New disease-resistant banana variety accepted in Japan

Japan has opened its door to a new type of packaged bananas developed by Philippine growers to be resistant to the dreaded Panama disease.

Known to breeders as Giant Cavendish Tissue-Culture Variant (GCTCV-219), the new variety is resistant to Fusarium wilt, more commonly called Panama disease, and could thus be a potential alternative for the commercial Cavendish variety, which is susceptible to the destructive banana disease.