Jun 3, 2024

Chiquita introduces climate change variety development initiative

Chiquita, a leading global banana brand, has started a joint venture to research and develop disease-resistant banana variety.

Chiquita recognizes the significance of taking measurable action against climate change. In a long-term collaboration, Chiquita has launched an initiative to create bananas that are resistant to pathogenic diseases and environmental threats, according to a news release.

The Yelloway initiative was created with a primary focus on the Tropical Race 4 (TR4) and Black Sigatoka diseases, while also reducing carbon emissions. The initiative includes genome mapping, plant breeding, laboratory testing and field testing. The first batch of Yelloway-produced bananas are in the Philippines for field trials.

Each year, Black Sigatoka, TR4 and other diseases cost the banana industry several hundred million dollars in crop protection. The current practice to prevent black sigatoka is through aerial spraying, which directly emits carbon emissions. By creating resistant varieties through Yelloway, Chiquita will help safeguard banana production, resulting in less aerial planes in the air spraying protectant, directly decreasing carbon emissions, according to the release.

Thus far, Yelloway has allowed Chiquita and its research partners to create a family tree of banana diversity based on more than 160 different banana types, leading to 150 successful crosses, totaling 32,000 seeds. With the first diploid F1 bananas growing in the greenhouse, new varieties of bananas are being developed, some with resistance to Fusarium and tolerance to Black Sigatoka. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to produce three new resistant varieties that look, feel, taste and store like the popular Cavendish bananas, according to the release.

Chiquita grows and markets bananas, pineapples and plantains.

Read more about the initiative here.