Panama Disease in Bananas
Background
Panama disease is a fungal borne pathogen first reported on an Australian banana farm in 1876 [1]. The disease causes fusarium wilt in banana plants, ultimately leading the death of the crop. Panama disease is caused by the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum, of the Ascomycota phylum. There are different strains, or "races", of the fungus known to infect specific types of banana plants [1]. The disease has been responsible for two worldwide die-offs of banana plants, the second of which is ongoing. These epidemics have been responsible for the loss of hundreds of thousands of hectares of plantation land area and millions of dollars worth of dead crops [1,7,10]. To date, there is not a fungicide or other method known to be effective in combatting F. oxysporum [1]. The disease is subject to a large amount of current agricultural research in an attempt to deter or stop the further spread of the disease to non-infected areas, as well as devising a genetic resistance to the pathogen [1-11]. As of 2017, Panama disease infected Cavendish banana plants have been reported in East Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia [4]. Without significant progress in effective treatments for the disease, the pathogen is expected to continue to cause further economic and agricultural damage to the banana industry as well as endanger the Cavendish banana variety as a world food staple [2,4].
Section 1
Include some current research, with at least one figure showing data.
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Section 2
Include some current research, with at least one figure showing data.
Section 3
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Section 4
Conclusion
References
[1]
Ordonez, N., Seidl, M.F., Waalwijk, C., André, D., Kilian, A., Thomma, B.P.H., Ploetz, R.C., Kema, G.H.J. "Worse Comes to Worst: Bananas and Panama Disease- When Plant and Pathogen Clones Meet." PLOS Pathogens. 2015. Volume 11(11). p. 1-7.
Authored for BIOL 238 Microbiology, taught by Joan Slonczewski, 2017, Kenyon College.
