The Battle to Save the Banana in Central America

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The threat of a plague in Latin America has triggered the global alert as scientists fight to save the banana.  In PáginaSIETE of La Paz Bethlehem Delgado wrote of Raza Tropical 4, known as Panama disease, caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum, which has spread in recent years from Asia to Africa. Faced with the threat of a plague that could penetrate and destroy the favorite banana variety on the world market, scientists around the world are trying to refine various techniques to achieve full resistance to the disease. 

The problem is not new to the scientific community, because in the mid twentieth century Raza 1 devastated plantations cultivating the variety of banana then dominant, the Gros Michel.  An alternative came to hand with the Cavendish banana, immune to fungus and currently the queen of world exports, especially in developing countries that cater to consumption in Europe and the United States.  Yet during the last two decades Fusarium oxysporum has been spreading after causing havoc in Asia where the practices and fungicides were not available to control it.  As a result, research and growers are worried about over reliance on a single variety.  In Honduras they are trying to improve varieties that are conventionally Cavendish, requiring a large number of crosses because fertility is very low.