Destruction has begun on diseased banana plants in Far North Queensland, after Panama Tropical Race 4 was discovered on a Tully farm.
Chief Biosecurity Officer Jim Thompson said the first round of testing on the quarantined property had only turned up the fungal pathogen in one specific section.
"The plants are being injected with chemicals to reduce any risk of disease spread and they will be left onsite," he said.
"We will continue to monitor the farm and surrounding area for any further signs of the disease in the weeks and months ahead."
Dr Thompson said another 20 Biosecurity Queensland staff had joined 70 already on the ground working to stop a larger outbreak.
"Since the response began almost a month ago, we have conducted surveillance over a large area on a number of properties and taken almost 150 samples for testing," he said.
"Only a very small number of them have tested positive and they were all from the quarantined property."
He thanked the owner of the affected property for their patience and helpfulness in a difficult time, and urged other banana growers to maintain strict safety procedures to avoid any contamination.
"Anyone who regularly accesses banana farms or has an adjoining property should also be aware of biosecurity requirements," Dr Thompson said.
"The banana industry is crucial to North Queensland communities and the economy and we must make every possible effort to contain Panama disease."
Queensland Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne has already announced a review of the state's biosecurity due to Panama Tropical Race 4 threatening the $600 million banana industry.
The disease only affects the banana trees, not the fruit. Growers have assured consumers all bananas remain safe to eat.
