How does the GM variety of Cavendish banana taste?

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) researchers have finally answered their most asked question about QCAV-4, the genetically modified (GM) variety of banana they developed to help save the world’s Cavendish banana production: how does it taste?

QUT Distinguished Professor James Dale, who leads the research team that has been working on developing and growing genetically modified Cavendish bananas for more than 20 years, said the answer is no surprise.

“It tastes great,” Dale said.

QCAV-4 is a Cavendish Grand Nain banana that has been bioengineered with a single banana resistance gene, RGA2, from the wild, south-east Asian banana, Musa acuminata ssp malaccensis. Cavendish bananas already contain the RGA2 gene, but it is dormant.

The QCAV-4 banana is claimed to be the world’s first GM banana to be approved for commercial production and also the first Australian GM fruit approved for growing in Australia. QCAV-4 offers a potential safety net against the devastating Panama disease tropical race 4 (TR4), which threatens the global US$20 billion banana industry.

Earlier this year, the Australian Government issued QUT a licence to commercially release QCAV-4 and Food Standards Australia New Zealand approved QCAV-4 as suitable for human consumption.

QCAV-4 bananas, developed in partnership with government and industry, have been grown in field trials in the Northern Territory for more than seven years and have proven to be highly resistant to Panama TR4.

Panama TR4 has already crippled Cavendish banana production in Asia, has started to take a foothold in South America, and occurs in Australia in the Northern Territory and North Queensland.

There are no plans to grow or sell QCAV-4 bananas to consumers in Australia at this time.