Variabilité de la sensibilité vis-à-vis du Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) des espèces de Musa spp. cultivées dans le Grand Libreville

Abstract

Banana Bunchy Top disease is the most devastating viral disease that can attack bananas. Its presence prevents the development of bananas and leads to a decrease in production. It is caused by Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV), the vector agent of which is the aphid aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa. The disease is present in the agroecological zone of the coastal sedimentary basin of Gabon, where the prevalence of the disease is reaching worrying proportions. This study focused on the assessment of varietal resistance of Musa spp. the most common in greater Libreville. The diversity of local banana cultivars can be an asset in the search for varieties resistant to BBTV. The results of this study show that not all cultivars have the same sensitivity. Indeed, dessert cultivars are more susceptible than plantain cultivars. Fougamou and Gros-Michel are the most widely cultivated dessert cultivars in greater Libreville, and are very sensitive to BBTV. Alone, these two cultivars failed to germinate after inoculation of pure ground material from a plant infested with BBTV at the highest stage of the disease. While the plantain cultivars, Obel, ZokEkone and Elate, are much more resistant.