Control of Panama disease of banana by intercropping with Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum Rottler): cultivar differences

Abstract

Panama disease (Fusarium wilt disease) caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 (FOC) severely threatens banana (Musa spp.) production worldwide. Intercropping of banana with Allium plants has shown a potential to reduce Panama disease. In this study, six cultivars of Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum Rottler) were selected to compare their differences in antifungal activity and active compounds. Three cultivars Duokang Fujiu 11, Fujiuhuang 2, and Duokang Sijiqing with higher levels of antifungal compounds were further used for intercropping with banana in the pots and field to compare their effects on growth and disease incidence of banana. The six cultivars showed significant differences in antifungal activity against FOC mycelia growth in both leaf volatiles and aqueous leachates. The aqueous leachates displayed stronger antifungal activity than the volatiles. FJH cultivar showed the best inhibitory effect among all six cultivars. Contents of three main antifungal compounds dipropyl trisulfide (DPT), dimethyl trisulfide (DMT), and 2-methyl-2-pentenal (MP) in volatiles and aqueous leachates varied considerably among cultivars. Pot and field experiments showed that intercropping with three selected Chinese chive cultivars significantly improved banana vegetative growth, increased photosynthetic characteristics and yield but decreased disease incidence of Panama disease. Our results indicate that intercropping with Chinese chive shows potential to reduce banana Panama disease and selection of appropriate cultivars is vital for effective disease control.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression of Chitinase Class I Genes in Garlic (Allium sativum L.) Cultivars Resistant and Susceptible to Fusarium proliferatum

“…Fusarium infections are suppressed with fungicides, the use of resistant cultivars, and the intercropping of Allium spp., which is considered an effective method of Fusarium biological control [ 6 , 7 ]. It has been shown that Fusarium growth can be suppressed by antifungal volatiles such as 2-methyl-2-pentenal and organosulfur compounds and non-volatiles such as spirostanol, furostanol, and steroidal saponins produced by Allium roots [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ], as well as by Flavobacterium spp.…”

Biological control of the native endophytic fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia from the root nodule of Dolichos lablab on Fusarium wilt of banana TR4

“…Given the serious threats posed by FWB, effective prevention and control methods for the development of the banana industry around the world have become crucial. At present, soil fumigation, strategic crop rotation (Li et al, 2020 ), selection and breeding of varieties which are disease-resistant varieties (Xu et al, 2017 ; Huang et al, 2023 ), application of chemicals (Guo et al, 2013 ), biological control (Wang et al, 2013 ), and other methods are used to restrain FWB in China and other countries. However, the chlamydospores of FWB can persist in the soil for many years, limiting the effectiveness of crop rotation control.…”

Monitoring Tritrophic Biocontrol Interactions Between Bacillus spp., Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense, Tropical Race 4, and Banana Plants in vivo Based on Fluorescent Transformation System

“…Crop rotation and intercropping have been used to reduce the infections and inoculum levels ( Nadarajah et al, 2016 ). In China, farmers have been growing bananas in the presence of TR4 by rotating or intercropping with Chinese leek ( Allium tuberosum ; Nadarajah et al, 2016 ; Li et al, 2020a , b ). The most effective solution supporting continued production of bananas in infested soils would be replacing susceptible cultivars with resistant ones.…”