ABSTRACT
Banana (Musa sp.) is the most common and affordable fruit crop in cultivation from olden days. India leads the world in banana production, occupying nearly 30%. However, various preharvest and postharvest factors effect fruit production in banana. As banana is a climacteric crop, it easily succumbs to postharvest losses at various levels from harvest to consumption. Pathogens are one of the key factors in postharvest losses of banana, and important diseases are crown rot, anthracnose, finger rot, cigar end rot, fuzzy pedicel, etc. In addition to its role in postharvest losses, cigar end rot also affects fruits in standing crop. In this chapter, the major postharvest diseases of banana, their causal organisms, disease cycle, and mode of spread are discussed. Factors influencing the onset of disease along with management strategies including physical, chemical and biological methods are discussed in detail. Controlling preharvest pathogenic factors coupled with postharvest management helps in overcoming the postharvest losses of banana.
