Background:
The sustenance of the global banana cultivation is threatened due to the rapid spread of the Panama wilt disease caused by Fusarium Tropical Race 4 fungus. Many countries like Australia, Indonesia, Taiwan, and China have incurred million dollor loss due the disease and enforced strict sanitation and quarantine measures for checking the proliferation of the disease due to lack of effective control measures. The severe out break of the disease was first reported in the Indian sub-continent from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The disease had nearly affected 8474 ha in Uttar Pradesh and more than 3000 ha in Bihar. All efforts attempted by the farmers to sustain the crop failed to yield the result ending in loss of the crop to more than 50 percent. Similarly, the race 1 strain of the banana wilt is also a big problem in the Southern states in the native commercial varieties of Malbhog/Rasthali/ Amrit Pani and Karpooravalli. Also, the cultivation of cumin in the Rajasthan is being highly infected by the wilt disease that brings 60 % loss on incidence. Technology Details:
The current claim under the ICAR-FUSICONT is a unique bio-fungicide that has been developed using the antagonistic fungi Trichoderma reesei a novel strain obtained from high stressrhizosphere cultured in a unique modified CSR medium which is under IPR protection. The formulation is the only effective bio-fungicide available in the country for the management of banana wilt disease caused by Tropical race 4. The formulaiton has been validated in laboratory, under proper field trials in hot spots systematically. The formulation was subjected to pre-commercialization evaluation over a large area of 273 acres in the hot spot regions of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar with about 85 to 92% success in the disease management as observed for the past two years 2018-2020. The formulation has also been validated for the control of cumin wilt disease in the Jodhpur hot spot region under the colloborative doctorate program research with Banasthali University. The product has also shown positive results in the control of race 1 banana panama wilt in the Andhra Pradesh in the variety Amritpani and in Tamil Nadu in the variety Karpooravalli under ICAR-AICRP program.