Pro-vitamin A Biofortified ’Cavendish’ Banana: Trait Stability in the Field

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major public health problem in the developing world affecting an estimated 250 million people worldwide. The majority of these people live in developing countries and are dependent on starchy staples such as cassava, maize, potato, rice and banana which are largely deficient in critical micronutrient such as pro-vitamin A. The research in this PhD Thesis demonstrates that pro-vitamin carotenoid content can be enhanced in the fruit of genetically modified 'Cavendish' banana plants through the over-expression of a single banana gene. Importantly, the newly conferred trait was stable for several years in the field and the expression of other endogenous carotenoid biosynthesis genes remained unchanged. This research provides important background information for the successful expansion of this technology to Uganda where bananas are the major staple