Agronomic Performance and Resistance Traits of Abaca Hybrid 7 ( Musa textilis Nee ) in the Field

Abstract

The abaca ((Musa textilis Nee) industry is a vital contributor to employment and foreign exchange in the Philippines, but its productivity is increasingly threatened by viral diseases, particularly abaca bunchy top virus (ABTV). This study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance and disease resistance of newly developed ABTV-resistant abaca hybrids under screenhouse and field conditions. Tissue-cultured plantlets were assessed for key agronomic traits, including pseudostem weight, length, and girth; dry fiber weight; percent fiber recovery; and sucker production. Disease resistance was evaluated through symptom observation and confirmed using ELISA and PCR diagnostics. Results indicated that the hybrids matured earlier (10–14 months) after planting. Notably, abaca hybrid Bandala (H7) outperformed Inosa with longer pseudostem (240–250 cm), larger middle girth, top girth size, and a larger base girth, and 16 suckers produced over 11.Similarly, Abaca Hybrid 2 (H2) exhibited a statistically significant difference compared to Bandala (H7) and Tinawagang Pula with fiber recovery of 1.05%, 0.8% and 0.6%, respectively. Additionally, hybrids exhibited complete resistance to ABTV, showing no symptoms and testing negative via PCR  using the primer BBT1 and BBT2 that amplify the 348 bp fragment of DNA-R genome component.The absence of infection was confirmed by PCR using an internal control that detects the presence of Musa sequence. Hybrids also showed partial resistance to abaca mosaic and bract mosaic viruses under high disease pressure. These findings highlight the potential of virus-resistant abaca hybrids to improve yield, reduce disease losses, and support the long-term sustainability of abaca industry.