two stubs of leaves it produced were short, tiny & rather curly (inward from the tip and ruffly along the edges, not the usual downward curl as they unfurl).

Again, the overall plant seems healthy enough with good color and shine to the pseudostem and seems strong, it's just becoming curly, stunted in not producing any further leaves, and looking a bit deformed. It's the weirdest thing I've ever seen happen to one of my bananas. Still, no damage whatsover to any surrounding bananas of other varities.

Thanks again for any assistance,
Andrea

bananabuddy

Did you ever find out what was causing this? I have one hat did this as well and it looks like its a gonner

LilRaverBoi

Yeah, I'm kinda interested to hear what was going on (though this is an old thread). I looked inside of my Maurelii today and it looks kinda weird and distorted in there. I'm gonna wait till the leaves open up to see what it looks like, but it looks pretty messed up.

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damaclese

How hot is it there its normal for bananas to slow down substantially in temps over 95 and if its hot its not feeding properly either so the leafs can start to get smaller

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51st state

sounds like it could be 'strangles' if you search this site you should find info on it. sometimes it'll grow through it sometimes not. whether it's down to a problem in tissue culture or over-fertilisation I'm not sure.

if it's still growing maybe cut away leaves to 'free up' new growth

worth a try

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