THE Department of Agriculture (DA) in Davao Region has intensified its use of cavendish banana clone tissue to help solve the Panama disease in Davao region.
"This initiative to use the clone Giant Cavendish Tissue Culture Variant (GCTCV) 218 is a remedy in order to help banana farmers who were affected from the Panama disease," Arlene Seguiro, DA-Davao Project Development Officer 1, said in an interview on Friday, August 3, at DA Regional Office, Davao City.
According to Segurio, the clone was born out of a research study project from Taiwan Banana Research Institute. The partnership of Taiwan's research and DA aims to give around 1.3 million plantlets to banana growers affected from the disease and has started its distribution in January 2017.
Funded by HVCDP, about P20 million is allotted for the distribution of GCTCV 218 and 219 in Davao Region.
Segurio added Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte are two of the biggest recipients of the cloned banana tissue.
The Panama disease, Segurio said, though common to affect banana plantations in the country reached its height of harmful effects after typhoon Pablo struck Davao Region in 2012.
"Because of Pablo massive flood happened. And this Panama disease which is carried by the Fusarium oxysporum fungus from the Tropical Race 4 strain is carried through water," Segurio said.
Segurio also added the disease can be carried through farmer's shoes if they came from Panama-infected soil and did not pass through disinfecting bathes. The disease can also be brought through soil movement and even animals that came from Panama-infected areas can harm banana that are free from the disease.
"The first symptom is when the leaves wilt from older leaves to younger leaves. Another is a reddish brown discoloration of the outer pseudostem. A splitting of the pseudostem could also be a symptom, and even worse is when the banana does not bear any fruit at all," Segurio said.
According to Seguiro the clone tissue aims to prevent further damage done to the banana.
"Though it may not cure a hundred percent to the entire infected plantation, at least it can reduce the chance of banana from having the disease," Segurio said.
DA-Davao earlier reported that a banana farmer, Rosale Secuya, owner of an eight hectare farm, has been using the GCTCV 218 with success.
"Giant Cavendish Tissue Culture Variant (GCTCV) 218 applied with organic formulations are a good mix," she said.
In her farm in Brgy. Anislagan Nabunturan, Compostela Valley, 1.5 hectare is planted with GCTCV 218.
She received seedlings last October 8, 2017 and in July 12, 2018 she successfully harvested good quality GCTCV 218 bananas.
Secuya harvested the GCTCV 218 variety with the following agronomic characteristics: height, 316.33 centimeters (cm); girth diameter, 18.77 cm; leaves at shooting, 12; and leaves at harvest, 3.02.
"Because of my organic practices, out of the 1,500 seedlings only nine percent (135 seedlings) are affected by Panama disease," Secuya said.
Aside from the distribution of the clone tissue, Segurio said DA is conducting other ways in addressing the concerns of farmers who own plantations affected from the disease.
"We do irrigation cash forward to farmers who are affected, and even intensify quarantine procedures in order to prevent spreading the disease," Seguiro said. (PR)
