New plantain/banana types likely resistant to Black Sigatoka

The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has utilised a number of new banana lines which are most likely resistant to the Black Sigatoka Disease.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NAREI, Dr. Oudho Homenauth said that these varieties have been acquired from Nigeria, the Department of Public Information reported.

“We had access to materials that came in by tissue culture that are supposedly resistant to black sigatoka diseases. These are out there in the field as we speak. Some of them have started producing. I think there were six or seven varieties that came in from as far as Nigeria.” Dr. Homenauth said.

DPI said that Guyana is one of four countries benefiting from a CARDI/CDB-funded project for the Development of an Integrated Disease Management Programme for Black Sigatoka Disease.

When the CEO was interviewed by the Department of Public Information (DPI), he said that,