Genetic engineering for improvement of Musa production in Africa

Abstract

Bananas and plantains (Musa sp.) are the most important staple food and source of carbohydrates in
many countries of Africa. The production is often constrained by many pests and diseases. In order to
augment conventional breeding and to avoid constraints imposed by some pests and pathogens,
transgenic approaches are being considered. The development of transgenic Musa plants has been
achieved recently using the microprojectile bombardment procedure or Agrobacterium-mediated
transformation. The transgenic approach shows potential for the genetic improvement of the crop using
a wide set of transgenes currently available which may confer resistance to nematode pests, fungal,
bacterial and viral diseases. This article discusses the applications of genetic engineering for the
enhancement of Musa production.