GAL, a promising banana variety developed by the Israeli company Raham Meristem resistant to the Fusarium race 4 fungus, a soil pathogen that has seriously affected banana plantations, especially in northern Peru, was recently presented in Piura. This variety began being developed in 2018 and has proven effective against this fungus, which has also wreaked havoc in countries such as the Philippines, Colombia, and Venezuela.
The first field trials of the GAL variety resistant to this fungus were conducted in the Philippines and then in plantations in La Guajira, Colombia, where researchers obtained positive results. Asaf Diner, representative of Raham Meristem, highlighted the importance of this innovation for the banana industry. The first seeds of this variety arrived in Piura on August 20, and were immediately sown in the greenhouses of Agronegocios Los Angeles, Raham Meristem's local partner. Expectations are that, after field tests, by mid-2025 or early 2026, the best GAL clone can be chosen for cultivation in Peru.
José Ferreira, an engineer from Agronegocios Los Ángeles, said the process to import GAL seeds with resistance to Fusarium Race 4 to Peru took only almost two years, thanks to the help of various government entities and legislators. More than 500 hectares of bananas in Sullana, in the Chira Valley, are infected with Fusarium R4T, which accounts for a 10% drop in the Piura Valley's banana production. Ferreira asked banana producers to be patient while this new variety adapted to local conditions.
He also highlighted the need to implement biosecurity measures to contain the spread of Fusarium R4T, including exclusion in unaffected areas, eradication, and containment in infected areas. The arrival of the GAL variety represents a beacon of hope for the banana industry in Peru, facing one of its greatest phytosanitary challenges.
Source: elregionalpiura.com.pe