A research team has now developed a genetically modified line of Cavendish bananas, which are now grown mainly on plantations for export. It is resistant to the fungus Fusarium oxysporum TR4 (Tropical Race 4) – and was recently approved for human consumption in Australia.
When TR4 hits, banana farmers can only watch helplessly as their plantation dies. But QCAV-4 could be the savior for the globally threatened banana industry.
Plantations can no longer be used
TR4 was first detected in northeastern Colombia in 2019. But even five years later, the situation in the country is largely under control, according to the Banana Growers Association (Augura). Ultimately, the fungus will neither be completely suppressed nor permanently contained. Once TR4 is in a plantation it can no longer be used.
TR4 survives in the ground for decades
A big problem: mushrooms like warm, humid climates. Because warmer periods are expected due to climate change, fungi could cause many more complications in banana cultivation in the future.
The crux: the industry only relies on one type
The disadvantage of the sector is that it is dependent on a single variety. While you can still find at least a few different varieties of apples and tomatoes in the supermarkets, when it comes to dessert bananas it’s almost exclusively Cavendish. Their perennials are grown exclusively from cuttings, they are all genetically exactly identical and the fruits contain no seeds.
Gene from wild banana
That’s why research teams are mainly working to make Cavendish resistant to TR4 – via traditional breeding or genetic engineering approaches such as that of the team led by James Dale from Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The scientists have introduced a gene – the resistance gene RGA2 from a wild banana – into plants of the Cavendish variety. According to information, the first genetically modified banana has been created. This is not a ‘problem’ because it only activated a gene that was already present in the variety and in wild bananas.
Product not yet in supermarkets
The cultivation of bananas called QCAV-4 has been tested in field trials for several years. It has now been cleared in Australia as it is fit for human consumption. However, QCAV-4 bananas are not yet available in supermarkets – and that should remain the case for some time.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
