Viet Nam's UNI 126 banana earns high marks from world scientists

Gene editing: A breakthrough in breeding panama disease-resistant bananas

According to Dr. Mary Grace B. Saldajeno, a specialist from the Dole Food Company, due to the dangerous severity of Panama disease in bananas, Dole is focusing on cultivation methods combined with the use of resilient banana lines. These lines are created through various methods such as somaclonal variation, natural selection, accelerated breeding, or induced mutation.

Sharing insights on global trends in developing disease-resistant banana varieties, Dr. Saldajeno stated that there are currently several parallel approaches. Among these, somaclonal variation is a method that has already been deployed in practical production, but the level of disease resistance is currently only moderate.

Furthermore, methods like conventional cross-breeding, natural selection, mutation induction using gamma radiation, accelerated breeding, and gene editing are being researched, tested, and are gradually completing the necessary approval procedures under regulatory requirements in many countries.

Notably, gene editing is considered a breakthrough in the work of crop breeding. This technology allows for the purposeful manipulation of DNA sequences or gene activity without introducing foreign genes into the plant, aiming to improve nutritional value, flavor, increase disease resistance, and enhance adaptability to climate change. Compared to conventional genetic modification technology, gene editing has a faster development speed and a higher level of acceptance in many markets.

However, according to Dr. Mary Grace B. Saldajeno, currently available disease-resistant banana varieties still have significant limitations. Most only offer tolerance rather than achieving complete immunity, and the effectiveness of disease resistance remains heavily dependent on specific conditions such as pathogen density, climate, and soil characteristics.

Furthermore, market acceptance remains a significant challenge, as farmers and exporters require banana varieties that are not only disease-resistant but also meet demanding requirements for flavor, ripening quality, and transportability within the supply chain. In addition, the differences in regulatory frameworks and public perception regarding gene-edited bananas across countries also create certain barriers.

Finally, the specialist noted that the sustainability of disease resistance remains a big question mark. Pathogens can continue to adapt, and relying on a single gene or strategy always poses a long-term risk of breakdown, necessitating that breeding and cultivation solutions be approached in a holistic and flexible manner.

The Philippines' experience in managing the TR4 strain

Mr. Chih-Ping Chao, former Director of the Taiwan Banana Research Institute, shared that over 10,000 hectares of Cavendish bananas in the Philippines, which had been abandoned due to Fusarium wilt of banana Tropical Race 4 (TR4), were brought back into production by switching to the Formosana variety.

In the Philippines, TR4 was first recorded on Cavendish bananas in 2000, rapidly spreading to low-lying areas, and by 2013, it had rendered thousands of hectares unusable for cultivation, with smallholder farmers bearing the heaviest impact.

Instead of continuing to expand cultivation to new, uninfected areas to compensate for lost production, the Philippines decided to rehabilitate the infected zones using resistant varieties.

The Formosana variety (GCTCV-218), which was established and developed by the Taiwan Banana Research Institute (TBRI), was derived from somaclonal variation (a change in the genetic or morphological characteristics occurring in the somatic cells of a plant, often associated with tissue culture and possessing genetic stability) of Cavendish.

Data shows that GCTCV-218 and GCTCV-219 exhibit a very low rate of TR4 infection in commercial plots that were severely diseased. During the 2012-2015 period, many GCTCV-219 plots were virtually infection-free, while the popular Cavendish variety, Grand Naine, had an infection rate of up to 87% under the same conditions. Although the yield and some agronomic indicators have not reached the level of susceptible varieties, the new varieties are deemed capable of restoring production, especially in areas where crop rotation is not feasible.

By 2025, the total area of TR4-infected Cavendish bananas rehabilitated using the Formosana variety in the Philippines had exceeded 10,000 hectares. This result was also partly achieved through plant health management measures. Primarily, this involved biological control and the technique of destroying infected plants at "hot spots," combined with treating plant tissue after harvesting to limit the source of infection. Measures to prevent microbial re-entry were also applied, such as biological barriers, vehicle disinfection, and surface drainage.

Another key point is the variety itself. The varieties used are tissue-cultured, which helps cut the most common infection pathway of TR4, which is through uncontrolled planting material. Scientists also recommend that growers consider supplementing with practices like crop rotation of bananas with paddy rice or taro to lower fungal density in the soil, soil remediation using organic materials, or mulching and intercropping to limit erosion and spread via runoff.

Compared to the Philippines, Viet Nam faces a similar challenge but on a smaller and more fragmented scale. While the domestic banana industry is growing, the reliance on highly susceptible groups like Cavendish is quite significant, posing a long-term risk. Domestic research has successfully screened and selected some lines with moderate resistance, such as GL3-5, derived from somaclonal variation of the Williams variety, which has been evaluated as meeting agronomic and quality requirements after field trials in the Northern region.

The UNI 126 banana variety from U&I Agriculture Joint Stock Company (Unifarm) is evaluated to have a resistance rate to Panama disease TR4 of over 95%, with a yield reaching 50–65 tons per hectare per crop. Currently, this banana variety has been expanded and planted across more than 1,500 hectares at Unifarm and its affiliated units.

Sharing their views at the "Solutions for Preventing and Controlling Fusarium Wilt in Bananas" Forum held on December 13, international experts and leading global scientists expressed interest in and highly evaluated UNI 126, considering it to be one of the best Panama disease-resistant banana varieties in the world today.