Tanzania researchers develop disease-resistant bananas to combat devastating virus
What you need to know:
- Efforts are ongoing to contain the disease and develop long-term solutions to protect banana farming, which is a vital staple and economic crop for many Tanzanians
Arusha. Researchers at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have intensified efforts to develop disease-resistant banana varieties in a bid to combat the devastating virus, which can cause yield losses of up to 100 percent.
The invasive Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) is spread by banana aphids, severely stunts banana plants and causes Banana Bunchy Top Disease (BBTD).
The disease is a significant threat to banana production in several countries, particularly in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific.
Countries affected in Africa include Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, DRC, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, and Zambia.
IITA scientist Happyness Mpanda revealed that the institute has launched a research initiative to breed BBTV-resistant banana seedlings, which have been sent to Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for screening to determine their resistance to the virus.
She said, to date, there is no known chemical treatment or cure for the disease.
“The only effective control measure is to encourage affected farmers to uproot and destroy all infected banana plants and allow a fallow period before replanting with disease-free banana seedlings,” she said.
She added that such an approach remains a challenge, as the crop is a primary source of food and income for farmers.
“As part of our initiative, 72 banana varieties from our parental breeding programme are undergoing screening for BBTV resistance. Those found to be resistant will advance to the banana product development phase,” Ms Mpanda said yesterday.
She further explained that once the final products are confirmed to be resistant, they will be tested in experimental trials on farms in the DRC.
If successful, the seedlings will be handed over to agricultural research institutions for verification and rapid distribution to farmers.
BBTV has already spread to seven regions in Tanzania—Dar es Salaam, Coast, Morogoro, Mbeya, Kilimanjaro, Kigoma, and Mwanza—posing a serious threat to banana farmers.
“The disease was initially confined to Kigoma, but it has since spread, leading to substantial losses for farmers,” she noted.
Another IITA researcher, Ms Fatuma Mussa, said developing resistant varieties is a crucial step in protecting banana farming, which is a major source of food and income for millions of people in East Africa.
“While breeding resistant varieties takes time, it is the most sustainable solution. Meanwhile, farmers must uproot and destroy infected banana plants to curb the spread of the disease,” she explained.
She added that IITA is working closely with government agencies, local authorities, and agricultural extension officers to educate farmers on disease management and preventive measures.
A researcher from the Tanzania Plant Health and Pesticides Authority (TPHPA), Mr Hamadi Lyimo, revealed that BBTV was first detected in Tanzania in 2020 in Buhigwe District, Kigoma Region, after spreading from Burundi.
Since then, it has significantly impacted banana production.
“Efforts are ongoing to contain the disease and develop long-term solutions to protect banana farming, which is a vital staple and economic crop for many Tanzanians,” he said.
However, Ms Mussa urged the government to implement strict measures to prevent the movement of banana planting material between regions to curb further spread.
“We must control this disease in already affected areas rather than allowing it to spread further,” she said.
He cautioned farmers to source banana seedlings only from certified, disease-free suppliers.
