Accelerating the development of fungal disease resistant banana varieties to reduce pesticide use in the French West Indies and other overseas departments - BANA+

In the French West Indies and the other overseas departments (DROMs), the banana sector is innovating for a sustainable agroecological transition, as it faces major challenges (such as reducing pesticide use, maintaining competitiveness and adapting to climate change). Moreover, banana production, based on the Cavendish variety, which is highly susceptible to emerging fungal diseases, is under threat. The BANA+ project is developing a unique integrated approach to ensure long-term efforts to control black Sigatoka and to provide solutions for producers and the banana sector as a whole.
Projet Banaplus

Rencontre entre l'équipe du projet bana+ et les professionnels de la filière banane, mars 2025 en Guadeloupe © L. Lemagnen, Cirad

The French West Indies and overseas departments: a banana sector facing major challenges

These challenges include:

  • Ensuring long-term control of , a fungus that seriously affects the quality and productivity of banana plantations.
  • Supporting French producers in their transition towards agroecological practices that are more environment and consumer friendly.
  • Reducing pesticide use and anticipating changes in regulations.
  • Contributing to the diversification of cultivated varieties and to market segmentation.
  • Anticipating future threats (Fusarium TR4, climate change).

Innovating for resistant and sustainable bananas

The BANA+ project is based on the PARSADA* programme led by the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, aimed at reducing the use of plant protection products through several lines of research. The BANA+ partnership (CIRAD, Vitropic, INRAE, IT2) stands out for its unique approach to tackling black Sigatoka.

The BANA+ project combines two approaches, offering three possible ways of developing new varieties: conventional breeding by crossing (creating new hybrids), genome editing (making the Cavendish variety more resistant), and a combination of the two (improving the quality of resistant hybrids where necessary).

This project is primarily supported by a varietal creation and breeding platform in Guadeloupe, together with facilities in Montpellier, which will integrate advanced phenotyping, genomics and genome editing tools.

The project, structured around eight components, aims to develop and accelerate the platform’s current process, with a focus on pathogen resistance and quality.

Creating, diversifying and anticipating: the banana sector’s priorities

  • Creating varieties resistant to black Sigatoka and adapted to the sector;
  • Introducing diversity into banana cultivation and on markets;
  • Establishing an operational platform to anticipate future challenges (Fusarium TR4, climate change).

Contract partners: 

  • Institut national de recherche pour l’agriculture, l’alimentation et l’environnement (Inrae)
  • Institut technique tropical (IT2)
  • Vitropic

*PARSADA: Strategic Action Plan to anticipate the potential EU ban on active substances and to develop alternative crop protection techniques.