Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) is the most serious threat to sustainable banana production in East and Central Africa. Before the advent of BXW major biotic constraints were black leaf streak (Sigatoka), Fusarium wilt, bunchy top and streak viruses, weevils and nematodes. The rapid spread of BXW has diverted attention from the other biotic constraints, which, unlike BXW, rarely cause total yield loss. In addition, there are resistant varieties for most biotic constraints of banana, but not for BXW. Although ...

The request for this training was initiated by L’Institut des Sciences Agronomiques du Burundi(ISABU), who invited IITA to provide tuition and materials for the production and use of semiselectivemedia for banana Xanthomonas wilt (*see box below). ISABU wanted to create the capacity toindependently diagnose and culture BXW from diseased banana plant samples.IITA were already working on BXW in Burundi under the Crop Crisis Control (C3P) projectmanaged by Catholic Relief Service (CRS). IITA and CRS ...