The past, present and future of Fusarium wilt of banana caused by Tropical Race 4

Publication date: 11/03/2024
Extent: 32 pages

Contributions by: Fernando García-Bastidas, KeyGene B.V., The Netherlands; André Drenth, The University of Queensland, Australia; and Gert H. J. Kema, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Chapter synopsis:

Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB) Tropical Race 4 (TR4) is caused by the plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium odoratissimum. At present, the spread of TR4 has been documented in at least 21 countries throughout all major Cavendish banana-producing regions of the world. It seems inevitable that TR4 will continue to spread to other regions that are currently not affected, as exclusion and field management have failed to contain the fungus. As this chapter shows, breeding for resistance to diversify the banana crop for the export trade and smallholder settings and developing control methods based on the latest insights are essential to manage TR4 to save an essential staple food for millions of people and the world's most favorite fruit.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2022.0108.05