Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) resistance in cultivar 'lakatan' developed via gamma irradiation of shoot tips

• Published in: Philippine Journal of Crop Science (Philippines) Vol. 31; no. 3
• Main Authors: Damasco, O.P, Estrella, J.B, Caymo, L.S, Dizon, T.O, Rabara, R.C, Dela Cruz, F.S. Jr, Mendoza, E.M.T., Philippines Univ. Los Baños, College, Laguna (Philippines). Inst. of Plant Breeding
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.12.2006
• Subjects: AGRONOMIC CHARACTERS; BANANA BUNCHY TOP VIRUS; CARACTERE AGRONOMIQUE; CARACTERISTICAS AGRONOMICAS; COPO RACIMOSO DEL PLATANO; CROP YIELD; DISEASE RESISTANCE; GAMMA IRRADIATION; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_10176; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_210; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_2328; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_28432; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_29128; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_32385; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_6951; http://www.fao.org/aos/agrovoc#c_8157; IRRADIACION GAMMA; IRRADIATION GAMMA; MUSA (BANANAS); MUSA (BANANES); MUSA (BANANOS); RENDEMENT DES CULTURES; RENDIMIENTO DE CULTIVOS; RESISTANCE AUX MALADIES; RESISTENCIA A LA ENFERMEDAD; SELECCION; SELECTION; VARIEDADES; VARIETE; VARIETIES; VIRUS BUNCHY TOP BANANIER
• ISSN: 0115-463X

Banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) is the most destructive virus disease of banana in the Philippines. Incorporation of resistance to this virus disease by conventional hybridization is not possible due to sterility of most commercial banana cultivars. Instead, gamma irradiation coupled with in vitro technology was explored as a means to develop BBTV resistance. The sensitivity of banana shoot cultures to Cobalt 60 gamma radiation was determined. Irradiated shoot cultures were micropropagated for 3 to 5 cycles and plants regenerated were potted out and evaluated. Plants were indexed for BBTV using symptomatology, ELISA and PCR techniques. A total of 6,012 plants regenerated from irradiated shoot cultures were subjected to artificial BBTV inoculation using the aphid vector Pentalonia nigronervosa. From these plants, 64 putative BBTV resistant lines were selected in the field after 36 months. The selections exhibited varying degrees of resistance, with 26 lines showing no BBTV symptom expression in both irradiated and first-generation sucker plants. The other 38 lines selected exhibited limited symtom expression. Yield and agronomic characteristics of some resistance lines were comparable to non irradiated micropropagated plants. Suckers from these resistant lines were collected; micropropagated and plants are now being evaluated for the second cycle stability of BBTV resistance trait.