Tengku Ab. Malik T.M., Rozeita,L. ,Maimun,T., and

Umikalsum, M.B.

Horticulture Research Centre, MARDI, Malaysia

• Banana is the 2nd most important commercial fruit crop in Malaysia

• Pisang Berangan and Cavendish are the most popular varieties

• Other local varieties, including P. Mas, P. Rastali, P. Nangka, P. Raja, P. Tanduk, P. Abu, P. Awak- for domestic market

• Cultivated as a backyard farm, small, medium and large for both domestic and export consumptions

• Exported to Singapore, Brunei, Hong Kong and Middle East

• Johor, Sabah and Sarawak served as major states in Malaysia producing banana-27,543 hectares (2009)

• The area is expected to expand in future due to increasing local and foreign demand and newly implemented ETP by the government

• Disease is one of the most important factors that can significantly limit the production of banana in Malaysia

• Fusarium wilt is the single most devastating disease contributing to low production and economic loss

• The emerging of new bacterial disease, Moko has further dampened the banana industry

• A concerted effort by the Malaysian research institutes, universities and private agencies is very necessary by pooling their expertise and resources to find immediately solutions

• This paper highlight the past and current research and discuss the strategies to be taken in managing these diseases in Malaysia

STATUS OF FUSARIUM WILT DISEASE RESEARCH IN MALAYSIA

• Fusarium wilt disease of banana is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f sp. cubense (FOC)

• FOC has been identified, based on race 1, 2, 3 and 4

• In Malaysia FOC has been identified as tropical race 4 (FOCTR4)

• Cavendish, P. Berangan and P. Rastali are the most susceptible cultivars

• Almost all the domestic and commercial cultivars are now infected to varying degrees of FOC

• Epidermic of the disease can be due to mono-cultivar cultivation, poor field and crop management

Cultural Management• Studies on the use of chemical

basamit fumigation, formalin and magnesium limestone were not effective to control FOC

• However, other management practices such as organic cultivation, crop rotation can offer solution to control FOC

Screening For Resistance

Banana hybrids and somaclones’ performance and reaction to FOC• 23 varieties were evaluated • Cv Rose, P. Jari Buaya and Calcutta 4 were

resistant with no economic value but can be sources of resistance

• Hybrid FHIA-18, FHIA-21 and FHIA-25 were tolerant but not well accepted by consumers

• Gross Michel, Cavendish (cv William), P. Berangan Intan and P. Mas were susceptible

Evaluate yield, quality, Foc resistance

Variety Months after planting

N 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

1. FHIA-18 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

2. FHIA-21 20 0 0 5 5 5 5 10 10 10 10

3. FHIA-25 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

4. SH-3640 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

5. Cavendish GCTCV-106 20 0 0 0 5 10 10 10 10 10 10

6. Cavendish GCTCV-215 20 0 0 10 10 15 15 15 15 15 15

7. Cavendish GCTCV-247 20 0 0 0 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

8. CRBP-39 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

9. BITA-3 20 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

10. BITA-2 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 10 10 10

11. Gros Michel (P. Embun) 20 30 30 50 70 70 80 80 90 100 100

Table 1. Percentage of plants with Fusarium wilt symptoms (external and internal) for 23 varieties over 13 month-period

Variety Months after plantingN 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

12. Bluggoe 20 15 15 15 20 20 35 35 35 40 4513. Cavendish cv. Williams 20 20 30 30 35 35 40 40 40 40 4014. cv. Rose 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 015. Yangambi km5 20 0 5 5 10 10 10 10 10 10 1016. Calcutta 4 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 017. Pisang Ceylan 20 0 0 5 5 5 5 5 10 10 1018. Pisang Berlin 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 10 10 1519. Gran Enano 20 0 15 15 15 15 20 20 20 25 2520. Pisang Jari Buaya 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 021. Pisang Mas 20 15 15 15 25 25 25 30 30 35 5522. Pisang Tanduk 20 0 0 0 0 0 5 10 10 25 3023. Pisang Berangan Intan 20 15 25 30 30 30 30 40 50 50 70

Table 1. Percentage of plants with Fusarium wilt symptoms (external and internal) for 23 varieties over 13 month-period

cv RoseCavendish cvwilliam

FHIA-25 P. Jari Buaya

Selection of improved P. Raja• 144 accessions were collected

• 15 accessions were short listed and evaluated for agronomic performances, reaction to FOC

• 51B showed tolerant to FOC , early fruiting (235 days) with high bunch weight (23.4 kg)

Accession No.

Days to shooting

Plant height (cm)

Bunch wt. (kg)

Reaction to Fusarium wilt

51A 301 303 16.2 Good

51B 235 280 23.4 Good

54B 324 300 16.2 Moderate

55A 327 329 16.8 Good

55B 270 282 15.5 Good66A 323 302 14.0 Poor

66B 308 300 15.2 Poor

70B 298 333 15.6 Moderate

70C 284 300 15.5 Moderate

71A 285 324 14.8 Moderate

72B 308 340 14.0 Moderate

72C 298 333 18.0 Moderate

78C 296 292 14.8 Moderate

91C 270 326 14.2 Moderate

106B 452 322 14.0 Moderate

Reaction to Fusariumwilt:

• Good: Survive for 3 harvests

• Moderate: Survive for 2 harvests

• Poor: Survive for 1 harvest

Reaction to Fusariumwilt:

• Good: Survive for 3 harvests

• Moderate: Survive for 2 harvests

• Poor: Survive for 1 harvest

Agronomic characters of 15 selected Pisang Raja accessions

Development of micosatellitemarker for resistant to FOCTR4• Polymorphic microsatellite marker has

been developed to determine resistance and susceptible individual

• This marker will facilitate fast and early screening of FOCTR4 compared to conventional technique

Microsatellite polymorphism in commercial banana cultivars, amplified by the primer set MYS 14. Lane 13 refer to 100bp marker . Lane 1-12 refer to the commercial cultivars. Band only showed on susceptible individual which have been tested earlier using double tray system at nursery stage.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

STATUS OF MOKO DISEASE RESEARCH IN MALAYSIA

• The disease was first detected in Malaysia in 2007

• Not much research has been carried out to address the problem due to low crop priority in 9th Malaysian Plan

• Moko is another serious disease of banana in the world which can contribute to yield loss

• Yield loss can be up to 100%

• This bacterial wilt is caused by Ralstoniasolanacearum race 2

• The symptom of Moko is easily distinguished from FOC

• In Moko disease fruits were infected causing brown discoloration which does not appear in FOC

• Transmitted by insect thus enable the disease to spread rapidly

• P. Nipah known to be tolerant to FOCTR4 is observed to be susceptible to Moko

• Currently, screening on the existing banana cultivars to Mokodisease is not yet carried out

• The disease is slowly spreading from Southern to Northern states of Peninsular thus warranting R&D on the disease

• MARDI has initiated R&D on epidemiology and biological control agents to control the disease

FUTURE R&D• Develop resistant varieties to FOCTR4 through in vitro

mutagenesis and somaclonal variation, utilisation of microsatellite marker for rapid screening

• Epidemiological study on Moko disease

• Screen available banana varieties to Moko disease and develop molecular marker for resistance

• Isolation of biological control agents from banana crop growing environment to control FOCTR4 and Moko disease

• Organic cultivation and crop rotation to prevent incident of the diseases

CONCLUSION• Based on varietal screening, the sources of

resistance to FOCTR4 have been identified

• These sources of resistance can be exploited byby breeders to develop resistant breeders to develop resistant varietyvariety

•• The molecular marker developed will The molecular marker developed will facilitate fast and early screening compared facilitate fast and early screening compared to conventional techniqueto conventional technique

CONCLUSION (Cont..)

• R&D on Moko disease need to be intensified.This will include epidemiological study, source of resistance, marker development, biological control and cultural management

•• Sharing information and experiences on related Sharing information and experiences on related issues and problems from local and foreignissues and problems from local and foreignexperts will expedite solution for disease control experts will expedite solution for disease control which can save the banana industrywhich can save the banana industry