Banana industry jeopardized?

The global banana supply chain is threatened by a virulent disease that has been attacking plantations in Australia, south-east Asia and parts of Africa and the Middle East.

As experts warn the fungus known as “fusarium wilt”, or Panama disease, could spread to Latin America, from where the majority of bananas are exported, scientists are scrambling to create a more robust variety that could help sustain the crop.

A single type of banana, called the Cavendish, accounts for 99.9% of bananas traded globally. It replaced a tastier variety wiped out by disease in the 1950s, The Guardian writes, as reported by Vijesti.me.

– If you look at the broader consumption on top of exports, the banana industry is worth a massive USD 30 billion a year. However, people have been getting increasingly worried because the plant is heavily cloned so if you have a disease that can kill one tree, it can potentially wipe out the entire industry – says Gilad Gershon, the CEO of Tropic Biosciences, which is trying to solve the problem through genetic modification.

The company says that preliminary results have been encouraging and that new trials will begin in central America, the Philippines and Turkey over the next year.

– It is not just about disease resistance but also about easing the environmental burden. The new variety will mean the need for less fungicides and higher yields for farmers. The trials should show the plants can perform well in real world conditions and demonstrate value to the growers – Gershon says.

Tropic Biosciences UK LTD

Gilad Gershon

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