Leading Israeli banana breeder to test varieties in Australia

Countries More News Top Stories
Leading Israeli banana breeder to test varieties in Australia

An Israeli agricultural biotechnology company reportedly hopes to test tissue-cultured banana varieties in major Australian growing areas. banana_66284746 small

Website Weeklytimesnow.com.au reported the trial would aim to develop a banana variety ­resistant to the devastating Panama disease, which is affecting Queensland farms.

North Queensland growers recently visited the plant propagation, selection and breeding company Rahan Meristem, near Israel’s northwest border with Lebanon.

The company is the world’s leading exporter of tissue cultured banana and plantain, the story said.

It is already working with Filipino growers to identify Panama disease Tropical Race 4 (TR4) ­resistant types and is screening clonal material for TR4 resistance in the Netherlands.

Rahan Meristem hopes to pass Australian quarantine and establish two field trials in major growing areas, Weeklytimesnow.com.au reported.

The group's scientific director Eli Khayat told growers the company would then identify a laboratory for tissue culture and propagation of material.

“I am certain that our ­material will be helpful to growers in Australia,” Khayat was quoted as saying.

“We take superior clones of leading cultivated idio-types and evaluate them for increased yield and fruit ­quality in tropical and subtropical climates.

“This results in preferred selections of pest and disease-free banana cultivars and plants capable of increasing plantation profits.”

The story said that each year Rahan Meristem scientists took the best 20% of the population and propagate them in the laboratory, then they select the best 2-3% of those clones.

Some of this research will be presented at the Australian Banana Industry Congress on June 17-20.

Photo: www.shutterstock.com

www.freshfruitportal.com

Subscribe to our newsletter