Stephen Mihm: Prepare for the global banana-pocalypse, thanks to a failure to diversify

[Judi Lynn]

By STEPHEN MIHM |
January 22, 2018 at 12:21 am

The banana-pocalypse is coming. That’s the likelihood that sometime in the next decade, bananas may disappear, victims of a fungal pathogen known as Panama disease. The disease is on the march throughout the world, threatening the future of the world’s most popular fruit.

Panama Disease may be the cause of this disaster, but it’s also a symptom of a bigger problem afflicting global agriculture: a failure to diversify. For the past couple of centuries, the tendency has been to adopt a single reputable cultivar and — literally — bet the farm on it.

The most devastating case study in the dangers of monoculture comes from Ireland in the 1840s. After the discovery of potatoes in the New World, the Irish began cultivating them en masse. But while the Incas and other peoples had cultivated thousands of varieties of potatoes, the Irish grew only three kinds, mostly a homely variety known as the Lumper.

This particular potato proved remarkably productive. But it was vulnerable to a fungal pathogen known as Phytophthora infestans, better known as potato blight. In 1845, the organism destroyed that year’s crop of Lumpers, then raged across the rest of Europe. It’s estimated that a million people died of starvation in Ireland alone, with another 2 million people emigrating out of desperation.

More:
https://www.twincities.com/2018/01/22/stephen-mihm-prepare-for-the-global-bananapocalypse-thanks-to-a-failure-to-diversify/

[underpants]

1. The One Great Banana- next is the goldfinger

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfinger_banana

I read about this probably 10 years ago and it fascinates me. The banana companies basically go with one banana strain for uniformity. The idea is that when bananas were first introduced in the US for wide consumption the consumer wasn't going to be able to or want to decide between the dizzying array of types,of banana so they go with one type (Bike Mike and now cavendish). It's yellow, it's a banana. They really marketed that well getting their product in to early education so it was easily recognizable and ever present - with no real expense to them.

They, from what I've read, expect a blight every 15-20 years or so. The cavendish has really stood up well. The next one will be the gold finger (see link) and over time consumers won't be able to tell the difference. It's yellow, it's a banana.