Three more north Queensland banana farmers have reported suspect plants that could be infected with a fungal infection threatening the industry's future.
Biosecurity authorities have all but confirmed Panama TR4 - a soil-borne disease responsible for wiping out the banana industry in the Northern Territory in the 1990s - has been found at a farm near Tully.
Residents are now asking the local council to consider closing roads to stop it spreading, Cassowary Coast Mayor Bill Shannon said.
Several hundred growers met with authorities on Thursday evening, where they received dire news.
"The mood in the room was very, very sombre," Mr Shannon told AAP.
"They said it's more than likely it's elsewhere; it just hasn't been found yet."
But closing roads will only restrict residents who are going about their daily lives, he said.
"Road closures are not going to be a wholesale method of containing this disease."
Growers in Innisfail and the Atherton Tablelands have reported suspect plants.
"The plants could have any number of diseases. They're not saying it's likely that it's TR4, but they want people to report suspect plants so they can go around and check them out," Mr Shannon said.
Further biosecurity briefings have been held in Innisfail and Mareeba as the future of the $570 million industry hangs in the balance.
Mr Shannon is nervous about the enormous flow-on effects for tourism, freight and the cost of living, but remains optimistic about the fight ahead.
"It's a very mature industry; it's got very good leadership. We've got very good biosecurity officers and systems in place," he said.
"If this disease is going to be beaten anywhere, and it wasn't beaten in the Northern Territory, it will be beaten in the Cassowary Coast because we've got a lot of things in our favour."
The infected Tully farm remains under quarantine.
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