Detecting Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 in Soil and Symptomless Banana Tissues

Tropical race 4 (TR4) of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is a quarantinable pathogen in many banana producing regions in the world. Preventing further spread where it is present (e.g. Australia, Taiwan and the Philippines) and precluding incursions into areas where it has not been observed (such as Africa, South and Central America and the Caribbean) is critical for maintaining local and commercial banana production. Spread of Foc is facilitated by trading of symptomless, but infected banana planting material, by movement of machinery with adhering infested soil and even by traditional banana-based packing material. In this work, field banana samples from symptomatic and symptomless banana plants collected in Taiwan and Australia, as well as infested soils from The Philippines were analyzed by using a PCR-based detection tool. Independently of the developmental stage of the sampled banana plants Foc TR4 was detected in symptomatic or symptomless samples as well as in soils from the Philippines by conventional or nested PCR analyses. These results will be used to develop and implement quarantine strategies and support TR4 management.