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ISRAELI agricultural biotechnology
company, Rahan Meristem, the world’s
leading banana and plantain breeding
and tissue culture company, has
encouraged Australian growers to stick
with Cavendish banana cultivars for
their future production.
Sponsored by Haifa Australia for the
local industry, the company’s Scientific
Director, Dr Eli Khayat, earlier this
year visited growers and spoke at the
Australian Banana Industry Congress
held on the Gold Coast.
Dr Khayat said the Australian industry,
like most others around the world,
was largely based on Cavendish
and it would be wise to address any
challenges whilst remaining within the
Cavendish group.
“There is good science work going on
in Australia and the world to preserve
Cavendish, as well as for developing
Cavendish-derived varieties,’’ Dr
Khayat said.
“In scientific institutions it is legitimate
to look at other options.The commercial
industry should focus on solving
problems in the Cavendish domain.
“Especially in relation to TR4 (Panama
Tropical Race 4), there are very
promising technologies that, in reality,
will solve the problem.
“It is only a matter of time before
resistant varieties come to market and
replace susceptible varieties. So hang
on to what you have, because help is on
the way.
“Everybody is concerned about TR4
and fortunately there are 400 resistant
lines being trialled in the Philippines.
They have been tested for resistance in
a contaminated field and already have
successfully passed the first cycle of fruit
and are in the process of developing
to the second cycle, so it’s very exciting
and hopefully it will solve the problem.’’
Banana
growers
encouraged
to stick with
Cavendish
ro
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He also recognised the problems caused
by storms and strong winds in Australia,
particularly in North Queensland,
where the dwarf variety, Adi, a second
generation after Grand Nain, is quite
resistant to winds and highly suited.
“There are two lines, one taller and one
smaller, and the bunch is excellent.’’
“Some adjustment needs to happen
with the nutrition because a large
portion of the plant’s carbon is
directed to the fruit, so it has to be fed
accordingly. It needs higher levels of
potassium nitrate.
Yield increase
“It also has to be managed differently
to get the full benefits.The variety is
quick cycling, but de-suckering has to be
done in a precise fashion. Over a period
of three years, growers will get an extra
cycle of fruit. It’s an addition of 18 per
cent to yield without adding any inputs.’’
Dr Khayat said growers often asked
him which line out of eight to 12
Cavendish genotypes would best suit
their plantation and he had a standard
response:“Choose one of the clones, but
perform an experiment with at least four
cultivars that are likely to give you the
best result. Grow each of them over half
a hectare for three years and measure
one parameter only – revenue.’’
“Don’t worry about the packing, brix
shape or yield.The variety of choice
is the one that gives you the most
revenue.’’
He said in the future, further gains
would be made from the use of electro-
optical technology and computation.We
are already using“phenomic tools” for
breeding and precision growing.
“By identifying phenotypes in the field,
we will be able to give information to
growers that can help determine the
most optical stage for harvesting the
fruit, as well as other parameters when
dealing with nutrition, irrigation and
plant stresses.
“We are also using tools to shorten the
time in breeding programs. Previously,
varieties could take five to 15 years
to develop.We are now using this
technology to predict a variety at a
young stage as plants come out of tissue
culture, so we don’t waste five to 15
years on selection.’’
However, Dr Khayat cautioned
local growers about using corms
to propagate banana plants due
to the method being conducive to
diseases and resulting in non-uniform
production.
“Tissue culture is a very robust
tool. The plants are sterile and the
technique allows selection of elite
clones that can be mass multiplied in
a short period. So make the transition
from corm propagation to tissue
culture propagation because it will
provide great advantages, especially
against TR4.’’
Industry support
Haifa Australia Managing Director
Trevor Dennis said it was a great
opportunity for the company to
extend its support to the local industry
and growers by bringing Dr Khayat
to the country to discuss the latest in
breeding and varieties, including with
resistance to TR4.
Dr Khayat said considering both Rahan
Meristem and Haifa supported the
same grower, the ongoing interaction
between the companies, bringing
genetics and nutrition together, was
highly effective.
“Another benefit of the collaboration
is the dispensing of technology.We are
working with Haifa in Israel, supplying
plants and looking at the nutrition.
It’s wise to collaborate with each
other and match the nutrition to the
genetics,’’ he said.
North Queensland banana grower Peter
Inderbitzen, Dr Eli Khayat and Haifa Agronomist
Peter Anderson discuss banana varieties in the
Swiss Farms plantation at Lakeland.
Massimo Bianco, Queensland
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
Centre for Wet Tropics Agriculture, with
Dr Eli Khayat inspecting banana varieties.
