Illuminance affects epidemiological parameters of banana Yellow Sigatoka in Brazil

The Sigatoka leaf spots are among the most important banana diseases. Although less damaging than black sigatoka, yellow sigatoka (Pseudocercospora musae) still prevails in some regions. This study aimed at testing the hypothesis of light interference in monocyclic parameters of yellow sigatoka epidemics. Grande Naine plantlets kept under contrasting shading conditions had their leaves 1 and 2 inoculated. Evaluations were performed for 60 days. For each inoculated leaf, the time until symptom onset (incubation), presence of infectious lesions (latency), and disease severity (extensive leaf necrosis) according to Stovers scale modify per Gauhl (1994), called here only Stovers scale, were registered. Logistic regression was used to assess the relative occurrence risk and survival analysis was used to check the effects of variables on relevant epidemiological parameters. The risks of sporulation and of reaching high severities were lower for plants kept under shading regardless of the acclimation conditions and no effect of leaf age was detected. The logistic regression showed symptoms appearing in both conditions (p=0,85), but have significance difference in occurrence of latent lesions (p=0,013) and necrosis (p<0,0001). The necrosis risk in non-shaded environment arrived 66%. The survival analysis showed significance difference in the time to appear the symptom evaluated in all tested variables (p<0,0001) in function of the cropping system. Lower illuminance negatively affected the incubation, latency and infectious periods, and severity. A shaded system could be tested to produce organic bananas in areas of high risk of occurrence of Yellow sigatoka disease.\n\nSignificance and Impact of the StudyYellow Sigatoka (Pseudocercospora musae) is a banana disease that can cause severe damage if left uncontrolled. Its control is based mostly on fungicides.Our results show that shading downregulates the epidemiological parameters of that disease such as incubation, latent and infectious periods, and symptoms severity. These results can be the basis for testing alternative cropping systems and producing organic bananas.