A fungus dangerous to the Cavendish was discovered in Asia 13 years ago and has since "wiped out plantations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia and Taiwan and is now spreading through much of Southeast Asia," Don Koeppel writes.
It is inevitable, the experts say, that the fungus will eventually wipe out Cavendish bananas worldwide.
That would be a devastating loss of billions of dollars annually for growers, shippers and retailers. Each American consumes 26.2 pounds of bananas a year, making it by far the most popular fruit. (Apples are a distant second at 16.7 pounds.)
To save the banana, two strategies are being employed. Scientists, primarily in Europe, are trying to genetically alter the Cavendish, to make it able to resist the fungus.
The problem, of course, is many consumers are leery of genetically altered food.
Option 2 is to develop another variety that consumers would find acceptable.
As the article points out, growers in Central America are "trying to create a replacement that looks and tastes so similar to the Cavendish that consumers won't notice the difference."
That strategy worked before.
Up until the 1960's, Americans ate Gros Michel bananas, "a banana that was larger and, by all accounts, tastier than the fruit we now eat." Those plants were killed off by a different fungus, and the Cavendish replaced them.
I Hope this doesn't occur because it Would have an impact on my life know matter how silly " it sounds i just couldn't live without bananas .Banana is my type of Redbull" .So hopefully something can be done to save the bananas
full article http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/13/business/media/13offline.ready.html
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