Sigatoka leaf spot diseases of bananas and plantains in Central and West Africa. Distribution - impact on banana productions field susceptibility of wild and cultivated bananas to BLSD control strategies

Sigatoka Leaf Spot Disease of bananas involve two related ascomycetous fungi : Mycosphaerella fijiensis,which causes Black Leaf Streak disease (BLSD) and M. Musicola which causes Sigatoka disease (SD). In Africa, the first records of BLSD were noted in Zambia in 1973 and, between 1973 and 1993, the disease spread along the West coast to Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast. The local dissemination of BLSD within the same country or the long distance spread of the disease can vary significantly depending on epidemiological factors (climatic conditions and host reactions). Competitivity problems can appear between SD and BLSD at altitudes over 1200 - 1400