Using Genetic Engineering Techniques to Develop Banana Cultivars With Fusarium Wilt Resistance and Ideal Plant Architecture

Abstract

Bananas (Musa spp.) are an important fruit crop worldwide. The fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), which causes Fusarium wilt, is widely regarded as one of the most damaging plant diseases. Fusarium wilt has previously devastated global banana production and continues to do so today. In addition, due to the current use of high-density banana plantations, desirable banana varieties with ideal plant architecture (IPA) possess high lodging resistance, optimum photosynthesis, and efficient water absorption. These properties may help to increase banana production. Genetic engineering is useful for the development of banana varieties with Foc resistance and ideal plant architecture due to the sterility of most cultivars. However, the sustained immune response brought about by genetic engineering is always accompanied by yield reductions. To resolve this problem, we should perform functional genetic studies of the Musa genome, in conjunction with genome editing experiments, to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying the immune response and the formation of plant architecture in the banana. Further explorations of the genes associated with Foc resistance and ideal architecture might lead to the development of banana varieties with both ideal architecture and pathogen super-resistance. Such varieties will help the banana to remain a staple food worldwide.

A Novel Banana Mutant “RF 1” (Musa spp. ABB, Pisang Awak Subgroup) for Improved Agronomic Traits and Enhanced Cold Tolerance and Disease Resistance

“…Dwarfism is one of the most important objectives of banana breeding because dwarf plants have strong resistance to wind or flood disturbances (Cho et al, 2016 ; Wang et al, 2021 ). Recent work found that chemical mutagenesis is capable of inducing dwarf and semi-dwarf mutants from high-stem banana varieties (Aslam et al, 2016 ; Amosova et al, 2019 ).…”

Contributions of Genome Editing Technologies Towards Improved Nutrition, Environmental Sustainability and Poverty Reduction

“…Plant diseases can result in up to a 40% yield loss in food crops ( Sastry and Zitter 2014 ) and genome editing technologies are providing advantages in mitigating these losses ( Sharma et al, 2021 ). Wang et al (2021) report that genome editing has been applied to improve disease resistance to fusarium wilt in bananas. Similar research is underway against fusarium wilt in Colombia ( Maxmen 2019 ).…”

Biocontrol Potential of Endophytic Streptomyces malaysiensis 8ZJF-21 From Medicinal Plant Against Banana Fusarium Wilt Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4

“…The intensive use results in the pathogenic resistance to fungicides and an increase in environmental contamination ( Dita et al, 2018 ). No commercial varieties display an effective resistance against Foc TR4 until now ( Dale et al, 2017 ; Wang et al, 2021 ). The presence of any resistant cultivars would not exclude the use of other disease control approaches that could contribute to maintaining the resistance to pathogens over time.…”