End of BANANAS? Scientists warn favourite fruit could become EXTINCT

Daily Star ^ | July 5, 2018 | Martin Coulter

[EdnaMode]

Experts say a special breed found in Madagascar could hold the key to keeping them alive.

But there are only five known trees in existence.

Scientists are racing to develop new banana varieties strong enough to survive Panama disease, which is a major threat to banana crops around the world.

Because bananas are clones, the disease is able to spread very quickly from one to another.

It is currently wreaking havoc with crops in Asia – but could wipe out the world’s supply if it spreads to America.

Richard Allen, senior conservation assessor at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, told the BBC: "It doesn't have Panama disease in it, so perhaps it has genetic traits against the disease.

"We don't know until we actually do research on the banana itself, but we can't do the research until it's saved."

The Madagascan variety isn’t suitable for eating – but researchers hope to create a new type of banana through cross-breeding.

But the few remaining trees are stranded on the edge of Madagascan forests, threatened by logging, fires and farming.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks EdnaMode. IOW, the only hope is GMO! GMO to save bananas has a lot of appeal! /rimshot

Billy Jones: Yes! We Have No Bananas (1923)

[GingisK]

Yeah, she still owns my heart too.

[P.O.E.]

The bananas I remember from my childhood in the early 60’s were far superior to those today. Sadly, they were wiped out by disease. IIRC someone is trying to revive them.

[Rebelbase]

The author and magazine screwed up hugely on this article.

There’s no mention of climate change.

[RightGeek]

Not a problem. Just call the Japanese banana guy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpqxSBclqWs

[hattend]

If it (the disease) gets to America?

Where do they grow bananas in America? Florida?

[BwanaNdege]

And yes, there are many variations, but the example would be like Great Danes, Pekingese, and beagles...very different but still the same species.

Hip dysplasia in German Shepherds and other large breeds.

cf. - The incidence of sickle cell anemia in non-Negro races.

[BBell]

I was a fan before it was "cool".

Went to Japan for a bit over 3 years. When we came back I took my kids to the Potomac Mills mall in Woodbridge, Va. I thought it odd when a young teenage girl walked by with an Audrey Hepburn picture printed on her purse. Then I saw posters for sale and shirts. Kind of a let down that she had been discovered and commercialized by a generation who had never watched any of the movies she was in or knew anything about her. Kind of like Joan Crawford of gen X.

I was a fan of Queen before "Wayne's World".

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Thanks for this trip back through time. :)

[Fiji Hill]

Where do they grow bananas in America? Florida?

They used to grow them in La Conchita, Calif., which is on the coast just east of Carpinteria and about 10 miles west of Ventura. The owner of the banana plantation there boasted that it was the only one in the continental US. The climate at that location was apparently just right.

They grew several varieties of bananas, and they were the tastiest bananas I have ever eaten. Unfortunately, they went out of business a few years ago--probably couldn't compete with the banana republics down south.

[az_gila]

It seems like many more bananas are grown in the US than we thought.

Wiki has a good description -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_production_in_the_United_States

The key sentence -

If independent cultivation was counted towards a nations total of banana production, its estimated that the United States would rank at about the 4th or 5th country for banana production in the world.

[M Kehoe]

Wait a minute. Bananas grow in Vancouver BC.

Maybe I’m missing something?

5.56mm