Disease resistance in wild bananas

Black Sigatoka (pronounced “singatoka” — it’s the place in Fiji where it was first spotted) is a leaf-spot disease affecting banana plants that is caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis. Black Sigatoka disease is the greatest threat to production of the Cavendish, the world’s most common bunch of banana varieties. Resistance to the fungus has been found in a wild banana (Musa acuminata) called ‘Calcutta 4,’ and breeders have incorporated this resistance into several hybrids. However, some forms of the fungus have evolved to become more virulent and can now overcome these resistant hybrids, so breeders are again searching for additional sources of resistance among wild banana species.[i]