BBTV-RESISTANT BANANA CULTIVAR PROJECT BAGS UPLB AGORA AWARDS 2024
Sebastian Montemayor | August 05, 2024
Among different entries, DA-Biotech project R1902 won the 2024 UPLB Agora Outstanding Research Project Award for further research on a Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) – Resistant wild variety whose potential may solve one of the crop’s major diseases in the Philippines.
The research project entitled “Accelerating the Development of BBTV-resistant banana cultivars through Advanced Biotech Tools: Molecular Profiling for Marker Development and Diagnostics” was submitted with the team’s latest development at Phase I led by Sir Darlon Lantican and was awarded on March 7.
“Since November 2019, the project… has been making significant strides and is expected to continue with their phase 3 project until 2026.” DA Biotech Program posted on the Facebook page.
Lantican believes that through cutting-edge DNA marker technologies and new breeding techniques, the information gathered from the wild-resistant variety Musa balbisiana will hasten banana breeding programs against BBTV.
The project focuses on molecular profiling which refers to the identification and analysis of plant features at the molecular level including recognition of specific genes and sequences that express each plant trait.
This helps identify a molecular marker that can be used to accurately select germplasms carrying the desired trait (in this case the disease resistance), making selection more efficient — the process is also known as Marker-Assisted Selection.
Such techniques are promising solutions to the endemic Banana Bunchy Top Disease (BBTD) leading up to 90% yield losses upon infestation among abaca, plantains, and banana cultivars.
BBTD is caused by a virus transmitted across plants through banana aphids (Pentalonia nigronervosa) and exhibits symptoms of chlorosis, phloem injury, and stunted growth creating a “bunched” appearance.
The discovery of a set of receptor-like kinases (RLKs) and their role in the first line of defense sheds light on the plant-pathogen interaction and defense mechanism of the wild-type banana variety.
References:
Lantican, D. V., Daine, J., Manohar, N. C., Mendoza, J.-V. S., Gardoce, R. R., Lachica, G. C., Gueco, L. S., & Dela, F. M. (2023). Comparative RNA-seq analysis of resistant and susceptible banana genotypes reveals molecular mechanisms in response to banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) infection. Scientific Reports, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-45937-z
Molina, A., Sinohin, V. G., Dela, F. M., & Eusebio, J. E. (2009, May). MANAGING BANANA BUNCHY TOP VIRUS IN SMALLHOLDINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES. ResearchGate; International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290239468_MANAGING_BANANA_BUNCHY_TOP_VIRUS_IN_SMALLHOLDINGS_IN_THE_PHILIPPINES
Muimba-Kankolongo, A. (2018). Fruit Production. Elsevier EBooks, 275–312. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-814383-4.00012-8
Tennant, P., Gubba, A., Roye, M., & Fermin, G. (2018). Viruses as Pathogens. Elsevier EBooks, 135–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-811257-1.00006-1
