Australia and New Zealand approve the commercial cultivation of a transgenic banana strain against fungi

Agencies in Australia and New Zealand have approved, for the first time, the commercial cultivation of a strain of transgenic Cavendish banana to make it resistant to a devastating fungal disease that threatens the industry. The Australian Gene Technology Regulator's Office, part of the Ministry of Health, issued a license on February 12 that allows the Queensland University of Technology to commercially grow banana plants modified to avoid attack by the Fusarium fungus. This disease, known as Panama disease, causes the inside of the plant to rot and has spread throughout the world, putting the fruit industry in check. According to the Australian agency's statement, the licensee does not intend to replace the current Cavendish banana crops grown in Australia, but rather "to provide a safety net to the Australian banana industry in the event that it is heavily affected by the disease. Panama". The Australian regulator also did not impose risk management measures, concluding that ...