In-Silico Identification of Novel Resistant Genes for Fungal Pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Race 4: Causative Agent of Banana Vascular Wilt Disease

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Cavendish, the most widely grown banana cultivar, is relatively resistant to Race 1 of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc1) that caused widespread Panama disease during the first half of the 20th century but is susceptible to Tropical Race 4 of the Foc (Foc TR4), a threat to world banana production. Foc TR4 can spread into the vascular system of banana roots during the early infection process. The genome of the diploid species Musa acuminata; the ancestor of majority of the triploid banana cultivars has recently been sequenced. The identification for the resistant gene in this cultivar is a challenge for the researchers as the resistant gene against Foc4 has not been identified, the major focus of this research work was to identify the pathogenic genes and some resistant genes against those pathogenic genes, to get some better results for the laboratory work. The four resistant genes I, I-1, I-2, and I-3 were identified which provides resistance against Foc4 in banana. About three pathogenic genes SIX1 (SIX1A, SIX1B, SIX1C), SIX2, and SIX8 of Foc4 were identified. Out of these pathogenic genes SIX8 showed the greatest number of interactions with the resistant proteins. So it is proposed that I-1, I-2 and I-3 genes can be used in the further research work for providing better improvements of the resistive cultivars in banana.