Researchers say the first genetically modified (GM) bananas to be harvested in Australia are showing positive early results.
The crop was planted last year in the South Johnstone area, south of Cairns in far north Queensland, and the first fruit has now been harvested.
It is part of a trial to try to increase the vitamin and mineral content of bananas for consumption in East Africa.
Professor James Dale from the Queensland University of Technology says the initial results are exciting.
"This first planting is demonstrating that at least one of the combinations of genes we're putting is working really well for pro vitamin A, and we're concentrating on that," he said.
"But we've still got a lot of fruit to assess. The next lot will be particularly around iron and the accumulation of iron in the fruit."
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