Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) causes Panama disease or Fusarium wilt of bananas. The association between soil-inhabiting fungi and nematodes can increase the severity of symptoms and suppress the resistance of plants to diseases. In this study, the interaction between Foc race 1 and Radopholus similis, a burrowing nematode that parasitizes banana plants, was analyzed using one moderately susceptible cultivar and seven resistant cultivars of banana. Two Foc isolates that differed in virulence were tested. The analyses of symptoms and stained fungal structures in the roots demonstrated that R. similis interacting with Foc in different inoculation sequences caused changes in symptom severity and the resistance pattern to Foc isolate 0801 (race 1) in cultivars ‘Terra Maranhão’, ‘BRS Pacovan Ken’, ‘BRS Vitória’, and ‘BRS Platina’. The data generated in this study have relevant implications for banana breeding programs in the classification of cultivars for durable resistance to Fusarium wilt and for understanding pathogen interactions during occurrence of the disease.

Black Sigatoka (black leaf streak disease) is caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensisMorelet. This phytopathogen colonizes banana leaves, resulting in reduced photosynthesis and decreased productivity. Fungicide applications are useful to control black Sigatoka; however, they increase production costs and can have adverse environmental and health impacts. The cultivation of resistant cultivars is regarded as a more economically viable option. The objective of this study was to perform diploid phenotyping in a set of wild banana accessions to identify resistant genotypes. A total of 31 accessions (30 with AA genome and one with AB genome) were phenotyped based on the presence of disease symptoms using a scoring scale. The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC), the disease severity index (DI), and the disease severity increase index (DII) were estimated. The DII variable proved to be efficient in identifying banana accessions with black Sigatoka resistance. Likewise, the selection index for ranking accessions with moderate black Sigatoka resistance allowed us to identify those genotypes with the highest quantitative resistance. Five diploid accessions (Krasan Saichon, Zebrina, Birmanie, Nº 118, and Tuu Gia) were found to be resistant to this fungal disease; eight accessions (PA Rayong, Pisang Cici, Malaccensis 1, 028003- 01, Microcarpa, Pisang Lidi, Lilin, and Malbut) were moderately resistant.

The fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC), tropical race 4 (TR4), causes Fusarium wilt of banana, a pandemic that has threatened the cultivation and export trade of this fruit. This article presents the first systematic review of studies conducted in the last 10 years on the resistance of Musa spp. to Fusarium wilt. We evaluated articles deposited in different academic databases, using a standardized search string and predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. We note that the information on the sequencing of the Musa sp. genome is certainly a source for obtaining resistant cultivars, mainly by evaluating the banana transcriptome data after infection with FOC. We also showed that there are sources of resistance to FOC race 1 (R1) and FOC TR4 in banana germplasms and that these data are the basis for obtaining resistant cultivars, although the published data are still scarce. In contrast, the transgenics approach has been adopted frequently. We propose harmonizing methods and protocols to facilitate the comparison of information obtained in different research centers and efforts based on global cooperation to cope with the disease. Thus, we offer here a contribution that may facilitate and direct research towards the production of banana resistant to FOC.

– Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is one of the most destructive diseases affecting banana crops worldwide. Therefore, the development of resistant cultivars is a promising alternative to mitigate the effects of the disease on banana plantations. The objectives of this study were to induce somaclonal variation in banana cultivars of the Silk and Cavendish types and to select somaclones resistant to subtropical race 4, thereby enabling the production of fruit in areas where this race is present. Shoot clump apexes of the Grand Naine and Maçã (Silk) cultivars were grown in MS medium. The cultures were subcultured four times. They were then challenged with fusaric acid (FA) in an experiment consisting of four treatments with different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mM) and five repetitions, each consisting of a Petri dish containing seven multiple shoot clumps in MS culture medium supplemented with 2.5 mg/L benzylamine purine. Multiple shoot clumps without the addition of FA were also used in the experiment, and were subcultured three times and maintained in a dark room. The multiple shoot clumps that survived the treatment with FA were transferred to MS medium and maintained in the growth chamber in the presence of light. The regenerated plants were later planted in tanks containing soil infested with an isolate classified as Foc subtropical race 4 (Foc STR4), and were evaluated for resistance to the pathogen at 90 days after inoculation (d.a.i.). Pathogen structures were confirmed by root clarification and root staining technique. All somaclones of the Maçã (Silk) cultivar were susceptible to Fusarium wilt and two somaclones of the Grand Naine cultivar were selected as resistant. The addition of FA as a selective agent was effective in the selection of somaclones among plants of the Grand Naine cultivar, as shown by the selection of two somaclones resistant to Foc STR4. The next step will consist of the agronomic and market potential validation of the selected somaclones, aiming to confirm their potential use by producers.

Agricultural crops are exposed to various abiotic stresses, such as salinity, water deficits, temperature extremes, floods, radiation, and metal toxicity. To overcome these challenges, breeding programs seek to improve methods and techniques. Gene editing by Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats—CRISPR/Cas—is a versatile tool for editing in all layers of the central dogma with focus on the development of cultivars of plants resistant or tolerant to multiple biotic or abiotic stresses. This systematic review (SR) brings new contributions to the study of the use of CRISPR/Cas in gene editing for tolerance to abiotic stress in plants. Articles deposited in different electronic databases, using a search string and predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, were evaluated. This SR demonstrates that the CRISPR/Cas system has been applied to several plant species to promote tolerance to the main abiotic stresses. Among the most studied crops are rice and Arabidopsis thaliana, an important staple food for the population, and a model plant in genetics/biotechnology, respectively, and more recently tomato, whose number of studies has increased since 2021. Most studies were conducted in Asia, specifically in China. The Cas9 enzyme is used in most articles, and only Cas12a is used as an additional gene editing tool in plants. Ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) have emerged as a DNA-free strategy for genome editing without exogenous DNA. This SR also identifies several genes edited by CRISPR/Cas, and it also shows that plant responses to stress factors are mediated by many complex-signaling pathways. In addition, the quality of the articles included in this SR was validated by a risk of bias analysis. The information gathered in this SR helps to understand the current state of CRISPR/Cas in the editing of genes and noncoding sequences, which plays a key role in the regulation of various biological processes and the tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses, with potential for use in plant genetic improvement programs.

Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is the most limiting factor in the banana agribusiness worldwide. Therefore, studies regarding pathogen attack mechanisms, and especially host defense responses, in this pathosystem are of utmost importance for genetic breeding programs in the development of Foc-resistant banana cultivars. In this study, analysis at the molecular, histological and histochemical levels of the Musa spp. x Foc interaction was performed. Three Foc isolates representative of race 1 (R1), subtropical race 4 (ST4) and isolate 229A, which is a putative ST4, were inoculated in two Prata-type cultivars (Prata-Anã and BRS Platina) and one cultivar of the Cavendish type (Grand Naine). Of seven genes related to plant–pathogen interactions, five were overexpressed in ‘BRS Platina’ 12 h after inoculation (HAI) with Foc R1 and ST4 but had reduced or negative expression after inoculation with Foc 229A, according to RT–qPCR analyses. While hyphae, mycelia and spores of the Foc 229A isolate grow towards the central cylinder of the Grand Naine and Prata-Anã cultivars, culminating in the occlusion of the xylem vessels, the BRS Platina cultivar responds with increased presence of cellulose, phenolic compounds and calcium oxalate crystals, reducing colonization within 30 days after inoculation (DAI). In general, these data indicate that the cultivar BRS Platina has potential for use in banana-breeding programs focused on resistance to Foc tropical race 4 (TR4) and in aggregating information on the virulence relationships of the Foc pathogen and the defense responses of banana plants after infection.

Black Sigatoka, a disease caused by the fungus Pseudocercospora fijiensis, can lead to the complete loss of banana and plantain production in the absence of chemical control. The development of resistant cultivars is the focus of many banana breeding programs and is an alternative to the use of fungicides. In order to define a refined method of selection in genetic breeding programs, this study evaluated 23 improved diploids, seven tetraploids, and two commercial cultivars in the presence of P. fijiensis. Four selection criteria were considered: means of the disease severity index (ID) and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) estimated over the total period of the experiment, only in summer, only in winter, and the emission and harvesting of bunches. The selection of genotypes was more effective in the winter, and the evaluation of four leaves no. 3 emitted after six months of growth was efficient at differentiating the resistant and susceptible genotypes. For the improved diploids and tetraploid hybrids, DI varied from 0.0 to 48.8 and from 15.1 to 63.5, respectively, and the AACPD for the improved hybrids and tetraploid hybrids varied from 0.0 to 2439.5 and 1000.2 to 3717.7, respectively. The tetraploid hybrid of the Prata-type CNPMF0906 and the commercial cultivar, which is a hybrid of the BRS Princesa Silk type, showed quantitative resistance and can be used by banana producers. Results suggest that the guidelines adopted for the selection of genotypes resistant to black Sigatoka may include methodologies that reduce the evaluation time. In addition, new sources of resistance to the disease and the influence of its genetic inheritance in future crosses were found.

The instability of in vitro cultures may cause genetic and epigenetic changes in crops called somaclonal variations. Sometimes, these changes produce beneficial effects; for example, they can be used in breeding programs to generate new cultivars with desirable characteristics. In this article, we present a systematic review designed to answer the following question: How does somaclonal variation contribute to plant genetic improvement? Five electronic databases were searched for articles based on pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria and with a standardized search string. The somaclonal variation technique has been most frequently applied to ornamental plants, with 49 species cited in 48 articles, and to the main agricultural crops, including sugarcane, rice, banana, potato and wheat, in different countries worldwide. In 69 studies, a technique was applied to evaluate the genetic diversity generated between clones, and, in 63 studies, agronomic performance characteristics were evaluated. Other studies are related to resistance to pathogens, ornamental characteristics and resistance to abiotic stresses. The application of the plant growth regulators (PGRs) benzylaminopurine (BAP) and dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was the most common method for generating somaclones, and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) molecular markers were the most commonly used markers for identification and characterization. Somaclonal variation has been used in genetic improvement programs for the most economically important crops in the world, generating genetic diversity and supporting the launch of new genotypes resistant to diseases, pests and abiotic stresses. However, much remains to be explored, such as the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms from which somaclonal variation is derived.