Management of Fusarium wilt of banana: A review with special reference to tropical race 4
Introduction
Fusarium wilt is one of the most destructive diseases of banana (Ploetz and Pegg, 2000). The pathogen probably originated in Southeast Asia (Ploetz and Pegg, 1997, Ploetz, 2007, Stover, 1962, Vakili, 1965), but the disease was first recognized elsewhere. Bancroft's (1876) initial description from Australia was followed by reports from tropical America (Costa Rica and Panama in 1890) (Stover, 1962). A dramatic increase in the number of new records occurred in the early 1900s, most of which described damage in export plantations (Ploetz, 1992, Ploetz and Pegg, 2000, Stover, 1962). Currently, the disease is found in virtually all areas where banana is grown.
The importance and origins of the banana host are described in this review, especially as they relate to the impact of this disease. Genetic and pathogenic diversity is described in the causal agent, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), as is the host × pathogen interaction. Remaining sections in the review are devoted to descriptions and evaluations of various disease management strategies. Effective, long-term management of Fusarium wilt of banana remains a challenge, due largely to the perennial host plant (Ploetz and Evans, 2015, Ploetz and Pegg, 2000). Tactics for Fusarium wilt management on short cycle hosts (e.g. tomato or radish) are often ineffective over the multiple years that a banana crop is grown.
Section snippets
The banana host
Banana ranks among the world's most valuable primary agricultural commodities. In 2011, combined global production was about 145 million tonnes with a gross production value of US$44.10 billion (FAOSTAT, 2013). Bananas are the eighth most important food crop in the world and the fourth most important among the world's least-developed countries.
About 87% of the bananas that are produced worldwide are consumed by producers or sold in local or regional markets (FAOSTAT, 2013). Locally consumed
Fusarium wilt of banana
Simmonds (1966) described Fusarium wilt of banana as one of the most destructive of all plant diseases, due mainly to its impact on the ‘Gros Michel’-based export trades. Until ca 1960, the export trades relied almost entirely on ‘Gros Michel’, which is highly productive but susceptible to race 1 of Foc. Monocultures of it that were used in export production facilitated the disease's rapid development and spread in the American and African trades, and the establishment of plantations with
Discussion
Fusarium wilt of banana caused an estimated US$2 billion in losses during the ‘Gros Michel’ era (Ploetz, 2005). Given the current annual value of export production and the great importance of Cavendish for small-holders, it is possible that TR4 will eventually cause even greater losses. To date, few figures are available. In Cavendish plantations in Indonesia, Taiwan and Malaysia, Hermanto et al., 2011 and Peng et al., 2013 estimated losses of USD$121 million and USD$253 million, respectively
Conclusions
Fusarium wilt is one of the most destructive diseases of banana. A newly recognized variant of the pathogen, TR4, threatens global production of Cavendish and other important genotypes. Although TR4 is restricted to the Eastern Hemisphere, its recent range expansion into Africa and Western Asia indicates that further movement is possible. The great concern is that it will eventually move into other unaffected areas, including the Indian subcontinent and the Americas.
Despite decades of research,
Acknowledgments
The author recognizes Harry Stover's profound and still relevant research on this disease. Rony Swennen is thanked for information on propagating clean seed pieces of banana from tissue culture plantlets.
References (125)
- et al.
Genetic variation among a world-wide collection of isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense analyzed by RAPD-PCR fingerprinting
Mycol. Res.
(1995) - et al.
Identification and characterization of non-pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum capable of increasing and decreasing Fusarium wilt severity
Mycol. Res.
(2006) - et al.
Biology and evolution of Fusarium oxysporum, with specific reference to the banana wilt pathogen
Infect. Genet. Evol.
(2011) - et al.
Evaluation of fungicides and sterilants for potential application in the management of Fusarium wilt of banana
Crop Prot.
(2007) - et al.
Chlamydospore germination and Fusarium wilt of banana plantlets in suppressive and conducive soils are affected by physical and chemical factors
Soil Biol. Biochem.
(1999) - et al.
Development of integrated approach to manage the Fusarial wilt of banana
Crop Prot.
(2003) Improvement of Cavendish Banana Cultivars through conventional breeding
Acta Hort.
(2013)- et al.
Influence des caractéristiques du sol sur l'incidence de la maladie de Panama
Fruits
(1981) Introduccion, evaluacion, multiplicacion y diseminacion de hıbridos FHIA en Cuba
INFOMUSA
(1997)