An Optimized Inoculation Method of Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. Sp. cubense) Causal Agent of Banana Wilt Disease in Ethiopia

Banana is among the most important fruit crops in Ethiopia and is produced widely by small scale farmers. Despite its importance and cultivation, its production is, however, hampered by different biotic and abiotic factors. Fusarium wilt of banana caused by soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is becoming an important production constraint of the crop. In Ethiopia it was reported in 2014 in potential banana producing areas mainly in Dale, Aleta Chuko and Samen Bench in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State. The general management option to this disease is replacing susceptible cultivars by resistant/tolerant ones. Use of resistant/tolerant varieties is the most cost-effective and sustainable method of managing the disease. A reliable and rapid screening method is needed to select resistant/tolerant banana varieties. In Ethiopia there is no developed protocol to artificially inoculate banana fusarium wilt in order to screen resistant/tolerant variety. An optimized inoculation methods by root dipping into an adjusted suspension of Foc inoculum concentration 1x106 conidia/ml on acclimatized three months old tissue cultured plantlets of susceptible variety (poyo) has enabled to observe typical symptom of FW by tenth days of inoculation and an overall result was obtained within three months. This protocol facilitates the way to produce symptoms of fusarium wilt in banana and screen resistant/tolerant variety released in Ethiopian Research system. Therefore, this paper presents the details of the protocol and achievements of the study in major banana growing areas of Ethiopia