Combating banana wilts - what do resistant cultivars have to offer?

Abstract

Fungal and bacterial wilts of banana are currently rampaging through many parts of Asia and Africa, greatly reducing the profitability of production and impacting very significantly on food security. Fusarium wilt and the "bacterial trinity" of Moko/bugtok, blood bacterial wilt and Xanthomonas wilt are causing major problems to both commercial and subsistence plantings. Most recently tropical race 4 of Fusarium wilt has destroyed in excess of 20,000 ha of Cavendish bananas in China and it threatens the huge export industry of the Philippines. Resistant cultivars are often touted as the solution to banana disease problems, including the wilts. However, resistant cultivars must be part of an integrated disease management programme to maximise the chances of their deployment being successful in combating banana wilts. Experience has also shown that gaining marketplace acceptance of replacements for susceptible cultivars is far from a simple matter, and that cultivars resistant to wilts will likely have their own set of pest and disease problems. Cultivars with known and likely resistance to wilts are presented along with best-bet management procedures for good results. © International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS).