Banana “black leaf streak disease”, better known as “Black Sigatoka", is a world-wide problem. Banana producers need to use more and more chemical plant protection products to control this disease. With the “Pesticides Reduction Programme for Banana” Plant Research International (PRI) aims at a 50% reduction of these products in 10 years.
A reduction in the use of plant protection products by 50% in 10 years can be achieved by applying already existing technologies. In addition, there are new ideas that will result in an even larger reduction of these products, including cultivation of a wider diversity of banana cultivars. These will reduce the predominance of the worldwide traded very susceptible ‘Cavendish’ bananas. In addition, alternative biological methods will be implemented to replace non-sustainable chemical products.
“Black Sigatoka" in bananas.
Click on picture to enlarge |
This PRI research programme in particular focuses on the fungus that causes the disease: Mycosphaerella fijiensis.
We investigate the factors that enable the fungus to infect the banana and study the dissemination of the fungus. The diversity of fungal populations in banana plantations is described by genetic fingerprints and by their survival after spraying plant protection products.
The disease is increasingly aggressive, requiring weekly sprays with these products throughout the year for effective control. Hence, our multidisciplinary program also contributes to sustainable banana cultivation by small farmers. |