Vector transmission and epidemiology of banana streak virus in Uganda

Banana streak virus (BSV) causes a devastating disease of bananas in Uganda. screenhouse studies have demonstrated vector transmission in other locations, but there is no published records of field transmission. Understanding the transmission and field spread is considered to be an important requirement for the development of appropriate control methods. This study aimed at identifying vectors of BSV and investigating possible field spread. Studies were conducted to examine spatial distribution of BSV-infected banana plants in farmers' fields at five sites. Severity assessment along the transects on farmers' fields that are over 20 years old revealed peaks comprising clusters of plants with moderate to high severity and depressions comprising clusters of plants with no or low BSV severity. Symptoms severity decreased away from foci of infection as revealed by one of other the significant negative slope along transects (-0.014 P=0.0081)