A comprehensive strategy for managing Fusarium wilt of banana

Fusarium wilt of banana is a devastating disease caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc). An effective disease-control strategy should serve dual roles, both improving host resistance and reducing Foc population size in the field. Our research group has bred several banana cultivars with resistance to tropical race 4 (TR4), the most virulent race of Foc, including the AAA Cavendish types 'Zhongjiao No. 3', 'Zhongjiao No. 4' and 'Zhongjiao No. 6'. Experiments in vitro showed that root exudates from these resistant lines inhibited TR4 spore germination and hyphal growth. In addition, a field survey over a period of 4 years showed that these resistant cultivars limited Foc population size in the field. Soil disinfection using ammonium bicarbonate/lime significantly decreased the Foc population in top but not deep soils. Applying fermented banana pseudostems with endophytic and antagonistic Trichoderma spp. with high cellulase activity in the field limited disease incidence and suppressed the pathogen. In conclusion, our evaluations of several control measures on soil inoculum levels of Fusarium wilt in banana production regions in Guangdong province, China highlighted their effectiveness. We propose a comprehensive disease control strategy integrating multiple measures, including the use of resistant banana cultivars, crop rotation with Chinese leek and reducing soil inoculum levels by biocontrol.