Research Progress in the Mechanisms of Banana-Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Interaction and Genetic Improvement for Resistance to Fusarium Wilt

Global banana production is severely threatened by Fusarium wilt, which is caused by soil borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense（Foc）. Currently, four races of Foc have been recognized based on their pathogenicity to different host cultivars. In the 1970s, Longyajiao（Musa AAB Silk）and Fenjiao（Musa ABB Pisang Awak）plantations in South China were infected by Foc race 1. In the middle and late 1990s, Foc race 4 was found in Guangdong’s Xiangyajiao（Musa AAA Cavendish subgroup）plantations and spread to other banana production areas. At present, Fusarium wilt disease caused by Foc race 4 was reported in most banana production areas of China and it has become the major constraint of banana production in China. The research progress in infection process, pathogenicity mechanisms, resistance mechanisms, breeding and selection of disease-resistant variety, screening of resistant germplasm, resistance identification and control of Fusarium wilt are reviewed. In the next few years, the research directions mainly include:（1）Not only the GCTCV-Foc TR4 interaction（quantitative resistance）but also Cavendish-Foc race 1 interaction（qualitative resistance）should be further studied.（2）Fusarium wilt-resistant banana lines are anticipated to be obtained by using the modified CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system. And sustainable and stable resistance to Foc will be pursued by using the technology of host-induced gene silencing （HIGS）.（3）The established in vitro hydroponic system of banana plantlet will be used to study banana-Foc interaction.