QUT researchers have finally answered their most asked question about QCAV-4, the genetically modified (GM) variety of Cavendish 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," Professor 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 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.
QUT Distinguished Professor James Dale and his team have been working on developing and growing genetically modified Cavendish bananas for more than 20 years.
This week, the researchers tasted the latest batch of QCAV-4 bananas growing on a farm in the Northern Territory.
"For many years, people have asked me what will the QCAV-4 taste like," Professor Dale said.
"Now we have confirmed the answer. It tastes like well-grown Cavendish should taste."
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 Disease TR4.
Panama Disease 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.
The taste test is the latest step in a research project that started at QUT 20 years ago when researchers received an Australian Research Council grant to search for potential TR4 resistance genes.
There are no plans to grow or sell QCAV-4 bananas to consumers in Australia at this time.
Top image: Dr Jean-Yves Paul and station manager Mark Smith tasting the QCAV-4 GM Cavendish banana.
