Rony Swennen

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture/KU Leuven

Fusarium wilt is a soil borne fungal disease that has devastated banana production in plantations around the world. Most Cavendish-type bananas are susceptible to strains of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) belonging to the Subtropical Race 4 (STR4) and Tropical Race 4 (TR4). The wild banana diploid Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis (AA, 2n =...

Implementation of context-specific solutions, including cultivation of varieties adapted to current and future climatic conditions, were found to be effective in establishing resilient, climate-smart agricultural systems. Gene banks play a pivotal role in this. However, a large fraction of the collections remains neither genotyped nor phenotyped. H...

Banana is an important fruit and staple crop, which is vital for food and income security in developing countries. A genomics initiative was undertaken as part of the Global Alliance against TR4 (Tropical Race 4 of Fusarium Wilt of Banana) Alliance, with Bayer Crop Science, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, and University of Queensla...

Bananas (Musa spp.) are one of the most highly consumed fruits globally, grown in the tropical and sub‐tropical regions. We evaluated 856 Musa accessions from the breeding programs of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture of Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda; the National Agricultural Research Organization of Uganda; the Brazilian Agricul...

The majority of cultivated bananas originated from inter- and intra(sub)specific crosses between two wild diploid species, Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. Hybridization and polyploidization events during the evolution of bananas led to the formation of clonally propagated cultivars characterized by a high level of genome heterozygosity and redu...

East African diploid cooking bananas, commonly called Mchare, are a staple crop for millions of subsistence farmers in Tanzania, particularly in the Pangani region in northern Tanzania.

Improving the efficiency of selection in conventional crossbreeding is a major priority in banana (Musa spp.) breeding. Routine application of classical marker assisted selection (MAS) is lagging in banana due to limitations in MAS tools. Genomic selection (GS) based on genomic prediction models can address some limitations of classical MAS, but th...

Many pathogens evolved compartmentalized genomes with conserved core and variable accessory regions (ARs) that carry effector genes mediating virulence. The fungal plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum has such ARs, often spanning entire chromosomes. The presence of specific ARs influences the host range, and horizontal transfer of ARs can modify the p...

Banana Xanthomonas wilt, caused by Xanthomonas vasicola pv. musacearum (Xvm), is a devastating disease that results in total yield loss of affected plants. Resistance to the disease is limited in Musa acuminata, but it has been identified so far in the zebrina subspecies. This study identified markers associated with tolerance to Xvm in Monyet, a t...

The use of mineral fertilizer and organic inputs with an improved and local variety of cassava allows (i) to identify nutrient limitations to cassava production, (ii) to investigate the effects of variety and combined application of mineral and organic inputs on cassava growth and yield and (iii) to evaluate the profitability of the improved variet...

Nutrient limitations due to low soil fertility and insufficient fertilizer use widen cassava yield gaps in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). This study was undertaken to investigate firstly the effects of variety and combined application of mineral fertilizer and organic (farm yard manure, FYM) inputs on cassava growth and yields, second...

The rise in global temperature is not only affecting plant functioning directly, but is also increasing air vapour pressure deficit (VPD). The yield of banana is heavily affected by water deficit but so far breeding programs have never addressed the issue of water deficit caused by high VPD. A reduction in transpiration at high VPD has been suggest...

Maize ( Zea mays ) stover produced in the drier lowland areas on the volcanic foot slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro serves as an important additional fodder for smallholder zero-grazed dairy cattle farming in the humid highland areas of the region. The obtained cattle manure is used to replenish nutrients and manage soil fertility in banana-based agrofo...

Fusarium wilt of banana is a devastating disease that has decimated banana production worldwide. Host resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense (Foc), the causal agent of this disease , is genetically dissected in this study using two Musa acuminata ssp. Malaccensis segregating populations, segregating for Foc Tropical (TR4) and Subtropical (...

Extensive root galling observed on plantain (Musa spp., AAB) in Nigeria was analysed using Nad5 mitochondrial DNA sequences and the causal agent identified as Meloidogyne arenaria. Following the inoculation of population cultured, Koch’s postulates was fulfilled and the same symptoms observed. This provides the first molecular confirmation of M. ar...

Declining land productivity is a major problem constraining banana (Musa spp.) production in Tanzania. Banana fruit yield consequently reaches only 15% of the potential, primarily due to inadequate soil nutrient replenishment. Improving farmers’ soil nutrient replenishment strategy in banana home gardens, which relies on applications of cattle manu...

Fusarium wilt of banana is a devastating disease that has decimated banana production worldwide. Host resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), the causal agent of this disease, is genetically dissected in this study using two Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis segregating populations segregating for Foc Tropical (TR4) and Subtropical (ST...

Background An understanding of farmers’ preferences of new banana cultivars and their characteristics is critical for developing and selecting cultivars that meet consumer needs. Therefore, phenotypic selection in a genetically variable population remains an important aspect of plant breeding. Methods The participatory varietal selection approach...

Bananas (banana and plantains) rank sixth among staple food crops (FAO 2018), with production challenged by biotic factors, mainly fungal diseases that may cause a total loss in some orchards (Jones 2018). In April 2017, dieback symptoms (progressive blackening and necrotic aerial plant parts, leaves, fruits and peduncles) were observed on plantain...

Citation: Chen, A.; Sun, J.; Martin, G.; Gray, L.-A.; Hřibová, E.; Christelová, P.; Yahiaoui, N.; Rounsley, S.; Lyons, R.; Batley, J.; et al. Identification of a Major QTL-Controlling Resistance to the Subtropical Race 4 of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense in Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis. Pathogens 2023, 12, 289. https://doi. Abstract: Vascular...

4 Highland cooking banana hybrids were selected after extensive testing in Uganda and Tanzania in 5 sites and over different cycles. Traits are described

East African banana ( Musa sp.) breeding efforts have focused mainly on enhancing ‘Matooke’ productivity through the development of high-yielding, pathogen-resistant cultivars with adequate stability to contribute to regional food security. Before a breeding program can recommend promising cultivars for release, they must pass the sensory screens;...

Collection and storage of crop wild relative (CWR) germplasm is crucial for preserving species genetic diversity and crop improvement. Nevertheless, much of the genetic variation of CWRs is absent in ex situ collections and detailed passport data are often lacking. Here, we focussed on Musa balbisiana, one of the two main progenitor species of many...

Plantain (Musa spp., AAB), an important staple food in Africa with West Africa accounting for 32% of global production, is prone to numerous pests and diseases of which plant-parasitic nematodes are a key concern. This includes root-knot nematodes (RKN; Meloidogyne spp.), which infect the roots, causing them to become galled, deformed and swollen....

The predicted rise in global temperature is not only affecting plant functioning directly, but is also increasing air vapour pressure deficit (VPD). The yield of banana is heavily affected by water deficit but so far breeding programs have never addressed the issue. A reduction in transpiration at high VPD has been suggested as a key drought tolera...

Aims In low-input agricultural systems, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a role in plant nutrition, protection and water use. Evaluating how agricultural practices affect the composition of AMF communities is therefore an important step towards sustainable intensification. We characterized the AMF communities in enset (Ensete ventricosum) ro...

The largest genetic diversity of plantain banana (Musa AAB subgroup) is found by DRCongo. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are synergistic beneficial organisms with a positive effect on growth vigor. We determined the influence of plantain banana-based agrosystems on the diversity Original Research Article Kasaka et al.; JAERI, 23(3): 72-84, 2022...

We investigated the fruit development in two plantain banana cultivars from two weeks after bunch emergence till twelve weeks through high-throughput proteomics, major metabolite quantification and metabolic flux analyses. We aimed to investigate for the first time different fruit development stages and gain unique insights into the order of appear...

Plantain flour (PLF) and soy flour (SF) were used to substitute wheat flour (10% and 20% w/w) in composite bread. Physicochemical, phytochemical, and sensory properties were investigated. Partial substitution by PLF significantly increased (p < .05) starch, amylose, ascorbic acid, and potassium content in bread samples. In contrast, a significant i...

Modern breeding methods integrate next-generation sequencing (NGS) and phenomics to identify plants with the best characteristics and greatest genetic merit for use as parents in subsequent breeding cycles to ultimately create improved cultivars able to sustain high adoption rates by farmers. This data-driven approach hinges on strong foundations i...

The demand for coconut products, such as coconut-oil, -water and -milk, is rising worldwide. However, coconut production is currently not able to keep up with the demand due to ageing plantations, pests, and diseases. Large quantities of highly producing, disease resistant and drought tolerant coconut plantlets are therefore urgently needed. We dev...

Biochemical characterisation of germplasm collections and crop wild relatives (CWRs) facilitates the assessment of biological potential and the selection of breeding lines for crop improvement. Data from the biochemical characterisation of staple root, tuber and banana (RTB) crops, i.e. banana (Musa spp.), cassava (Manihot esculenta), potato (Solan...

Crop wild relatives, the closely related species of crops, may harbor potentially important sources of new allelic diversity for (a)biotic tolerance or resistance. However, to date wild diversity is only poorly characterized and evaluated. Banana has a large wild diversity but only a narrow proportion is currently used in breeding programs. The mai...

Fusarium is one of the most important fungal genera of plant pathogens that affect the cultivation of a wide range of crops. Agricultural losses caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense ( Foc ) directly affect the income, subsistence, and nourishment of thousands of farmers worldwide. For Viet Nam, predictions on the impact of Foc for the future...

Fusarium is one of the most important fungal genera of plant pathogens that affect the cultivation of a wide range of crops. Agricultural losses caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) directly affect the income, subsistence, and nourishment of thousands of farmers worldwide. For Viet Nam, predictions on the impact of Foc for the future a...

Drought stress is a major limiting factor for banana production and the incidence of drought spells is expected to increase with climate change. Climate smart practices and varieties are needed, but evaluation in the field is hampered by a lack of reliable physiological drought stress indicators. We investigated the potential of using stable carbon...

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The ability of seeds to withstand drying is fundamental to ex situ seed conservation but drying responses are not well known for most wild species including crop wild relatives. We look at drying responses of seeds of Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana, the two primary wild relatives of bananas and plantains, using the following four experimental a...

We investigated the fruit development in two plantain banana cultivars from two weeks after bunch emergence till twelve weeks through high-throughput proteomics, major metabolite quantification and metabolic flux analyses. We give for the first time an insight at early stages of starch synthesis and breakdown. Starch and sugar synthesis and breakdo...

The effects of pressure (21.3, 41.3, 61.3, 81.3, and 101.3 kPa) and temperature (174–184 °C) applied during the post-frying centrifuge stage on the physico-chemical characteristics of atmospheric fried plantain chips were studied. Results showed that the surface temperature dropped very fast during the cooling process while the total oil content gr...

The first step toward marker-assisted selection is linking the phenotypes to molecular markers through quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. While the process is straightforward in self-pollinating diploid (2x) species, QTL analysis in polyploids requires unconventional methods. In this study, we have identified markers associated with weevil Cos...

Storing seed collections of crop wild relatives, wild plant taxa genetically related to crops, is an essential component in global food security. Seed banking protects genetic resources from degradation and extinction and provides material for use by breeders. Despite being among the most important crops in the world, banana and plantain crop wild...

This report discusses the agricultural activities (seasonal, weekly, and daily) that take place in a typical year to provide insight into men’s and women’s perceptions of the seasons, agricultural activities, crops grown, and sex-disaggregated division of labor related to those crops and activities performed during specific times in a day or week i...

We tested whether roots from indigenous wild enset in Southern Ethiopia harboured a more diverse and different AMF community compared to cultivated enset. Illumina MiSeq amplicon sequencing showed that AMF communities in both cultivated and wild enset were dominated by Glomeraceae which accounted for 64% of the 145 OTUs recorded. The majority of ra...

• Ecologically meaningful seed germination experiments are constrained by access to seeds and relevant environments for testing at the same time. This is particularly the case when research is carried out far from the native area of the studied species. • Here, we demonstrate an alternative—the use of glasshouses in botanic gardens as simulated-nat...

East African highland bananas ( Musa spp. AAA group) are an important staple in the Great Lakes region of East Africa. Their production has declined due to pests and diseases. Breeding for host plant resistance is a sustainable option for addressing this challenge. Understanding the relationships between growth parameters and bunch weight (i.e., yi...

Sterility and low seed set in bananas is the main challenge to their conventional genetic improvement. The first step to seed set in a banana breeding program depends on pollination at the right time to ensure effective fertilization. This study aimed at determining bract opening time (BOT) to enhance efficient pollination and seed set in bananas....

East African highland bananas (Musa spp. AAA group) are an important staple in the Great Lakes region of East Africa. Their production has declined due to pests and diseases. Breeding for host plant resistance is a sustainable option for addressing this challenge. Understanding the relationships between growth parameters and bunch weight (i.e., yie...

The coconut palm or "tree of life" is one of nature's most useful plants and the demand for its fruit is increasing. However, coconut production is threatened by ageing plantations, pests and diseases. Currently, the palm is exclusively propagated via seeds, limiting the amount of planting material. A novel micropropagation method is presented, bas...

Background Conservation of plant genetic resources, including the wild relatives of crops, plays an important and well recognised role in addressing some of the key challenges faced by humanity and the planet including ending hunger and biodiversity loss. However, the genetic diversity and representativeness of ex situ collections, especially that...

Plantain is a key staple food in Central and West Africa, but there is limited understanding of its market in Africa. In addition, the cooking methods for enhancing the nutritional value, consumer preference, and willingness to pay for plantain and plantain-based products are not well under-stood. The knowledge gaps in the market and consumer dimen...

Crop wild relatives, the closely related species of crops, may harbor potentially important sources of new allelic diversity for (a)biotic tolerance or resistance. However, to date wild diversity is only poorly characterized and evaluated. Banana has a large wild diversity but only a narrow proportion is currently used in breeding programs. The mai...

The effect of cultivar, ripening stage, and pre-treatment method were investigated on the nutritional, physicochemical, and pasting properties of plantain flours from two plantains and two plantain hybrids. There were significant variations (p < 0.05) in chemical composition and physical properties influenced by the interaction of cultivars, ripeni...