| Summary: | Banana and plantain (Musa spp.), produced in 10.3 million ha in the tropics, are among
the world's top 10 food crops. They are vegetatively propagated using suckers or tissue
culture plants and grown almost as perennial plantations. These are prone to the accumulation
of pests and pathogens, especially viruses which contribute to yield reduction
and are also barriers to the international exchange of germplasm. The most economically
important viruses of banana and plantain are Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV), a
complex of banana streak viruses (BSVs) and Banana bract mosaic virus (BBrMV). BBTV
is known to cause the most serious economic losses in the “Old World,” contributing
to a yield reduction of up to 100% and responsible for a dramatic reduction in cropping
area. The BSVs exist as episomal and endogenous forms are known to be worldwide in
distribution. In India and the Philippines, BBrMV is known to be economically important
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