Assessing Cold Plasma's Impact on Banana Growth and Fusarium Wilt Control

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Pathology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Fusarium wilt (FW) caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) poses a significant threat to global banana (Musa spp.) production.
• Conventional breeding for disease resistance is difficult in seedless bananas.
• Cold plasma (CP) technology offers a novel avenue for crop improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of CP treatment on the growth performance of banana plants.
• To evaluate the efficacy of CP in mitigating Fusarium wilt disease severity and progression.
• To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying CP-induced plant defense and growth responses.

Main Methods:

• Banana plants (Berangan cultivar, AAA) were subjected to CP treatment.
• Growth parameters (height, leaf number, stem diameter) were measured.
• Disease severity was assessed using leaf symptom and rhizome discoloration indices.
• Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to analyze gene expression.

Main Results:

• CP treatment significantly improved banana plant growth parameters.
• CP-treated plants exhibited delayed disease progression and reduced severity of Fusarium wilt.
• Differential expression of defense-related genes (PR1, WRKY22, PAL, CEBiP) and growth-related genes (Cytochrome P450, NAC68, CAT) was observed in CP-treated plants, especially under Foc infection.

Conclusions:

• CP treatment positively influences banana growth and enhances resistance to Fusarium wilt.
• CP application presents a promising strategy for managing FW in banana cultivation.
• CP may modulate plant defense and growth pathways, offering insights into its beneficial effects.