Cavendish bananas don’t have genetic diversity, which implies that every banana you buy at the shop is a clone of the previous one.Bananas do have small seeds within, despite their smooth appearance, but they are professionally propagated through cuttings, which implies that all bananas are clones of one another. Banana fruits are parthenocarpic, meaning they do not require pollination to generate fruit.The red banana has a sweet taste and a creamy texture and is sometimes confused with Philippine staple banana types called Lacatans. A red banana’s ripeness is difficult to judge; look for those that have turned a dark magenta with umber streaks. Handle with caution because they are easily bruised.Fyffes is a historical fruit brand that dates back to 1929 when the blue label was first used on bananas. Fyffes bananas are grown in Costa Rica, Belize, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic, among other Central American countries.Fiber, potassium, and a lot of other antioxidants can be found in bananas. Bananas are abundant in potassium, which helps the circulatory system supply oxygen to the cells. Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in the world, and they assist the body to maintain a normal heartbeat, reducing blood pressure, and a proper water balance in the body.Over-consumption of any particular food item might lead to obesity or nutritional deficiencies so even though Cavendish bananas are filled with various nutrients, having too many will cause problems instead of doing good. For most healthy people, one banana per day is considered a moderate consumption.Continue reading this article for more information about banana clones and other interesting facts about banana plants. After this, you may also look at other fun fact articles like are bananas clones and are cucumbers fruit.Are real bananas extinct?The Gros Michel banana was for decades the most exported and thus most important banana in the world, but it was nearly wiped out in the 1950s by the fungus known as Panama disease or banana wilt.Panama disease, often known as banana wilt, is a deadly banana disease caused by fungus species that live in the soil. Panama disease, a type of fusarium wilt, is distributed throughout the tropics and can be found wherever vulnerable banana cultivars are produced. The fungus has no effect on the fruit of an infected banana plant, therefore it is still safe to eat.A plant pathologist resorted to a different kind of banana that was disease-resistant: the Cavendish banana plant, a smaller and, by all accounts, less flavorful fruit. It is disease-resistant and, most significantly, grows in fungus-infested soils.Though certain banana-growing regions still have their breeds, Cavendish, clones of the initial Chatsworth plant, account for nearly all bananas sold to foreign markets such as Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America.The Gros Michel banana suffered a setback due to the long-standing nemesis of the banana plant: Fusarium wilt, sometimes known as Panama disease. In the 1950s, an outbreak of this illness wiped out the Gros Michel industry, making it nearly extinct.Given their close relationship, it’s no surprise that the Cavendish cultivar is prone to Fusarium wilt, just like its brother. Indeed, the spread of the disease has sparked fears that the Cavendish variety will follow in the footsteps of its illustrious ancestor.Since that time, the Gros Michel has become extinct, 99% of the banana supply has been taken over by the Cavendish, which is available in all grocery stores, and because Cavendish bananas are clones of each other, if the Panama disease hits one single fruit crop, it will spread among all the other Cavendish bnanas leading to them becoming extinct.What foods are going extinct?Climate change is a significant threat to both our planet and our crops, as it alters the exact circumstances that our agriculture needs to grow. Extreme weather events have already wreaked havoc on various parts of the globe, from North American wildfires to coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef.Coffee is among the most popular beverages on Earth. Caffeine addiction has taken over our lives, with many Americans unable to begin their day without a cup of coffee. Coffee bean farming is being influenced by rising sea levels, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. The coffee bean is a delicate plant that thrives in a certain habitat.Honeybees play an important role in the maintenance processes of our surroundings and ecosystem. There would be not one plant, crop, animal, or human without bees. The fall in bee numbers, like that of many other foods, is a result of rising temperatures. Heat may not directly impact bees, but parasites and mites that thrive in hot weather have been found to kill bees at a quicker rate. The Varroa mite is the most dangerous, as it infests hives and spreads diseases that kill bees.Avocados, which require 19 gal (72 l) of water per fruit, have increased in popularity, resulting in climate change implications. California’s difficulty to keep up with the targeted market is due to the stringent water supply required to meet such demand.Cacao trees thrive in rainforests with high humidity, a lot of rain, and warm temperatures. They grow around the equator. The increase in rainfall, which is required to balance the quantity of moisture in the atmosphere for cocoa trees to thrive, is not projected to compensate for the rise in temperatures. This will influence cacao’s long-term viability and farmer appeal which will affect the production of the most staple food item, chocolate.Why are bananas doomed?Bananas, like people, are facing a pandemic. Almost all bananas sold throughout the world are of local banana varieties, the Cavendish banana, which is susceptible to a lethal new strain known as Tropical Race 4, or Panama Disease. Tropical Race 4 has the potential to wipe out the $25 billion banana industry if it is not prevented.The signs and symptoms of Panama Disease are quite severe. The stalk that connects the leaf to the stem wilts, the plant’s vasculature turns brown, and the banana tree’s trunk cracks, finally causing the entire plant to fall. The plant wilts and dies as a result of starvation.The uneven yellowing of the margins of older leaves of a banana tree is the first visible indication of Panama, which eventually turns brown and dries up. These leaves gradually fall from banana trees along the leaf stalk or at the stalk-stem junction, leaving a skirt of dead leaves surrounding all plants’ bottom portion.Panama disease, a type of fusarium wilt, is distributed throughout the tropics and can be found wherever vulnerable banana plantations are produced.Plants that have been infected with the Panama disease produce few marketable bunches. Once established, the fungus survives for several years in the soil, rendering the cultivation of vulnerable banana growers, like the Cavendish banana, uneconomical.While the fungus is not hazardous to humans, experts believe it has the potential to eradicate Cavendish bananas. Bananas and plantains are a staple food and a cash crop for millions of people around the world. Bananas are consumed or locally traded in many developing countries, and hence play an important role in food security.What country has the best-tasting bananas?In 2019, India was the world’s largest banana producer. With a cultivated area of roughly 800,000 ha (8000 sq. km.), the country’s total banana production totals approximately 30,000,000 t (28,000,000,000 kg).Apple bananas are extremely sweet, which is why they’re also known as candy apple bananas. They are cultivated in Hawaii’s tropical jungles.Ice cream bananas can be found in abundance in Hawaii and Southeast Asia and Central America. The ice cream banana’s skin is frosted and starts as a bluish-green color before it ripens naturally rather than artificial ripening, and it’s delicious with definite notes of vanilla.Ladyfinger bananas can be eaten straight from the tree or used in desserts. They’re noted for being sweeter than standard Cavendish banana. Bananas endemic to Australia and Southeast Asia are known as ladyfingers.With such an extent of banana plantations produced, India rises to the top of the list. China comes in second with 12 million t (11 billion kg). With 8.6 million t (7 bllion kg) of output, the Philippines are in third place.The Dwarf Cavendish cultivar is known to produce Cavendish bananas. Cavendish bananas were first commercially produced in 1903, but they did not achieve popularity until the 1950s when Panama disease struck the dominating Gros Michel type.Despite the fact that there are over a thousand varieties of bananas, the ones we eat are Cavendish clones.Cavendish bananas contain 0.01 oz (400 mg) of potassium per 0.2 lb (100 g) meal, which can assist manage blood pressure while also managing cardiac fitness.After seeing a depiction of the Cavendish banana on a Chinese wallpaper in one of Chatsworth’s many bedrooms, the head gardener, Joseph Paxton, decided to cultivate them in Chatsworth House.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for are bananas becoming extinct, then why not take a look at lion vs hyena, or flamingo wildlife.
Cavendish bananas don’t have genetic diversity, which implies that every banana you buy at the shop is a clone of the previous one.
