Brazilian scientists have launched a new banana that they claim is more resistant to some of the most destructive diseases in the industry than other commercial varieties.
The Belluna banana is the culmination of 15 years of research by Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária e Extensão Rural de Santa Catarina (Epagri) and Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa). It has been registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, paving the way for it to be sold commercially.
“We have three diseases that affect bananas in Brazil and in the world which are Yellow Sigatoka, Black Sigatoka and Panama disease,” said Edson Perito Amorin, head of Embrapa’s breeding programme.
“Belluna is resistant to Yellow Sigatoka and Panama disease and moderately resistant to Black Sigatoka. In terms of resistance, it has a clear advantage over the varieties that are on the market today.”
Embrapa said that due to its resistance the variety can be grown organically without the use of pesticides.
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