FusariumWilt in Banana: Epidemics and Management Strategies

Abstract

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is one of the most threatening fungal diseases affecting banana plantations across the globe. It was first discovered in Australia in 1874 and has now spread to numerous different regions in the world hinting at the persistency of the pathogen. Various management strategies have been devised aiming mainly on improving the plant's tolerance or suppressing the infection. Fungicide is commonly used to control the disease spread, but it does not provide total protection to the plants besides displaying selective effectiveness on certain Foc strains. Alternatively, farmers apply crop rotation, rice hull burning, biological soil disinfestation, and compound-supplemented soil in their banana plantations. Studies have also shown that certain biocontrol agents manage to curb the disease threat. Selection of somaclonal variants and genetic manipulation via induced mutagenesis and transformation are also among the alternatives that have been implemented in producing Fusarium-tolerant and Fusariumresistant banana plants. This chapter will describe Fusarium epidemics in banana, the effectiveness and challenges of different management approaches, as well as the future alternatives that can be adopted by taking advantages of the latest advances in omics technologies.

Mode of inheritance for resistance to FOC Race 1 and fruit quality traits in Sukali Ndizi cultivar of Banana

“…The pattern of segregation in the population from the NAMU2♀ × TMB2x8075-7♂ cross was 5.5R: 10.25mr: 1s:3.16Hs In the evaluations of the response to Fusarium wilt in parental and F 1 population, different categories of symptoms were identified that describe the disease in the Sukali Ndizi (Jamil et al, 2020;Ploetz and Pegg, 2000). The phenotype evaluation was based on the symptom scale and the biological response of the different genotypes to the pathogen, in order to establish possible phenotype ranges in the populations.…”

Establishment of a Standard Micropropagation Protocol for the Production of Uniform Planting Material in Musa Laterita (Section: Rhodochlamys).

“…Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) was rst discovered in Australia in 1874 and has now spread to different regions of the world (Jamil et al 2019) threatening the banana industry as a whole. Though chemical control, inclusive of soil fumigation (Herbert and Marx 1990), fungicides (Nel et al 2007) and soil amendments (Stover 1962) are in practice, only limited control could be achieved and their continuous use is likely to result in soil and environmental pollution posing risk to human health.…”