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Why is the most popular banana variety in danger of extinction?
Every year, around 100 billion bananas are consumed in the world. A very large proportion of these are Cavendish bananas, which we also eat in our country. But the future of this banana variety is in danger…
A type of fungal disease could lead to the complete disappearance of the Cavendish banana from the face of the earth. Some scientists are working on genetically modifying bananas to make them resistant to the disease.
Others believe that the best solution is for farmers to completely rethink banana production and stop growing just one type of banana.
Why do Cavendish bananas dominate the market?
There are more than 1,000 varieties of bananas in the world. However, about 47 per cent of the bananas that people eat are Cavendish bananas (Musa acuminata). There are several reasons why Cavendish bananas are so popular.
Firstly, it is resistant to some of the major diseases that kill bananas. Secondly, it has a long shelf life. And thirdly, farmers can grow more Cavendish bananas than any other variety on the same amount of land, making it more productive.
However, Cavendish is under threat from a fungal species that infects the plant. The infection is called Panama Disease (Fusarium wilt) tropical race 4 (TR4).
TR4 infection starts in the roots of the banana tree and then spreads. Eventually it disables the plant’s ability to absorb water or photosynthesise. As a result, the tree dies.
Source: Business Insider
