CASE scientists develop disease shield for bananas

Researchers at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) have successfully developed banana and plantain varieties that are resistant to Tropical Race 4 (TR4) disease and tolerant to Sigatoka, a breakthrough that could help safeguard one of Jamaica’s most important agricultural industries.

The improved planting materials have already been distributed to Jamaica Producers and the Banana Board for research and genetic conservation, with the plants now bearing fruit, providing encouraging evidence of the project’s potential.

La Toya Roberts, biotechnologist at the college’s tissue culture laboratory, said providing farmers with disease-resistant planting material will strengthen food sustainability in Jamaica over the long term.

“We are getting into a time where agriculture is changing. We have climate change [and] we have diseases that are affecting the material that the farmers are using,” she said. “As scientists, our role in society is to solve challenges,” she added.

TR4 is a disease that attacks the plants’ roots and disrupts their ability to take up water and nutrients. The Food and Agriculture Organization says the disease has been confirmed in 21 banana-producing countries. It says that once a piece of farmland is contaminated with TR4, managing the disease is challenging and costly.

Although the disease has not been detected in Jamaica, Roberts said the team is preparing well in advance.

“We’re trying to be 10 steps ahead... with the hope that if this disease gets here, we will definitely have some varieties that are resistant,” she said.

Meanwhile, the laboratory’s work extends beyond bananas, as researchers are also developing clean, disease-free planting material for crops such as yam and ginger, which continue to face significant disease challenges.

“We are hoping to provide our farmers with clean seed planting material that is disease-tolerant and disease-free,” Roberts said, noting that healthier planting material also reduces farmers’ dependence on chemical treatments.