Presence of devastating banana disease in Colombia confirmed
Publication in Plant Disease
An international research team has scientifically confirmed the presence in Colombia of the fungus Fusarium Tropical Race 4 (TR4), the cause of Panama disease in Cavendish bananas. The findings are published in an open source article in the journal Plant Disease.
The publication is the official confirmation that the Panama disease has reached South America. Panama disease is a devastating disease caused by the plant-killing fungus TR4. The worldwide cultivated Cavendish banana is very susceptible to it and infected soil cannot be used for banana cultivation for more than twenty years. The disease is therefore a major treat for bananas as a food source and as an export product. The fungus was already found in Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle-East. Despite major efforts undertaken to contain the disease, the fungus TR4 has now for the first time reached Latin America, the epicentre of global banana production.
Final proof
The fungus TR4 was found in two banana farms in the northeast of Colombia. After the first suspicion, in June 2019, a thorough analysis of the farms was carried out by ICA, Instituto Colombiano Agropecuario (ICA) with support the Dutch KeyGene. Initial diagnostic tests indicated that the farms could be infected. Samples were then send to Utrecht 木瓜福利影视, Wageningen 木瓜福利影视 and Research, and KeyGene for additional tests. DNA-sequencing and pathogenicity tests confirmed that the Colombian isolates belong to what has been previously defined as the Fusarium odoratissimum TR4 lineage, that causes Fusarium wilt known as Panama disease. These analyses provided final proof that TR4 has indeed reached Colombia.
National emergency
Colombia declared a national emergency on 8 August after laboratory results confirmed the presence of the fungus within its borders. About 175 hectares of farmland have already been affected so far. Activities are being undertaken around the world to fight TR4. In the Netherlands, KeyGene and Wageningen 木瓜福利影视 & Research play an active role by developing TR4-resistant banana varieties, improving banana diversity and developing management strategies, in collaboration with research institutes and banana companies.
Publicatie
F.A. Garc铆a-Bastidas, J.C. Quintero-Vargas, M. Ayala-Vasquez, T. Schermer*, M.F. Seidl*, M. Santos-Paiva, A.M. Noguera, C. Aguilera-Galvez, A. Wittenberg, R. Hofstede A. S酶rensen, G.H.J. Kema
Plant Disease, 16 October 2019, DOI 10.1094/PDIS-09-19-1922-PDN
*Authors affiliated with Utrecht 木瓜福利影视