Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is one of the most important threats to global banana production. Strategies to control the pathogen are lacking, with plant resistance offering the only long-term solution, if sources of resistance are available. Prevention of introduction of Foc into disease-free areas thus remains a key strategy to continue sustainable banana production. In recent year...

A memory color is an observer’s knowledge of a typical object color. The typicality of the memorized color implies that the observer considers the memory color to be representative or “canonical” for the range of colors, in which the respective object occurs. In this way, it determines the observer’s expectation about an object’s color based on her or his prior knowledge. For example, an observ...

Blood disease bacterium A2 HR-MARDI was isolated from banana plants infected with banana blood disease and which were planted in Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of blood disease bacterium A2 HR-MARDI, which could provide important information on the virulence mechanism of this pathogen.

We report that the anti-retroviral and anti-hepadnavirus molecules, adefovir, tenofovir and 9-(2-phosphonomethoxyethyl)-2,6-diaminopurine (PMEDAP), efficiently eradicate the episomal form of Banana streak virus (BSV) from banana plants. Up to 90% of plants regenerated from BSV-infected highly proliferating meristems were virus free following a 6-month treatment period with 10 microg/ml (a non-p...

Banana Xanthomonas wilt is a newly emerging disease that is currently threatening the livelihoods of millions of farmers in East Africa. The causative agent is Xanthomonas campestris pathovar musacearum (Xcm), but previous work suggests that this pathogen is much more closely related to species Xanthomonas vasicola than to X. campestris. We have generated draft genome sequences for a banana-pat...

During banana (Musa acuminata L.) fruit ripening ethylene production triggers a developmental cascade that is accompanied by a massive conversion of starch to sugars, an associated burst of respiratory activity, and an increase in protein synthesis. Differential screening of cDNA libraries representing banana pulp at ripening stages 1 and 3 has led to the isolation of 11 nonredundant groups of ...

Crown rot caused by fungal pathogen is the most prevalent postharvest disease in banana fruit that results significant economic losses during transportation, storage, and ripening period. Antifungal effects of ultraviolet C (UVC) irradiation at doses varied from 0.01 to 0.30 kJ m-2 were investigated in controlling postharvest crown rot disease, maintenance of fruit quality, and the effects on a...

First report on the production of protease through fed batch cultivation using co-culture of Pseudomonas putida and Staphylococcus aureus from a crude carbon source, banana peel. Batch production by using synthetic medium, impact of some of the process parameters on cell growth and alkaline protease activity was investigated and the optimized values were found to be inoculum size of 5 % (v/v), ...

The MADS-box family of genes has been shown to play a significant role in the development of reproductive organs, including dry and fleshy fruits. In this study, the molecular properties of an AGAMOUS like MADS box transcription factor in banana cultivar Giant governor (Musa sp, AAA group, subgroup Cavendish) has been elucidated. We have detected a CArG-box sequence binding AGAMOUS MADS-box pro...