The genetically enhanced banana is a variation of the Cavendish, modified with a single gene (RGA2) from a wild banana species native to South-East Asia, making it resistant to Panama Disease tropical race 4 (TR4). Cavendish bananas already contain the RGA2 gene, but it is dormant.

PanamaTR4 is a serious banana disease caused by a fungus that lives in the soil. It is notorious for its devastating impact on Cavendish and Lady Finger banana plantations locally and globally, capable of laying waste to crops and condemning farms for over half a century.

Professor James Dale from Queensland University of Technology couldn’t peel back his excitement, stating, “This is a major step for QCAV-4 and comes after many years of development. We welcome this decision as it’s a very important step towards building a safety net for the world’s Cavendish bananas from TR4, which has impacted many parts of the world already.”

Australian agriculture has previously been split when it comes to adopting GM produce, so the approval of QCAV-4 in Australia is seen as a significant leap forward, providing a lifeline to the nation’s banana industry – a key pillar of Queensland’s economy.

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Professor Dale highlights the critical importance of this development saying, “About 95 percent of Australia’s bananas are grown in Queensland, and the Cavendish banana accounts for 97 percent of production. QCAV-4 represents a safety net for Australia’s $1.3 billion industry, safeguarding 18,000 Queensland jobs involved in banana production.”

At present, the QCAV-4 banana stands at the cusp of being legally grown and sold in Australia but with a bit of luck, we’ll be seeing the new banana in supermarkets very soon.

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