A review on biology and study of major viral diseases in banana

The BSVs of family Caulimoviridae integrate into the host genome and resulting into splitting of several pseudo-stem of banana plant, ultimately leading to death of the plant. Banana and plantain are known to be susceptible to five more other viruses of minor significance, such as Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Abaca bunchy top virus (ABTV), Banana mild mosaic virus (BMMV), Banana virus X (BVX), and Abaca mosaic virus (AMV). Bananas and plantains (Musa spp.) are massive herbaceous plants produced in 10.4 million hactare in the tropics. Cultivar bananas or plantains are the world's top 10 staple food. They are both sterile and parthenocarpic fruit. All cultivated species are mostly triploid (2n = 3x = 33; whereas some are diploid or tetraploid). With a production of more than 100 million tons annually, banana is a staple food across the Asian, African and American Oceania, and the Pacific tropics. Cultivation of bananas occurs through vegetative propagation using suckers or tissue culture plants and grown almost as perennial plantations. These cultivars are prone to hoarding of pests, pathogens and especially viruses such as Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), Banana streak Virus (BSV) and Banana Bract Mosaic Virus (BBrMV) which contribute to lower yield of cultivars and impediment to exporting of Musa germplasm. These viruses are known to cause the most serious economic losses in the “Old World,” contributing to yield reduction up to 100% and also responsible for a dramatic reduction in cropping area. Evidences from past 50 years have contributed to significant knowledge about plant diseases causing microbes, their distribution, and spreading. Moreover research during the last 25 years have led to a better understanding of the virus–vector–host interactions, virus diversity, disease etiology, and epidemiology. There are thousands of domestic Musa cultivars and their genetic diversity indicate multiple origins from different wild hybrids between two principle ancestral species. Due to a lack of durable host resistance in the Musa spp. Phyto-sanitary measures and the use of virus-free techniques are the major methods for virus control. The present study on BBTV, BSVs, and BBrMV, disease spreading, and controlling measures are summarized in this review.