Chiquita presents first resistent banana

Chiquita claims to have created the first edible banana that is resistant to some of the major current fungal diseases. The Yelloway One heralds a new era for export banana production, the producer says.

Saved from extinction?

The Cavendish banana, the only edible variety widely commercialised today, is threatened with extinction due to the emergence of fungal diseases such as the Panama disease and Black sigatoka. Chiquita therefore joined forces with three research institutes to develop a new, hybrid banana variety that is resistant to these diseases.

The research project has now produced a first result: the Yelloway One is the result of a breeding programme, not of genetic modification. It is the first edible banana that is resistant to both Panama disease (caused by Tropical Race 4), and Black sigatoka (also known as Black Leaf Streak Disease).

According to the researchers, this breakthrough proves that it is possible to obtain resistant banana varieties by crossing. Yelloway One is now about to flower and bear fruit in the greenhouse for the first time. Soon, the plants will leave for infected areas in the Philippines and Indonesia for field trials. Yelloway One should not stay alone for long: the aim is to develop a range of varieties that can be planted together and are genetically different from each other.