Holistic approaches to overcome the threat of wilt disease caused by FOC TR4

Bob Williams Director Plant Industries Department of Primary & Fisheries Northern Territory, Australia. Key Point of Focus

Four banana business models Cavendish monoculture – multinational companies

Cavendish monoculture – small growers supplying to multinational trading companies

Diverse range of varieties – small growers supplying into a central market

Diverse range of varieties in subsistence farming systems – small farmers

Key Points from BAPNET Research

• identify the pathogen. • the distribution of Foc across the region • a large breadth of knowledge on varietal susceptibility to Foc. – Race 1, STR4 and TR4. • commercial varieties that are resistant and or tolerant to Foc. – Race 1, STR4 and TR4. • clean plant material • management strategies that suppress the impact of the disease in a production system. • all research teams are involved in field based activities • there is light in the tunnel – but it is still a long way. Other Research within Asia Pacific China.  Genetic Improvement  Somaclonal variants • Somatic mutation • Chemical mutagenesis  Traditional breeding  Genetic modification (chill tolerance)  Antifungal agents – alliums for cropping systems Malaysia.  Somaclonal variants – India.

The Missing link.

The Australian Experience .

Why is it that Australia has been able to minimise the impact of these diseases on the major Production area?

Why is it that Australia does not have many of the other major Pest and Diseases of banana? Black Sigatoka Black Cross

Foc TR4 Blood Disease BBTV BBMV Black Sigatoka TR4 & Freckle Black Cross Australia – major banana production areas

Foc TR4 Darwin Freckle Black Sigatoka Kununurra 15° S

Freckle North Queensland

Foc R1& STR4 Bundaberg Carnarvon & BBTV Brisbane Southeast 30° S Queensland

Perth Northern New Adelaide Sydney South Wales & Coffs Harbour Melbourne

Hobart

National BananaAustralian Industry Banana Biosecurity Industry Plan Exotic Pests & Diseases National Biosecurity Plan

The plan ensures the banana industry has the capacity to minimise the risks of pests and to respond effectively to any pest threats through a pre-emptive planning process

Partnership Banana Industry Government Other relevant stakeholders

National Banana Industry Biosecurity Plan

Pre-Border Border Post-Border

 Identifying exotic  Implementing  Minimising risk of pest threats effective regional & quarantine property  Undertaking  Establishing establishment offshore research surveillance  Preparing for where pest are networks detection, endemic  Education minimised spread  Regulations on the  Education importation of material Australian Banana Industry National Banana Industry Biosecurity Plan

 Banana Planting Permit Policy  All major banana Pest and Disease move with plant material  Clean Planting Material critical  Quality Banana Approved Nursery (QBAN) scheme.  All growers annually need a permit to plant  This is now run by industry not government.  All material must be sourced from a accredited QBAN nursery.  Restriction on moving soil, appliances and other things into, out of or within a pest quarantine area for pests of banana plants

Queensland Banana Quarantine Zones

Approximately 800ha of

Approximately 12,000 ha of banana

Approximately 100 ha banana Cavendish

Approximately 500 ha banana Ladyfinger and Cavendish Queensland Banana Quarantine No Banana Production Zones No movement of Plant material

Major production Area R1

No Banana Production

No movement of Foc R1& STR4 Plant material

BBTV, Foc R1& STR4

Somoclonal Varieties

GCTV 218 - Plant

GCTV 218 – 1st Ratoon Hypothesis: Increased soil microbial activity and diversity can suppress Panama disease on bananas

Glasshouse Microbial communities Field Microbial communities Microbial groups

Families of organism

Individual organism Genes ? Commercial validation • Philippines TR4 management

• Australia groundcover & Foc R1 management Conclusion: • Increased soil microbial activity and diversity under vegetated groundcover helped suppress Panama disease (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense) on bananas. • Vegetated groundcover changed: • nematode community, • soil enzyme activity, • community level physiological profiles and • TRLFP analysis of the soil • Increasing cellulolytic activity (β-glucosidase) in the soil was negatively correlated with vascular discoloration of bananas caused by Foc.

A Global Strategy

The Key Objectives of a Global Strategy. 1. A Biosecurity Plan (Policy)  Global  Regional – Asian Pacific/Africa/Central America.  National – Mozambique  Farm 2. Research Strategy  Short, medium and long term strategies. 3. Technology Transfer  Training from farm workers up. A Global Strategy

The Key components of a Global Strategy. 1. Prevention • Phytosanitary legalisation • International standards • Quarantine barriers • Farm biosecurity plans • Awareness • Understanding the impacts • Education A Global Strategy

The Key components of a Global Strategy. 1. Prevention 2. Identification • Surveillance and reporting • Monitoring • Identification, isolation and destruction. • Education and training A Global Strategy

The Key components of a Global Strategy. 1. Prevention 2. Identification 3. Clean planting material • Availability • Certification • Virus indexed • Off-types • Education and training A Global Strategy The Key components of a Global Strategy. 1. Prevention 2. Identification 3. Clean planting material 4. Resistant varieties • Genetic improvement • Somaclonal variants (now) • Conventional breeding (long term) • Genetic modification (long term) • Regional evaluation • Supply chain development • Alternative production systems.

A Global Strategy The Key components of a Global Strategy. 1. Prevention 2. Identification 3. Clean planting material 4. Resistant varieties 5. Integrated production systems • Inoculum reduction strategies • Reduction in plant stress • Crop rotations • Area-wide management programs • Education and training

A Global Strategy The Key components of a Global Strategy. 1. Prevention 2. Identification 3. Clean planting material 4. Resistant varieties 5. Integrated production systems 6. Capacity building • Knowledge based on good science • Farm workers/leading hands/managers • Corporate managers • Extensionists/agronomists • Quarantine and regulatory staff • Policy makers & Politicians

A Global Strategy The Key components of a Global Strategy. 1. Prevention 2. Identification 3. Clean planting material 4. Resistant varieties 5. Inoculum reduction 6. Capacity building 7. Collaboration • Sharing a common goal • Respect • Integration of a wide range of disciplines

A Global Strategy

What can Asian Pacific bring to a Global Strategy? We have  20+ years of experience of working with the disease  The capacity to provide strategic advice  Developed a culture of collaboration and sharing  Systems for the development and evaluation of resistant varieties  Capability and knowledge of production and supply chain systems  Testing and evaluation sites  Skilled resources

The Role of Bioversity(BAPNET)/TFNet in a Global Strategy

BAPNET - collection of research institutions - strong networks - technical information TFNet - an environment to increase the awareness of the impact of the disease. - moving the technical information into knowledge and adoption.

Key Point of Focus

Four banana business models Cavendish monoculture – multinational companies

Cavendish monoculture – small growers supplying to multinational trading companies

Diverse range of varieties – small growers supplying into a central market

each production system

Diverse range of varieties in subsistence farming across across systems – small farmers cuts Theimpacts of global strategy

Thank you

Research Teams in Australia, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, China, India and South Africa