Banana Threat: Attack of the Clones

Arwen Timberlake-Newell

Banana Threat: Attack of the Clones

Author- Alison Pearce Stevens, Publisher- Student Science, December 4, 2015

URL-https://student.societyforscience.org/article/banana-threat-attack-clones

Usually when you think of fruit you think that fruit is not in any danger, but with the Cavendish banana and 400 other types of banana’s, that’s the case. In North America, Europe, China, and many other places, Panama disease is caused by a fungus called TR4 which causes them to die and become bad. This is what this article is all about it is telling us that we are experiencing a minor worldwide problem because of this fungus. It also says that Gert Kema and his team of scientists have conducted a study and have found ways that we are spreading this. The fungi is can be carried around by everything from clothing to machetes. This is why prices are slowly raising on bananas while they are trying find a way to stop this disease from spreading.

This article connects to what we are doing currently and in the past because we learned about fungi affecting bats which makes bats and bananas end in the same way, death. The research told to us in this article is needed so that we can keep a very important fruit going strong. This news informs us that we need to be watching out when it comes to one of the most important fruits, bananas. Around the world there are people who depend on bananas for the type of nutrition they provide. I wanted this article because it closely relates to my family. During the average week, my family consumes over 10 bananas. That can add up to a lot throughout the year and that shows that we need bananas.

I find this article to be very well written in that it has perfect CUPS and it only includes what it needs to yet being very detailed. It gives up details about the fungus and what it does and how long it will wait to do that. This article does this yet manages to keep out information we don’t need like every type of banana that is being affected which I think is very important because that’s 401 types. To prove this in the article it says “At risk is the sweet “Cavendish” banana sold in North America and Europe. But that's not all. There are 400 edible varieties of banana, and many of them also are susceptible to killing by Panama disease.” But luckily it does list what banana regions it is affecting like in the article “At risk is the sweet “Cavendish” banana sold in North America and Europe” and China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia. It’s reached the Philippines and southern Africa. And it has been discovered in the Middle East and Asian countries of Jordan, Lebanon and Pakistan.”

Save The Banana’s!

URL’s to pictures:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-29/feature-banana/4922208

https://student.societyforscience.org/article/banana-threat-attack-clones