A banana plantation in far north Queensland has been quarantined while authorities investigate the state’s first suspected case of a devastating strand of Panama disease.

Biosecurity Queensland quarantined the plantation near Tully, south of Cairns, overnight following an initial positive test result for Panama disease tropical race 4 overnight.

Further urgent testing is being done at the farm to confirm the presence of the soil disease.

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Panama disease is regarded as a serious threat to the banana industry as it attacks all types of banana plants, including the Cavendish variety.

The disease is found in the soil and attacks the plants only by affecting the vascular tissue.

Dying branches on a banana plant infected with Panama disease. Photo: ABC

It is not transferred to banana fruit, which remain safe to eat, and there is no human health risk from the disease.

Queensland Biosecurity chief officer Dr Jim Thompson said authorities had advised the property owner and were moving quickly to contain the suspected case.

He said plants affected by Panama disease tropical race 4 rarely produced marketable bunches making infected properties unviable for large scale production.

“It was first found in the Northern Territory in 1997 and has since spread to a number of areas in the Top End,” he said.

“Until now, it has never been detected in a Queensland plantation.

“If the disease were to become widespread across Queensland’s major banana growing districts, it would have serious consequences for the industry.”

Australian Banana Growers’ Council chief executive Jim Pekin said strict quarantine regulations were in place to prevent the spread of this disease and protect the state’s $600 million industry.

“It is important that we work together to contain this disease if it is confirmed,” he said.

According to Biosecurity Queensland, the first symptoms are yellowing and dying of the leaf edges.

“These leaves can turn brown and dry out. The leaves later collapse until the plant has the appearance of a stump with a skirt of dead or dying leaves,” the agency’s website explains.

“Infected plants rarely fruit, and when they do they aren’t marketable.”

Mr Pekin said growers were urged to protect their property by using good on-farm biosecurity practices including ensuring the use of clean planting material such as tissue culture plants, not sharing farm machinery and equipment with other growers and removing all plant material and soil from all machinery, equipment, vehicles and footwear before entry to their property.