Bananas are in danger of being wiped out by a fungus A presentation With Special effects. TR4, the Banana disease Bananas are in danger of being wiped out by a fungus

We got a problem, see A disease called Panama disease is afflicting the banana population, a plant that has not yet developed immunity to the virus. The banana population is in danger of being completely wiped out.

Why bother? Bananas are the most popular fruit in the world, and it is enjoyed by billions around the world. People in banana-growing reigons survive off bananas, not just yellow “Cavendish” bananas but other varieties too, including green, pink and seeded ones. Bananas are an excellent source of vitamin B-6 and C, potassium, and sugar. We must protect our ancestor’s food supply They taste good

The disease There are many diseases that affect the banana population, the biggest one is called the Panama disease. Panama disease is caused by a parasitic fungi called tropical race 4 (TR4). TR4 is the biggest threat to bananas worldwide

Effects of the disease First, the fungus attacks the roots, then long fungal filaments called hyphae grow up into the plant. It clogs the plant’s xylem, preventing nutrients from getting to the leaves. The leaves, left without nutrients, wither and die, as the bananas quickly follow

Is TR4 the only threat? No, far from it. Bacteria, bugs, bad luck and other diseases like the black sigatoka virus are all major contributors to banana decline. Luckily, these can be contained. Sanitation, management and pesticides can easily take care of these problems. The only way to stop TR4 is preventing it from getting to the plant in the first place.

What are farmers doing about it? It may take years to genetically engineer Panama disease resistant bananas. In the meantime, banana farmers have to stop the fungus before it can spread. One way they do this is by conducting a LAMP test, where a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) copies a bit of the plant’s DNA. This allows farmers to identify TR4’s genetic code in the plant. Unlike most PCR tests, LAMP can be done in hot or cold climates, and it runs on a battery.

What are scientists doing about it? We may be able to stop the fungus from spreading, but our main goal is to prevent the fungus from infecting in the first place. What scientists are aiming to do is cross breed nice tasting bananas with bananas immune to the Panama disease. Scientists in Africa have succeeded in creating a variety of bananas immune to the Black Sigatoka fungus and certain nematodes, but it has taken 20 years to develop these. Scientists in Latin America are trying to deal with this is by adding resistant genes into the original bananas, which may also take a long time, but they’re trying.

Some facts about bananas I just wanted an extra slide to share a bunch of interesting things I learned. Bananas are the world’s largest herb. They don’t have a woody stem. Bananas and plantains are in the same family, but they are so different in taste that they are usually addressed as separate fruits. There is a banana that tastes like strawberries when cooked. (Wikipedia) Banana stem fibers are used to make banana paper. Banana leaves are used as umbrellas in some countries.

That’s it, any questions?

Sources https://student.societyforscience.org/article/saving-banana?mode=topic&context=79 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana http://www.google.com/imghp

Why this is interesting (at least to me) I’m really interested in the fact that bananas, a common food source, are in danger of extinction. I also was interested in the different varieties of banana. There are green plantains (best cooked), apple-textured bananas and red bananas.

I want to learn more about I want to know how bananas grow compared to other plants. They are actually the worlds largest herb, so they grow on a stalk-like thing.