Asia banana fungus could reach Latin America, warns UN

The fungus Fusarium Wilt TR4, which affects banana is spreading by crops in Africa, Asia, Middle East and could reach Latin America crops thus warned the United Nations Organization for food and Agriculture (FAO) to producers of this fruit.

There is no treatment for fungus and its spores can remain in the soil for decades, so the FAO says that it is concentrating its efforts in preventing the spread.

The UN agency said that the plague has caused serious damage in Southeast Asia for 20 years and was detected recently in Mozambique and Jordan.