Future banana research at WUR: multidisciplinary, international and impact-driven

The banana is a crucial source of food for hundreds of millions of people. It’s more than a fruit, it’s a lifeline, says Desalegn Etalo, who has been responsible for banana research at the Laboratory of Phytopathology since April. Growing up in Ethiopia, Etalo has first-hand experience of the potential impact of plant diseases. "Entire harvests are lost, leaving people malnourished and even dying. I’ve seen people spending the whole day next to their crops in the blazing sun, hoping to protect them. These are images which I will never forget, and which motivate me to do this work and make a social impact."

Building on a solid foundation

Together with Harold Meijer, who leads the banana research within Plant Research, Etalo is building on a solid foundation. Gert Kema, Professor and holder of the Chair of Laboratory of Phytopathology until April 2025, put banana disease research on the international map. His work on pathogens like Fusarium and the development of resistant varieties - such as Yelloway One - gave WUR research global significance. Etalo: "Gert combined fundamental insight with practical application. That transition is very valuable."

A holistic approach to crop health

In the coming years, the research group will be focusing strongly on Integrated Crop Management, in other words, approaching crop-related issues from different areas of expertise. Etalo: "Gone are the days when we viewed a disease as an isolated problem involving one plant and one pathogen. A banana plant is part of a complex ecosystem, with the soil, other plants, insects and micro-organisms. That requires a holistic approach."

The focus will therefore be on multidisciplinary collaboration, Etalo continues. "That means us at Phytopathology joining forces with other groups, such as Nematology, Virology and Biosystematics. A good example of such a multidisciplinary project is research into how Fusarium and weevils work together to infest banana plants. When a plant is infected with Fusarium, certain chemicals are released that attract weevils. Together, we will explore how this mechanism works and what we can do about it. And because these weevils live in the soil, we need to include the soil system as well."

Integrating fundamental and applied research

In addition to combining different areas of expertise, the focus in the coming years will also be on further integrating fundamental and applied research. Meijer: "Fundamental research forms the basis for the development of new plants and products, but this takes a (very) long time. This time must be bridged with applied research to address the current problems caused by insects, fungi, bacteria and viruses. At the same time, there is also a feedback mechanism in the other direction: if we come across something that doesn't work or is unsatisfactory, that can be used as input for further fundamental research. For example, research on the development of resistance in pathogens, making proven products ineffective."

In addition, Research is working on the development of new diagnostics to enable faster monitoring of disease outbreaks. Meijer: "This means we can limit the spread early on and gain time until resistant plants become available. We also regularly screen new plant varieties for customers, sometimes with remarkable results. For example, we once tested a nice-looking banana plant with possible resistance to a fungus, but as soon as you touched it, the plant broke. Which meant it wasn’t suitable for banana production after all."

Short- and long-term solutions

In their banana research, researchers are looking at both the short- and long-term effects. Because, says Etalo, if we narrow our approach to merely finding solutions to current problems, we’ll be fighting a losing battle. "Pathogens like fungi, viruses and bacteria are constantly evolving. But the crop remains the same. What works now may not work in 10 years' time. We need to look for new pest control methods and new plant production systems. But designing and applying them in practice takes at least a decade."

Meijer adds: "Moreover, every country or area has different challenges, cultivation systems and capacity. You can’t immediately roll out a solution across the board; you need to see what works locally. There’s no silver bullet. And each study raises new questions for follow-up research. So it’s an ongoing process. But that’s what makes this work so interesting."

Collaboration with partners abroad

Another element at the heart of banana research has always been the collaboration with partners from banana-producing countries like Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. That collaboration will be continued and is relevant for several reasons, says Etalo. "To be able to make a difference, knowledge has to land where the problems are. We therefore work with local universities, farmers and communities. They often have a lot of valuable knowledge about the living environment, for example. We also concentrate on raising awareness. In a project in Indonesia, we showed farmers how to identify different types of pathogens. So there’s also a social component to our research."

Open to ideas and collaboration

Finally, Meijer and Etalo invite everyone to share ideas and suggestions for banana-related research with their research group. Meijer: “We can then explore whether there’s anything that merits further research, both fundamental and applied." Etalo: "And if parties want to enter into a long-term collaboration, we’re open to that as well. That can help in setting up programmes and applying for funding. We’ve already shown - mainly thanks to Gert - what we can do and deliver. If we manage to connect all the pieces of the puzzle even more, we can create an enormous scientific and societal impact in the coming decades."