Genetic modification combats the the banana disease in Australia

by

In Australia the battle against an ailment that can destroy bananas is undergoing a major change. The disease, also known as Panama disease that is which is caused by a deadly fungal pathogen that has caused an extremely serious threat to the global production of bananas, affecting particularly the Cavendish kind that is the most popular. This pathogen, which is capable to survive in a range of environments, targets the banana plant through its roots which are aided by the wounds caused by insects.

The discovery was made by James Dale’s group which has created an original genetically-modified (GM) banana to be approved for commercial expansion. The development came in an attempt to mitigate the damage that was caused by Panama disease, which before destroyed all Gros Michel banana variety. Dale’s group focused on the introduction of an fungus-resistant genetic material, RGA2 in the Cavendish bananas. The result was the development of the QCAV-4 fruit. Despite the challenges of conducting field tests due to limitations on introducing the Panama fungus to Queensland The QCAV-4 fruit was able to successfully pass test of taste and has been approved by the regulatory authorities to be released commercially.

Furthermore, Dale’s work goes beyond resistance to disease. He’s developed biofortified fruit that have a higher percentage of provitamin A in order to combat nutritional deficiencies in nations such as Uganda. They are distinguishable in their golden hue, could help save the lives of a lot of kids suffering with vitamin A deficiencies each year.

In the midst of the first time a GM banana hits the market, there are still questions regarding the acceptance by people of GM fruit regardless of its potential to tackle worldwide challenges in agriculture.

Information Source: The Head Topics

Related Agroforestry News Posts:

  1. The traders in Munshiganj are now selling frozen potatoes As per the directives from the district administration traders from Munshiganj are selling potato in cold storage. In accordance with these guidelines the district administration, 56,000 potato sacks that weigh 50kg each will be taken out of storage over the...
  2. “By maintaining the demand while ensuring high returns, we’re certain that our growers will reap the benefits” The major focus for Te Mata Exports over the recent two years has been developing their core line of products, especially apples. They also have been working to expand their company further in Asia. “As as a company that is...
  3. Loss of Heath Wilkin’s is felt throughout Golden Bay Fruit “We regret to announce the sad news of Heath Wilkin’s demise this past weekend. He was the founder and Managing Director of Golden Bay Fruit. His loss is felt all over Golden Bay Fruit, the business and community at large,...
  4. Indonesian fruit-pickers have reported debt concerns in the wake of UK agricultural employment ends in the early morning An group of Indonesian workers have reported problems with finances following their time on the UK farm came to an end early due to not meeting objectives. They had travelled into in the United Kingdom under the seasonal worker program,...
  5. FreshPlaza Global Focus on Grapes In February, FreshPlaza will concentrate on the sector of grapes. Are you a grape grower or importer, or even a supplier of grapes? If yes, we’d love to hear from you. Send us some information, or we’ll contact to schedule...

Source: The Plantations International Agroforestry Group of Companies