Academics are preparing to contribute to early detection and prevent its spread throughout the country.
Given the potential arrival in Mexico of the fungus Foc R4T (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp cubense race 4 tropical), which seriously affects banana cultivation and has become a serious phytosanitary problem in agriculture internationally, academics from the Research Center Yucatán Scientists (CICY) are preparing to contribute to early detection and prevent its spread in our country.
To do this, authorities have implemented a molecular diagnosis protocol by real-time PCR, which is reported in the manual of the National Health, Safety and Quality Service of Mexico (Senasica).
Santy Peraza Echeverria, researcher at the CICY Biotechnology Unit, said that the PCR protocol is highly effective in detecting Foc TR4 DNA, which allows for a timely diagnosis of this microorganism in infected plants.
Fusarium wilt is one of the most harmful diseases for banana crops worldwide.
In Mexico, after citrus fruits, bananas are the most produced fruit, with nearly 2.6 million tons per year and an estimated 10,500 million pesos, according to data from the Agri-Food and Fisheries Information Service of the year 2022.
Foc TR4 threatens banana production because the varieties grown in Mexico are susceptible to this pathogen.
TYT Newsroom