APPPC Workshop on Systems Approach for the Management of Banana Bacterial Disease (Moko/Bugtok) and Fusarium Wilt Disease (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 (TR4)

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The Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI), through its Crop Pest Management Division (CPMD) and National Plant Quarantine Services Division (NPQSD), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC) Secretariat, co-hosted the APPPC Regional Workshop on System Approaches for the Management of Banana Diseases (Moko/Bugtok) and Fusarium Wilt from November 11 to 15, 2024, at the Acacia Hotel Manila in Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila.

The workshop aimed to foster consistent understanding and implementation of the System Approach for managing key banana diseases: Banana Bacterial Diseases (Moko/Bugtok) and Fusarium Wilt Disease (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 or TR4).

During the technical sessions on System Approaches for the management of Fusarium Wilt, the significance of developing resistant varieties, along with effective quarantine measures, was emphasized. National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) shared experiences in implementing Integrated Disease Management (IDM) strategies for Fusarium Wilt (Foc TR4), with a focus on record-keeping and institutional support. Stakeholders from the Philippines presented management strategies for Moko/Bugtok and Fusarium Wilt in large-scale banana production systems. Case studies from NPPOs highlighted post-detection disease management, including protocols for record-keeping and institutional reporting. Participants also conducted a field visit to banana farms in Indang, Cavite, where they observed actual cases of Moko and Bugtok infections. The plantation is currently undergoing rehabilitation after significant infestation by Fusarium Wilt and Moko/Bugtok. Demonstrations of disease management practices such as debudding, fruit bagging, timely harvesting, and infected fruit monitoring were conducted. A trial plot showcasing the use of these strategies, including the application of the biological control agent Trichoderma, was also featured. Participating countries—including Bangladesh, China, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Nepal—shared insights into the economic importance of their banana industries, as well as updates on common pests and diseases, and current management strategies, including quarantine protocols, monitoring and surveillance efforts, eradication procedures, and their future plans and directions for disease control and banana industry sustainability.

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