Abstract:
Comprehensive diagnostic surveys carried out in Uganda
throughout the 1990s by the Uganda National Banana
Research Programme (UNBRP) have shown a number of
pests and diseases to be major constraints to banana production. These include Fusarium wilt (F. oxysporum f.sp.
cubense), which is frequently observed in Uganda and is
prevalent in many other parts of Africa. In Uganda,
Fusarium wilt is prevalent on introduced banana cultivars
that are used primarily as dessert bananas and for brewing,
e.g. Kayinja. In 1993 symptoms somewhat similar to those
of Fusarium wilt were observed1 on the indigenous and
dominant highland cooking bananas (AAA-EA) in the
Western Uganda highlands. These have a high starch
content and are used on a day-to-day basis for preparation
of matooke2, the staple food of Ugandans. With an annual
production of more than 9 million Mt and average consumption greater than 350 kg per capita per annum, highland
bananas represent a major source of income. The problem
was therefore considered to be a potentially serious threat
to the future production of highland bananas in Uganda and
to the livelihood of many smallholder farmers