Towards consensus on the transfer of Fusarium oxysporum V5w2-enhanced tissue culture banana technology to farmers through public-private partnerships in East Africa

Abstract

Nonpathogenic strains of Fusarium oxysporum are promising weapons in the endophytic biological control warfare against various banana pests, especially the banana weevil Cosmopolites sordidus and the root endoparasitic nematodes Pratylenchus goodeyi and Radopholus similis. The fungal endophytes are reintroduced into tissue culture banana plants to restore resistance against the pests, in the innovative ‘endophyte-enhanced tissue culture banana technology’. The strain Fusarium oxysporum V5w2 is said to have shown great potential for development into a biopesticide for suppression of the banana pests. Various studies have evaluated F. oxysporum V5w2 with mixed findings, which have brought up a stalemate in consensus towards transfer of the endophyte technology to farmers. This article brings into perspective variations in research findings that are associated with endophytic control of C. sordidus and R. similis using F. oxysporum V5w2 in tissue culture banana. Emphasis is laid on understanding the basis of research that informed the transfer of F. oxysporum V5w2-enhanced tissue culture banana plants to farmers in East Africa. The objective of this article is to unlock the biotechnological stalemate on endophytic control of C. sordidus and R. similis using F. oxysporum V5w2 in tissue culture banana. It is concluded that, F. oxysporum V5w2 still remains an unidentified rhizosphere root-invading plant growth suppressive (pathogenic) endophytic microbe, which should not be registered as a biopesticide or transferred to banana farmers in East Africa and elsewhere around the world. An open debate through reliable channels of scientific communication is encouraged.