Are Bananas Going Extinct? by Kaylyn Sharp
A deadly plant fungus known as a strain of the Panama Disease (Scientifically called Tropic Race 4), is starting to infect Banana crops. A national state of emergency was declared by the Colombian agriculture and livestock authority after this strain was found in multiple banana farms. Because Central and South America contain the biggest banana markets in the world, if the fungus continues to spread it will seriously harm bananas and possibly get rid of them for good. (Main banana farms that are infected grow the most common type of banana),
In the 1950’s a less harmful version of the Panama Disease (Race 1) wiped out basically all crops grown in Central and South America and did $2.3 billion dollars worth of damage. Back then the most popular type of banana was the Gros Michel, so companies like Dole started switching to the Cavendish banana which was immune to that strain, but today no type of banana has shown resistance to the TR4 strain.
First discovered in 1992, and it grows in the soil and not only kills the fruit but prevents it from growing anything else, As of now they’re doing a good job at containing it but it’s very contagious and extremely harmful. And if TR4 does end up wiping out bananas the only way they could bring it back is by breeding different types of bananas and making them into one banana that is a clone to the Cavendish banana, but they claim it won’t taste nearly the same.
Is this affecting any other fruits?
If we do have to make a new banana what would it taste like instead?
Are they coming up with a better solution to stop it?
https://www.today.com/food/are-bananas-going-extinct-deadly-fungus-infecting-new-farms-t160747
I think we should consider growing bananas in a different location because even if a certain species of banana that's immune to TR4 exists, the fungus will likely develop immunity to the mechanisms the banana uses to fight it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe they can uproot all the crops and flush the dirt out to get rid of any chances of the fungus spreading. Bananas can only grow in certain environments, so if the are has to be kept constant, maybe quickly removing the soil for some feet may get rid of the fungus. The loss of banana growth for a period of time seems better than the risk of them going extinct.
ReplyDeleteBut if the taste of bananas had to change, I think they'd either taste powdery with unnatural potassium, or sweet like artificial banana sweetener. - Grace Briggs
I think they have to do more research and try to create a banana with resistance to the TR4 strain. - Riki Tanaka
ReplyDeleteI think we should expand our banana options I think it would be interesting to see how different types vary and it would help prevent something like this happening again-jo
ReplyDeleteIf we were to make a new banana I feel that it will taste good but less healthy or that it would be more healthy but not too good. I don't think they would be able to repeat the taste of an original banana.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure this same virus is effecting other fruits, to my knowledge I don't know of any that are effected but I'm sure that it is contagious to other plants, if not other plants and fruits in general, ones that share similar qualities to bananas. - Mitchell Shabansky
ReplyDeleteIf a new form of banana is made for all we know it could probably end up tasting like anything - Nathaniel H.
ReplyDeleteIf this virus is effecting bananas, then there is a high chance that this virus is in other foods, which would cause serious problems for the economy. I wonder if there is a way to get rid of specifically get rid of the TR4 strain that no bananas show resistance towards. -Tori Favazza
ReplyDeletei am really sad about this and i really hope they find a way. I also think banana's are the hardest plants to grow so are there any other plants that are going extinct. - Anushka
ReplyDeleteWhile this a very sad fact about this very popular fruit, it has happened before so we should not be surprised that it is happening again. We could solve this predicament by selling various kinds of bananas. Currently Americans eat primarily only one kind of banana. This means that if a disease spreads, it will effect all banana farmers. By selling and consuming different breeds of bananas, the likelihood of a worldwide disease spreading is greatly reduced. -Haleigh Madi
ReplyDeleteI think it's very important that we address this issue and try to prevent bananas, which is a beloved fruit to many of us from going extinct. If we can't prevent this though and end up genetically modifying the banana I don't think it will end up tasting the same at all and I also think we will see a loss in the sales of bananas due to people knowing they aren't the same. -Andrew
ReplyDeleteWe may have to create a new species of banana that is resistant to the virus -Sawyer L
ReplyDeleteif its affecting other fruit then we should be trying harder to find a solution. if its only affecting bananas then maybe we could create another banana that doesnt get affected by it-molly
ReplyDeleteIf we create a hybrid of the original banana then it may effect the taste but it will also effect the ability to fight the disease-Connor Ortmann
ReplyDeleteBananas are gross so they shouldn't exist. -Shannon Easley
ReplyDeleteI think that if we have to create a new banana it won't have the same effect the bananas have now like the potassium and nutrients that your body will need.-Taj Mckinney
ReplyDeleteI find it comical how first world countries view the economic crisis found in several outer countries.
ReplyDeletewhat if we grew bananas in a completely different location? -brooke phelan
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information, very useful
ReplyDelete