Bananas

By: Erika Tuttobene

Orcutt Academy High School

Frosh Core Site

How important are bananas?•They are a key part of

many country’s

economies

•Used daily in smoothies, baking, cereal, e

tc.

• A vital part of a healthy diet!

Too bad the banana

you know and love

is on a path to

destruction

The banana, due to years of inbreeding, has become infertile.

Scientists predict it will be wiped out within 10 short years due to the lack of genetic diversity, and the banana you

know today could be gone forever.

3

2

5

6

What are you most concerned about if we were to never have

bananas again?

Effect on Economy

Monkeys

Food

Health

•Selective Breeding

•Sterilization

Why is the banana going extinct?

What does this all mean?

This has made bananas very susceptible to disease

Every single banana you’ve eaten is an exact genetic clone of the original Cavendish banana!

00.5

11.5

22.5

33.5

44.5

5

1

2

3

How worried are you about losing the banana in the future?

•Most people have showed some interest

• Only a few are really concerned

• Several did not care

Be prepared!

•Scientists predict the Cavendish will not live past another 10 years!

The biggest threat?

PANAMA

DISEASE

Panama Disease has already wiped out a strain of bananas!

• The Gros Michel was a species of banana that lasted from 1835-1950

• Due to the lack of genetic diversity, the entire species went extinct in less that 2 years once the disease was noticed

• Devastating effects to banana industry

The New Strain of

Disease

•Since the 1950’s, Panama Disease has evolved

• The new strain (TR4) was first discovered in 1992

• Has caused millions of dollars worth of damage so far!

Where has it spread?

= Disease has begun to spread to area

= Area under severe attack

= Area at risk

Can we avoid it?

It would take genetic sequencing, money, genetically modifying the

fruit even more, and LOTS of pesticides

Yes!

Are we going to try?

No!

Lose-Lose Situation

•NO MORE BANANAS

• Will cause millions in loss of jobs and decline of economy

• Scientists may not be able to engineer a new type of banana before the Cavendish is extinct

• Would cost millions in research & pesticides

• Could potentially disease the crop

• YAY BANANAS

Don’t save Do Save

How Can You Help Research for a new banana?

Become a BFF on Facebook or support with a tweet!

@bananaresearch

http://www.panamadisease.org

Works Cited Alison, Robert. Thanks to Selective Breeding our Favorite Fruit Can No longer Defend Itself. 19th July

2003. Internet. 4th Februaury 2014.

Busciello, Francesco. Bananas are all clones! 17th May 2013. Internet. 15th January 2014.

Ferris, Robert. Bananas are Wal-Mart's Best Selling Items and Other Facts. 23 July 2013. Internet. 28th

January 2014.

Hiskey, Daven. Commercial Bananas are Perfect Clones of one Another. 22nd June 2010. Internet. 3rd

February 2014.

Schmidt, Kara. The High Cost of Cheap Fruit. 24th July 2006. Internet. 14th January 2014.

Thanks to . n.d.

Weise, Elizabeth. Bananas too Inbred to Fight Disease. 5th July 2011. Internet. 25th January 2014.

Thank You!

Brought to you by Erika Tuttobene