The world could soon go bananas for this great Aussie invention

As the US $20 billion banana-growing world reels from the impact of the Panama Disease, or Tropical Race 4 (TR4), a small experimental farm in Australia’s Northern Territory (NT) has come to the rescue. 

A new genetically modified (GM) banana has been granted approval for commercial release and consumption, world-wide. 

The QCAV-4 variety of the Cavendish banana has been developed by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) to counteract the fungal disease that starves bananas of their nutrients eventually killing the plant. 

The approval follows 20 years of development and rigorous scientific assessment to ensure it is safe for consumption, and comes at an important time as the disease impacts banana industries across the world, including here in Australia which consumes around 5 million bananas per day. 

While there is no immediate demand locally to bring the GM banana to market due to our biosecurity system successfully keeping Panama Disease from devastating the Australian banana industry, there are a number of countries with an increasing need to find a sustainable, long-term solution to the ravages of TR4.  

Genetically modified labelling provisions would apply to food derived from the banana, so consumers can make informed choices should the banana be commercially produced and sold. 

The team behind its creation are now turning their attention to developing a non-genetically modified, gene-edited version of the product that can resist TR4 and other diseases, continuing to future-proof one of the world’s favourite fruits. 

Importantly, those who have tried the fruit, say they taste exactly like a banana should. 

The plants, grown near the wonderfully named NT town of Humpty Doo, have a secret hiding in their DNA: the new gene produces proteins that help the plant cells detect the presence of the fungus arriving, quickly triggering its defence response and preventing infection from taking hold. 

These resistance proteins swing into action in a similar way to mammal's immune cells, and according to Professor James Dale, an agricultural biotechnology researcher at QUT, leads "to a cascade of defence mechanisms" including producing chemicals, enzymes and even programmed cell death to protect the larger whole.

According to Professor Dale, the Northern Territory could be one of the first places in the world to have QCAV-4 on supermarket shelves. 

"I think [the NT] would be the best place to start because growers up there could supply the Darwin market at a much lower price than they're currently getting their bananas," he said. 

"And price is a big motivation for consumers." 

But Darwin Fruit Farms manager Mark Smith is wary of how consumers will react to a genetically modified product. 

"If there's nothing else you'd buy them, but … people are a bit funny about genetics and modification," he said. 

GM foods are already on Australian shelves, but they are mostly ingredients such as canola oil or wheat flour.

While these products only need to highlight their GM status on the back in the ingredients list, QCAV-4 would need to predominantly display that it is a genetically modified product. 

"Most of the western world — Europe, and I'm pretty sure Australia — would not be too happy about having advertised genetically modified bananas," Mr Smith said. 

It’s no surprise then that the Australian Banana Growers' Council have continued to reiterate that there are "no plans to commercialise in Australia, yet". 

The team has started a trial in the Philippines, which is one of the world's largest banana-growing nations, but is struggling to contain the spread of the fungus.  

But the biggest challenge appears to be - to convince people to eat them.

Related Reading: QUT, QUT 2, ABC, Department of Health