Abstract:

Banana bacterial wilt caused by Xanthomonas
campestri pv musacearum (Xcm) threatens the banana
industry which contributes 22% of the GDP in Uganda. An
important step in controlling this disease involves
understanding how it is spread. The occurrence of isolated
cases of disease in remote places in various districts far from
the originally identified places suggest involvement of long
distance vectors in the transmission. This study was initiated
with the objective of establishing bats & birds’ vectors and
transmission mechanisms of Xcm. An inventory of bats &
birds species associated with banana inflorescence was
carried out so as to investigate possible sources of inoculums
in banana plants and determine bat and bird species that
carried the bacterium on their bodies and thus possible
vectors of the disease. The longest period the bacterium could
stay viable on bats & birds mouth parts was determined. The
purpose was to find out the possibility of involvement in long
distance transmission of Xcm. The most birds visiting the
male flowers are Eastern grey plantain eater, Double toothed
barbet, Sunbird and village weaverbird. Bats that visited the
male flower were Aidulon helvum, Epomophorus labiatus and
Epomaps franquet. Bacterial cells have been isolated from
these species and some of them were able to retain viable cells
up to five days increasing the possibility of being involved in
long distance transmission of Xcm.