Black Sigatoka outbreak identified in Minas Gerais

The Minas Gerais Agricultural Institute (IMA) detected, during routine inspection, an outbreak of black sigatoka disease on a property in the municipality of Jaíba, in the North of Minas Gerais.

The Institute, in partnership with the State Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Seapa) and the Ministry of Agriculture (Mapa), has already defined the containment measures that will be implemented immediately.

A black Sigatoka (caused by "Mycosphaerella fijiensis") is a fungal disease that affects banana crops and can harm crop productivity. It causes premature death of the plant's leaves, reducing the leaf area and, consequently, impacting the quality and quantity of banana production.

This is the first case of black sigatoka identified in areas of major banana production in Minas Gerais since 2007. The absence of new outbreaks over the past few years reinforces the importance of sanitary control measures, which are now urgent. Although the emergence of the outbreak in Jaíba does not pose an immediate risk to banana production in the state, it highlights the need for constant monitoring of plantations.