A new banana fungus is spreading rapidly around the world. It arrived in Africa a decade ago and the advance of the disease poses a threat to Africa's food security, a genetic study by wageningen University and Research (WUR) and the University of Utrecht reveals. Professor of plant pathology Gert Kema and his colleagues sound the alarm.

Fusarium wilt is advancing in Mozambique, where the dominant TR4 strain is affecting banana producers. But this is not the only country affected; In the last decade, the disease has spread from Asia to South America and Africa. After mozambique's first reports in 2013, no other reports have been made for many years. "The disease seemed to be under control in Africa. However, we have learned that unfortunately this is not the case," sighs Gert Kema, who runs the Phytopathology Laboratory.

The new study was conducted by Kema's Ph.D. Student Anouk van Westerhoven and bioinformatics and data scientist Michael Seidl of the University of Utrecht, in collaboration with a local researcher, show that the fungus TR4 spread for at least 200 kilometers from the original planting. Genetic research shows that the strains found in different locations are closely related, which means that the pathogen found in Mozambique has a single origin.

"After all, that first outbreak was not controlled. The disease continues to spread, even among smallfarmers and people who have banana trees in their gardens. They probably do not recognize the disease and as a result cannot treat it properly. "says Van Westerhoven.

Source: Agrolink