**5.7 Breeding programme for the development of Fusarium wilt resistant banana**

The most common, economical, successful and long-term Foc management method is universally recognized breeding and selection programme for disease tolerance or resistance [22]. Currently, Foc-TR4 resistance screening is mostly done on farmed bananas, but there is not much information on wild banana species. Li et al. [23] used a two step process comprising a combination of greenhouse and field studies which provided a comprehensive and reliable information regarding disease reaction on the evaluated genotypes of banana. To develop a global screening and evaluation protocol is critical for the selection of reliable resistant materials against the Fusarium wilt.

### **5.8 Somaclonal variations for development of Fusarium wilt resistant banana**

Promising Foc resistant or tolerant clones acquired through nonconventional breeding techniques have been proposed as an aid in banana breeding programmes. Shoot tip cultures from banana clones are sensitive and resistant to Foc races 1 and 4 cultivated *in vitro* in the presence of fusaric acid and fungal crude filtrates to examine under *in vivo* and *in vitro* condition. Peroxidase activity was employed as a measure to distinguish between susceptibility and tolerance which was shown to correspond well with the host plant's field response to infections. At present, attempts to develop new banana genotypes resistant to Fusarium wilt using conventional breeding techniques face significant obstacles mainly because most cultivars of Musa AAA Cavendish subgroup are totally sterile and seedless. Whilst, several resistant clones has been also acquired through somaclonal variation. Wu et al. [24] investigated the utility of *in vitro* inoculation of rooted banana plantlets grown on modified medium as a reliable and rapid bioassay for resistance to Foc.
