Until the mid-1950s, consumers ate a completely different type of banana than the one known today. The dominant variety on supermarket shelves was Gros Michel—sweeter, creamier, and more fragrant than modern varieties. However, this type of banana no longer exists because it was destroyed by the Fusarium disease, widely known as Panama disease.
This fungal infection kills the plant by occupying its vascular system and blocking the transport of water and minerals necessary for banana survival. The fungus Fusarium oxysporum is highly resistant and can persist in plantation soil for over 20 years; currently, there is no chemical treatment or effective method to eliminate the fungus after an area has been infected.
As an alternative for global consumption, the Cavendish variety emerged (known as nanica in Brazil). Today, this is the most common variety on the market, developed as a response to the disease that wiped out Gros Michel. For about 40 years, Cavendish thrived on plantations supplying much of the world's market due to its resistance to the initial strain of the fungus.
However, the situation began to change in 1990. An aggressive strain of the fungus, known as Tropical Race 4 (R4T), started to develop, which began destroying the Cavendish group. Since then, R4T has spread and attacks banana plantations in many parts of the world. In Brazil, it is currently considered absent, although it is classified as a pest posing an economic and ecological threat.
In addition to the aggressiveness of R4T, there is another problem: bananas are propagated through cloning, which leads to low genetic diversity among different types. While this ensures uniformity of fruit, it also means they are susceptible to the same diseases—if a disease affects one plant, it can affect the entire population of that variety.
Climate change also contributes to the extinction threat. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and climate-related pests negatively affect banana-producing countries, which report crop reductions and loss of agricultural land across the region.
This is because bananas, especially the Cavendish variety, are sensitive fruits. They require a temperature range of 15°C to 35°C for normal development, as well as sufficient water. They are also vulnerable to storms, which can lead to the loss of banana leaves and hinder the plant's photosynthesis process.
According to the Going Bananas report, by 2080, 60% of the best areas for growing bananas could be lost due to climate change. Currently, Asia is the world's largest banana producer, followed by the Americas and Africa—some of the regions most vulnerable to climatic events.
Nevertheless, according to new research, hope for saving bananas still exists. This month, the Yelloway initiative announced the development of a fully fertile Cavendish banana. This means that new, commercially viable, and disease-resistant banana varieties can be created through crossbreeding.
Various approaches also exist worldwide. For example, researchers at the Queensland University of Technology in Australia have created a genetically modified Cavendish variety that provides resistance to TR4. This result, named QCAV-4 variant, has been approved for human consumption in Australia and New Zealand.
