SELECTION OF A NEW SOMACLONE CULTIVAR 'TAI-CHIAO NO. 5' (AAA, CAVENDISH) WITH RESISTANCE TO FUSARIUM WILT OF BANANA IN CHINESE TAIPEI

The exploitation of somaclonal variation is an efficient approach to select improved Cavendish-type banana cultivars with superior horticultural traits and resistance to Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense race 4 (Foc race 4) in Chinese Taipei. ‘TC3-1035’, an improved somaclonal variant of ‘Tai-Chiao No. 3’, was selected and released as a new banana cultivar ‘Tai-Chiao No. 5’ in 2007. It inherited the semi-dwarf status and moderate resistance to Foc race 4 of ‘Tai-Chiao No. 3’, but not the susceptibility to flower thrips, Thrips hawaiiensis, at shooting stage. It also has a higher yield potential. Under suitable field management, plant height of ‘Tai-Chiao No. 5’ is 2.7 m, and its fruit size, shape and yield capacity are as good as those of ’Pei-Chiao’, which is the most widely planted Cavendish cultivar in Chinese Taipei. During the 7-year consecutive evaluation trials, Fusarium wilt incidence in ‘Tai-Chiao No. 5’ plants was 5-25% whereas 10-50% plants were affected in ‘Pei-Chiao’ established in the same infested plot. This is an indication of the stable resistance of ‘Tai-Chiao No. 5’ to Foc race 4. With additional benefit of easy ripening and good eating quality, ‘Tai-Chiao No. 5’ is now well accepted, both in the local and Japanese market. Currently, a total of 0.9 million tissue-culture plantlets, about 450 ha, have been released to banana growers in Chinese Taipei.