Strengthening the Banana Industry Diagnostic Capacity

Carrying on from the previous iteration of the Banana Plant Protection Program, Improved plant protection for the banana industry (BA16001) continues to expand on plant protection for the banana industry. Its work focuses on access to and evaluation of banana varieties with improved pest and disease traits; access to clean planting material that has been pathogen tested; enhancing the diagnostic capacity for endemic and exotic threats; and improving integrated pest and disease management. It is working closely with the project Strengthening the banana industry diagnostic capacity (BA16005), which is focused on growing the industry’s ability to detect and identify emerging endemic and exotic plant pathogens. Along with diagnostic work, BA16005 will increase knowledge of the biology and spread of key diseases, and develop and test eradication strategies.