Once all the yellow (dessert) bananas were Gros Michel (Big Mike). They were delicious. They were easy to ship. They were perfect. However, they were vulnerable to Panama Disease. So they were over by Cavendish. Cavendish was second best, but it was resistant to Panama disease. However, Cavendish is now vulnerable to an evolved Panama disease and other banana threats. After 50-plus years of research, there is no replacement for Cavendish.
Good news, bad news. Bananas are seedless. Bananas are sterile. They cannot be cross-bred like other plants. People do not want GMO bananas. After 50-plus years of research, there is no replacement for Cavendish.
Cooking bananas (plantains) are a staple in Africa. They stand between many people and starvation. These bananas are threatened by the same pests that threaten dessert bananas. However, while people in the first world might have to do without sliced bananas for breakfast, in Africa, people are starving.
The Wallace Line is a boundary where flora and fauna have been separated by plate tectonics for long periods of time. This line not only divides plants and animals, but also fungi and bacteria. When bananas are bred to resist microorganisms on one side of a Wallace line, they may fall to a similar organism on the other side. This is one more complication in finding a resistant banana in the global banana environment, where organic matter travels over the international trade routes.
Caveat: While the book covers the science of bananas, much more is spent on the injustices the banana companies of the north brought to the topics, including unstable governments, poor working conditions (cancer, sterility, etc.), and land theft.
Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for Omega Cats Press books and book recommendations.
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