Using Genetic Engineering Techniques to Develop Banana Cultivars With Fusarium Wilt Resistance and Ideal Plant Architecture.

Xiaoyi Wang,Jingyang Li,Renbo Yu

doi:10.3389/fpls.2020.617528

Abstract

Bananas (Musa spp.) are an important fruit crop worldwide. The fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), which causes Fusarium wilt, is widely regarded as one of the most damaging plant diseases. Fusarium wilt has previously devastated global banana production and continues to do so today. In addition, due to the current use of high-density banana plantations, desirable banana varieties with ideal plant architecture (IPA) possess high lodging resistance, optimum photosynthesis, and efficient water absorption. These properties may help to increase banana production. Genetic engineering is useful for the development of banana varieties with Foc resistance and ideal plant architecture due to the sterility of most cultivars. However, the sustained immune response brought about by genetic engineering is always accompanied by yield reductions. To resolve this problem, we should perform functional genetic studies of the Musa genome, in conjunction with genome editing experiments, to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying the immune response and the formation of plant architecture in the banana. Further explorations of the genes associated with Foc resistance and ideal architecture might lead to the development of banana varieties with both ideal architecture and pathogen super-resistance. Such varieties will help the banana to remain a staple food worldwide.

Highlights

Bananas (Musa ssp.), which originated in Southeast Asia, are widely cultivated throughout the tropics and sub-tropics, where they represent part of the staple diet and are a vital source of nutrition for over 500 million people (Wang et al, 2019)
Several genes associated with drought resistance, including those encoding transcription factors (TFs) (e.g., MaSAP1, MaWRKY71, and MaNAC), aquaporins (e.g., MaPIP1;2, MaPIP2;6, and MaPIP2;7), and dehydrin (e.g., MaDHN-1) have been successfully incorporated into bananas, and these transgenic lines have developed improved root architecture and increased resistance to drought (Table 1; Shekhawat et al, 2011a; Sreedharan et al, 2012, 2013, 2015; Shekhawat and Ganapathi, 2013; Negi et al, 2015, 2016a,b, 2018; Rustagi et al, 2015; Tak et al, 2017; Xu et al, 2020)
A combination of functional genomic and genetic transformation techniques may lead to the development of improved banana varieties, with both excellent disease resistance and high yield

Summary

Introduction

Bananas (Musa ssp.), which originated in Southeast Asia, are widely cultivated throughout the tropics and sub-tropics, where they represent part of the staple diet and are a vital source of nutrition for over 500 million people (Wang et al, 2019). Several improved transgenic banana varieties with Foc resistance and ideal plant architecture have been developed (Table 1).

Results

Conclusion