Banana and Plantain Production Under Threat

Banana and plantain production in Saint Lucia are under threat due to the re-emergence of a disease known as Fusarium Wilt in Musa species.

This disease is caused by a soil-borne fungus called Fusarium odoratissimum (van westerhoven et al, 2022). Race 1 of this disease wiped out the most traded Gros Michel variety in the Americas in the mid-twentieth century. The disease was controlled when the tolerant Cavendish cultivar replaced the Gros Michel because it was tolerant to Race 1 of the disease and is still the most traded cultivar for export globally.

Meanwhile, a new strain of Tropical Race 4 (TR4) has emerged and is affecting all Musa species example plantains, cooking bananas, Macamboo and dessert banana varieties. Tropical Race 4 (TR4) was discovered in Asia in the 1960s then it spread to South East Asia, the Jordan Valley, Africa, Australia, the Philippines and China. In 2019 the disease was diagnosed in Columbia, in 2020 in Peru and 2023 in Venezuela.

The likelihood that it spread in the Windward Islands is a major concern. This disease is one of the most destructive plant diseases in human history. Preventing the entry of this disease is a priority for the Department of Agriculture. Thousands of households in Saint Lucia depend on bananas and plantain as their main source of income and livelihood. The most effective way to control this disease is through exclusion. There are no plant treatments or chemicals that can control this disease.