NABUNTURAN, Compostela Valley Province–A banana farmer here has expressed optimism with a new variety of cavendish banana provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Known as GCTCV 218 or Giant Cavendish Tissue Culture Variant 218, Rosale Secuya said the variety has so far shown huge potentials if applied with organic formulations. Secuya owns an eight-hectare farm, in which 1.5 hectares are planted with the variety in Barangay Anislagan in this town.
After a great loss from the destructive Fusarium Wilt, or commonly known as Panama disease, Secuya on Monday said she was given 1,500 seedlings under the DA’s Fusarium Wilt Management Program.
She received the seedlings on October 8, 2017, and on July 12, 2018, she said she successfully harvested good quality GCTCV 218 bananas with good “agronomic characteristics.”
“Because of my organic practices, out of the 1,500 seedlings only nine percent (135 seedlings) are affected by Panama disease,” Secuya said.
Secuya thanked DA for the assistance given to her farm adding: “You gave me a reason to continue banana farming and there is hope in GCTCV 218.”
Dr Susan Razo, Chief of Integrated Laboratory Division (ILD) clarified that the GCTCV 218 can still be infected with Fusarium Wilt, and it would depend on the banana farmers as to what practice they will be using to control its infestation.
“Before DA distributed the seedlings, we explained that 218 is moderately resistant to Fusarium Wilt and it is your responsibility to control the disease with your practices,” Razo added.
Under the agency’s High-Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP), fusarium management interventions are being implemented such as crop shifting and pest eradication. The program has an allotment of PHP20 million for this year in Davao Region alone. (Cherry Mae D. Palicte/PNA)
