Fusarium wilt, also known as Panama wilt, is a killer that is rapidly spreading in Latin America and hurting global supplies of the world's most popular export banana variety; the Cavendish. The IAEA, in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is now using nuclear science to combat, manage and prevent the spread of this disease, save livelihoods and ensure food security.
Bananas are a staple food in much of the region and are an important cash crop as well. Over 84 per cent of bananas are produced by smallholder farmers and supply the domestic markets, while the remaining 16 per cent produced in tropical areas are destined for export.
In late August 2021, experts and authorities from the Andean community — Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru — reached out to the IAEA when they discovered continuing spread of the latest variation of the disease, Tropical Race 4 (TR4), in the region. First reported in Latin America in 2019 in Colombia, it was observed in Peru in early 2021.
"We use irradiation to modify the plant material to develop disease resistant varieties as well as use the nuclear-derived technique of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or DNA sequencing to detect the disease and stop its spread," explained Najat Mokhtar, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Nuclear Sciences and Applications Department.
Source: devdiscourse.com