Are We Losing the Banana to Fusarium?
It has happened before, in our very recent past. The bananas we know today are not the same as those enjoyed by previous generations. In fact, most of our grandparents enjoyed a different variety of banana altogether: the Gros Michel banana, a sweeter fruit with a slightly thinner skin. Unfortunately, by the mid 1950’s the Gros Michel species was all but depleted. The cause? A mycotoxin-producing fungus called fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense, commonly known as “Panama Disease” or “Fusarium Wilt.”