They are trying to develop bananas that are resistant to Panama disease, a soil-borne disease that quickly kills most types of bananas.

Type-four Panama disease has devastated banana crops around Darwin over the past decade.

Scientists have put two extra genes into cavendish and lady finger bananas.

Professor James Dale from the Queensland University of Technology, who has applied to plant the new bananas in Darwin, thinks they will be resistant to the disease.

"We'll be bringing up the genetically modified bananas, planting those and then mapping the incidence of the disease over a two to three year period," he said.

If the trial is successful, Professor Dale says the Territory could have a very successful banana industry.