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Together we can stop the spread of Tropical Race 4 (TR4)

TR4 Global Network - An initiative of the World Banana Forum











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    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    Preventing the spread and introduction of Banana Fusarium Tropical race 4 (TR4)
    TR4 Global Network - An initiative of the World Banana Forum
    2020
    Preventing the spread and introduction of Banana Fusarium Tropical race 4 (TR4) disease is a summary of a more extensive guide for travellers, targeting occasional and regular travellers to or from banana and plantain production areas. The quick guide aims to raise awareness and provide direction on preventing the spread of the highly virulent pathogen known as Tropical Race 4 (TR4. The document opens with a brief historical background on the banana fusarium wilt disease that have affected banana and plantain plants over several decades. Today, TR4 threatens almost all banana and plantain producers, posing the greatest risks to countries producing Cavendish bananas in monoculture plantations in Asia, Australia, Africa, the Near East, Latin America and the Caribbean. Once established in a banana or plantain plantation, the fungus can survive in the soil and in alternative host plants for decades. Finally, the quick guide offers recommendations: for regular and occasional travellers and local or international visitors; for farmers, professionals, technicians and employees visiting disease-free banana and plantain farms in areas where TR4 infestation has been recorded; and additional recommendations for visiting farms infested with TR4 for obligatory and work-related reasons.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    Tropical Race 4 prevention strategies
    TR4 Global Network. An initiative of the World Banana Forum
    2020
    Managing the movement of soil, water and plant material entering and exiting farms is the key to effective on-farm biosecurity. Prevention is currently the primary way to avoid new Tropical race 4 (TR4) invasions. Intended for a development practitioner audience, TR4 prevention strategies, details, step by step, how early detection, rapid destruction of infected banana and plantain plants, and on-farm restrictions are the only way to control and contain TR4. A country’s regulatory framework is explored in this document, with, for example, the following steps to be taken: designation of TR4 as a quarantine pest; setting up a monitoring system to promptly detect incursions; enacting of regulations that allow the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) to intervene on farms. On-farm biosecurity is only effective if the standard for practices are high, and if practices are adhered to at all times. A single practice failure can potentially lead to the introduction of a new pest or disease. With this in mind, ten biosecurity measures are listed, which if enforced, enable farmers/growers to help to protect not only their own farms, but also their country's banana industry. In addition, practical and detailed steps for farm visitors and for international travellers are included in the document.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    Preventing the spread and introduction of banana fusarium wilt disease Tropical race 4 (TR4)
    Guide for travelers
    2020
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    Banana is an important crop for food security and ensuring the livelihoods of approximately 400 million people who depend on the crop either as a staple food or source of income, particularly in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Plant pests and diseases can seriously affect agricultural production and livelihood of rural people. Fusarium wilt of banana is one of the key examples of crop devastation by a plant disease. This disease brought the banana export industry almost to a halt in the 20th century when the popular banana variety Gros Michel was devastated in Central America. The sector was saved by the introduction of the Cavendish variety, which is resistant to race 1 of the fungus. However, Cavendish bananas are now succumbing to a new, highly aggressive strain of the Fusarium wilt fungus, Tropical race 4 (TR4). Fusarium wilt TR4 threatens almost all banana producers, posing the greatest risks to countries producing Cavendish bananas in monoculture plantations in Asia, Australia, Africa, the Near East, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Cavendish bananas, which constitute approximately half of the bananas grown globally are highly susceptible to TR4, but other dessert banana varieties grown in these regions are also susceptible. Once established in a banana plantation, the fungus can survive in the soil for decades with its chlamydospores, even without banana plants. Scientific reports indicate the presence of TR4 in numerous countries in Asia (China – mainland and Taiwan Province), India, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar,

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