Steps are now being taken to stem an immediate threat posed by fusarium wilt, a plant disease which affects bananas and plantains, from spreading to Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean.

Considered to be the most destructive disease for these crops in modern times, the latest tropical race 4 (TR4) strain is caused by the soil-borne fungus, fusarium oxysporum f sp cubense (Foc).

With the TR1 and TR 2 already present in Jamaica, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has stressed the need for the country to continue with efforts to keep the TR4 strain out.

“The TR4 variant identified in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Australia sees the Cavendish clones, which are most important in subsistence and export production, among the wide range of cultivars most affected. The strain also has the potential to completely wipe out common varieties of bananas such as Robusta, Lacatan, William, Gran Naine and plantains (Horse, French) and all of the varieties affected by PDR1 and 2. It can also be transmitted in Heliconia plants,” a notice from the ministry said.

“The disease is spread through living or dead host plants, infested plant parts and soil from infested fields, carried in and out of the field by persons, tools, animals and irrigation water,” it continued.

The earlier detected TR1 strain, which ravaged the ‘Gros Michel’ cultivar, forced this banana variant into becoming replaced by the more resistant Cavendish cultivars. Additionally, the strain also wiped out a number of the silk variety including apple, bumpy, thousand fingers and Chinese variants. This, while the TR2 severely impacted the bluggoe, bodles altafort and highgate (Jamaican Tetraploid) varieties.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), working with a number of local partners, has for the last few weeks been engaging a multi-dimensional approach, which sees entities pushing to safeguard countries in the region from having the new strain enter Caribbean soil.

“Through training, we are equipping countries to conduct surveillance and monitoring so they can be able to analyse risks and enforce strict phytosanitary measures to prevent the introduction of the pathogen as we need them to be able to contain it swiftly in case of any incursion,” plant pathologist at the FAO Maged Elkahky said, while underscoring the need for strengthened inter-regional collaboration to effectively prevent and manage the newest strain in the region.

Unlike other plant diseases that can be managed with pesticides or cultivation practices, TR4, the pathologist said, is particularly insidious in that, “Once it invades the soil, it can persist for decades, banning banana production and devastating the livelihoods of farmers.”

Symptoms of the new strain, which is said to be somewhat similar to the TR1 and TR2, can be detected by premature yellowing and dying of older leaves as well as the splitting of the banana trunk and a darkening of the plant water and food vessels.

Following a week-long programme held recently, farmers, technical staff, extension workers, and other stakeholders were trained to prepare for a potential incursion of the TR4 strain in the Caribbean.

Ramping up public awareness efforts in recent times, the Banana Board of Jamaica said it remains on alert as it aggressively works to protect and preserve the banana crop which locally is consumed by more than 95 per cent of the population and currently cultivated by more than 60,000 farmers for income.

Latin America and the Caribbean which also produces almost 30 per cent of the world’s bananas and plantains, saw production volumes surpass 40 million metric tons in 2022.

The perennial crops prized for their many contributions in Caribbean history are ranked as the fourth most important produce after rice, wheat and maize in the developing world.

“Bananas and plantains are not only important for income generation but also for nutrition security in the Caribbean. With TR4 already present in other territories, Caribbean countries must work hard and together to increase preparedness focusing on prevention, biosecurity measures, early diagnostic and contingency,” FAO’s plant production and protection officer Melvin Media further said.