Tuesday, December 08, 2015 2:39:23 AM
What is panama disease?
Feed your brain... Unpeeling the facts
Panama disease is caused by the fungus Fusarium (the full name is Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense). It is a soil pathogen which infects the root system and goes on to colonise the plant through the vascular system – hyphae of the fungus can even reach the leaves. The disease cannot be controlled or cured other than by soil treatments, which unfortunately have such a detrimental effect on the environment that they are prohibited almost everywhere.
Biological methods under development are showing great potential, however. One of the worst effects of Panama disease is the production of so-called chlamydospores , or resting spores, which survive in the soil for decades. As soon as a susceptible banana plant is grown nearby, these spores germinate, infect the plant, and kill it. In other words, soil that has been contaminated once becomes unfit for future banana production unless resistant varieties are grown.
Gros Michel used to be the prime banana cultivar until it succumbed to the historic Panama disease epidemic (the Fusarium strain which affected it is called ‘Race 1’ and is almost omnipresent globally) in Latin America in the 1950s. Banana plantations were completely destroyed, abandoned and started afresh in areas that were still free of Panama disease. However, due to a lack of understanding of Fusarium epidemiology and improper sanitation methods – and even after areas were inundated to kill Fusarium – such new areas were also quickly infested, which resulted in the epidemic spiralling out of control.
Cavendish
Fortunately, a replacement with Fusarium resistance emerged in the early 20th century and banana producers slowly adopted this new cultivar - the Cavendish banana. The price was high, however: Cavendish bananas are delicate in transport and prone to bruising. The chain had to be entirely tailored for its national and international transport. In addition, the taste and size of the Cavendish are inferior to Gros Michel.
The race is on
Since the 1990s a new strain of the Fusarium fungus – the so-called Tropical Race (TR) 4 – has occurred and spread, destroying ten thousands of hectares of plantations of Cavendish bananas. Farmers in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Australia are threatened in their business and livelihoods. Bananas are an important cash-crop for millions of people, enabling them to send children to school and support their families. Panama disease therefore threatens to cause widespread poverty.
In addition, Panama disease does not, of course, respect borders. Due to globalisation and the fact that the disease is easily transmitted by soil, water and, probably, air, dissemination of the TR4 Fusarium type to the other important banana production regions (Africa and Latin America) seems to be just a matter of time.
http://panamadisease.org/en/theproblem
===
What Panama disease TR4 means for Australia's bananas
Date December 7, 2015 - 3:19PM
Amy Mitchell-Whittington
Rows of banana plants affected by Panama disease tropical race 4. Photo: Andrew Daly / Australian Banana
Discussions around cavendish banana prices and supply in Australia have arisen after a recent study revealed a disastrous cavendish banana disease was likely to hit the world's biggest banana exporter, Latin America.
Below is an explainer that breaks down what the disease is, how Australia is affected and what management plans are in place to control the outbreak.
What is Panama disease tropical race 4?
A leaf from a banana plant affected by Panama disease tropical race 4 Photo: Andrew Daly / Australian Banana
Panama disease is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp cubense. It is a soil pathogen that infects the root system of banana plants and establishes control of the plant through the vascular system.
The disease cannot be controlled or cured.
More .. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/what-panama-disease-tr4-means-for-australias-bananas-20151207-glh8uw.html
See also:
The GMO Labeling Battle Is Heating Up—Here's Why
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=95835588
Science makes sense on the evolution of female spines
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=111504794
We need some contests for this pestilence!__How the Man Swarm Eats the Earth
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=112104269
The Koala in the Coal Mine
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=118997944
For That Zeus Bug in Your Life
Bonobos may be alone among apes in preferring to share food with strangers over friends and family.
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=95553376
actually, not E. tinctorum so much as one of the bracket fungi in the Fomes genus.
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=111797567
Feed your brain... Unpeeling the facts
Panama disease is caused by the fungus Fusarium (the full name is Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense). It is a soil pathogen which infects the root system and goes on to colonise the plant through the vascular system – hyphae of the fungus can even reach the leaves. The disease cannot be controlled or cured other than by soil treatments, which unfortunately have such a detrimental effect on the environment that they are prohibited almost everywhere.
Biological methods under development are showing great potential, however. One of the worst effects of Panama disease is the production of so-called chlamydospores , or resting spores, which survive in the soil for decades. As soon as a susceptible banana plant is grown nearby, these spores germinate, infect the plant, and kill it. In other words, soil that has been contaminated once becomes unfit for future banana production unless resistant varieties are grown.
Gros Michel used to be the prime banana cultivar until it succumbed to the historic Panama disease epidemic (the Fusarium strain which affected it is called ‘Race 1’ and is almost omnipresent globally) in Latin America in the 1950s. Banana plantations were completely destroyed, abandoned and started afresh in areas that were still free of Panama disease. However, due to a lack of understanding of Fusarium epidemiology and improper sanitation methods – and even after areas were inundated to kill Fusarium – such new areas were also quickly infested, which resulted in the epidemic spiralling out of control.
Cavendish
Fortunately, a replacement with Fusarium resistance emerged in the early 20th century and banana producers slowly adopted this new cultivar - the Cavendish banana. The price was high, however: Cavendish bananas are delicate in transport and prone to bruising. The chain had to be entirely tailored for its national and international transport. In addition, the taste and size of the Cavendish are inferior to Gros Michel.
The race is on
Since the 1990s a new strain of the Fusarium fungus – the so-called Tropical Race (TR) 4 – has occurred and spread, destroying ten thousands of hectares of plantations of Cavendish bananas. Farmers in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Australia are threatened in their business and livelihoods. Bananas are an important cash-crop for millions of people, enabling them to send children to school and support their families. Panama disease therefore threatens to cause widespread poverty.
In addition, Panama disease does not, of course, respect borders. Due to globalisation and the fact that the disease is easily transmitted by soil, water and, probably, air, dissemination of the TR4 Fusarium type to the other important banana production regions (Africa and Latin America) seems to be just a matter of time.
http://panamadisease.org/en/theproblem
===
What Panama disease TR4 means for Australia's bananas
Date December 7, 2015 - 3:19PM
Amy Mitchell-Whittington
Rows of banana plants affected by Panama disease tropical race 4. Photo: Andrew Daly / Australian Banana
Discussions around cavendish banana prices and supply in Australia have arisen after a recent study revealed a disastrous cavendish banana disease was likely to hit the world's biggest banana exporter, Latin America.
Below is an explainer that breaks down what the disease is, how Australia is affected and what management plans are in place to control the outbreak.
What is Panama disease tropical race 4?
A leaf from a banana plant affected by Panama disease tropical race 4 Photo: Andrew Daly / Australian Banana
Panama disease is caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp cubense. It is a soil pathogen that infects the root system of banana plants and establishes control of the plant through the vascular system.
The disease cannot be controlled or cured.
More .. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/what-panama-disease-tr4-means-for-australias-bananas-20151207-glh8uw.html
See also:
The GMO Labeling Battle Is Heating Up—Here's Why
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=95835588
Science makes sense on the evolution of female spines
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=111504794
We need some contests for this pestilence!__How the Man Swarm Eats the Earth
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=112104269
The Koala in the Coal Mine
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=118997944
For That Zeus Bug in Your Life
Bonobos may be alone among apes in preferring to share food with strangers over friends and family.
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=95553376
actually, not E. tinctorum so much as one of the bracket fungi in the Fomes genus.
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=111797567
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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