Banana

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaFor the plant genus to which bananas belong, see Musa (genus). For other uses, see Banana

(disambiguation).

A banana plant on Banana Island inLuxor, EgyptA banana is an edible fruit produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants of

the genus Musa.[1] (In some countries, bananas used for cooking may be called plantains.) The fruit is

variable in size, color and firmness, but is usually elongated and curved, with soft flesh rich

in starch covered with a rind which may be yellow, purple or red when ripe. The fruits grow in clusters

hanging from the top of the plant. Almost all modern edibleparthenocarpic (seedless) bananas come from

two wild species – Musa acuminata andMusa balbisiana. The scientific names of most cultivated bananas

are Musa acuminata,Musa balbisiana, and Musa × paradisiaca for the hybrid Musa

acuminata × M. balbisiana, depending on their genomic constitution. The old scientific name Musa

sapientum is no longer used.

Musa species are native to tropical South and Southeast Asia, and are likely to have been first

domesticated in Papua New Guinea.[2][3] They are grown in at least 107 countries,[4]primarily for their fruit,

and to a lesser extent to make fiber, banana wine and as ornamental plants. In 2013 bananas were fourth

among the main world food crops (after rice, wheat and maize) in financial value.[5]

Worldwide, there is no sharp distinction between "bananas" and "plantains". Especially in the Americas and

Europe, "banana" usually refers to soft, sweet, dessert bananas, particularly those of the Cavendish group,

which are the main exports from banana-growing countries. By contrast, Musa cultivars with firmer,

starchier fruit are called "plantains". In other regions, such as Southeast Asia, many more kinds of banana

are grown and eaten, so the simple two-fold distinction is not useful and is not made in local languages.

The term "banana" is also used as the common name for the plants which produce the fruit. [1] This can

extend to other members of the genus Musa like the scarlet banana (Musa coccinea), pink banana (Musa

velutina) and the Fe'i bananas . It can also refer to members of the genus Ensete, like the snow

banana (Ensete glaucum) and the economically important false banana (Ensete ventricosum). Both genera

are classified under the banana family, Musaceae.

Contents  [hide] 

1 Description 2 Taxonomy 3 Bananas and plantains 4 Historical cultivation

o 4.1 Early cultivationo 4.2 Plantation cultivation in the

Caribbean, Central and South Americao 4.3 Peasant cultivation for export in the

Caribbeano 4.4 East Africa

5 Modern cultivationo 5.1 Cavendisho 5.2 Ripening

o 5.3 Storage and transporto 5.4 Production and export

6 Pests, diseases, and natural disasterso 6.1 Panama disease

6.1.1 Tropical Race 4o 6.2 Black Sigatoka

6.2.1 In East Africao 6.3 Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV)

7 Cultureo 7.1 Food and cooking

7.1.1 Fruit 7.1.2 Flower 7.1.3 Leaves 7.1.4 Trunk 7.1.5 Nutrition and research

o 7.2 Fiber 7.2.1 Textiles 7.2.2 Paper

o 7.3 Cultural roles 7.3.1 Arts 7.3.2 Religion and popular beliefs

o 7.4 Other uses

8 See also 9 Notes 10 References 11 Bibliography 12 Further reading 13 External links

Description

A banana corm, about 25 cm (10 in) across

Banana inflorescence, partially opened.

The female flowers (which can develop into fruit) have petals and other flower parts at the tip of the ovary (the ovary is "inferior").

The Cavendish banana is the most common banana type sold.The banana plant is the largest herbaceous flowering plant.[6] All the above-ground parts of a banana plant

grow from a structure usually called a "corm".[7] Plants are normally tall and fairly sturdy, and are often

mistaken for trees, but what appears to be a trunk is actually a "false stem" or pseudostem. The leaves of

banana plants are composed of a "stalk" (petiole) and a blade (lamina). The base of the petiole widens to

form a sheath; the tightly packed sheaths make up the pseudostem, which is all that supports the plant. The

edges of the sheath meet when it is first produced, making it tubular. As new growth occurs in the centre of

the pseudostem the edges are forced apart.[8] Cultivated banana plants vary in height depending on the

variety and growing conditions. Most are around 5 m (16 ft) tall, with a range from 'Dwarf Cavendish' plants

at around 3 m (10 ft) to 'Gros Michel' at 7 m (23 ft) or more.[9][10] Leaves are spirally arranged and may grow

2.7 metres (8.9 ft) long and 60 cm (2.0 ft) wide.[11] They are easily torn by the wind, resulting in the familiar

frond look.[12]

When a banana plant is mature, the corm stops producing new leaves and begins to form a flower spike

or inflorescence. A stem develops which grows up inside the pseudostem, carrying the immature

inflorescence until eventually it emerges at the top.[13] Each pseudostem normally produces a single

inflorescence, also known as the "banana heart". (More are sometimes produced; an exceptional plant in

the Philippines produced five.[14]) After fruiting, the pseudostem dies, but offshoots will normally have

developed from the base, so that the plant as a whole is perennial. In the plantation system of cultivation,

only one of the offshoots will be allowed to develop in order to maintain spacing. [15] The inflorescence

contains manybracts (sometimes incorrectly called petals) between rows of flowers. The female flowers

(which can develop into fruit) appear in rows further up the stem (closer to the leaves) from the rows of male

flowers. The ovary is inferior, meaning that the tiny petals and other flower parts appear at the tip of the

ovary.[16]

The banana fruits develop from the banana heart, in a large hanging cluster, made up of tiers (called

"hands"), with up to 20 fruit to a tier. The hanging cluster is known as a bunch, comprising 3–20 tiers, or

commercially as a "banana stem", and can weigh from 30–50 kilograms (66–110 lb). Individual banana

fruits (commonly known as a banana or "finger") average 125 grams (0.28 lb), of which approximately 75%

is water and 25% dry matter.[citation needed]

The fruit has been described as a "leathery berry".[17] There is a protective outer layer (apeel or skin) with

numerous long, thin strings (the phloem bundles), which run lengthwise between the skin and

the edible inner portion. The inner part of the common yellow dessert variety splits easily lengthwise into

three sections that correspond to the inner portions of the three carpels.[citation needed] In cultivated varieties, the

seeds are diminished nearly to non-existence; their remnants are tiny black specks in the interior of the fruit.[18]

Bananas are naturally slightly radioactive,[19][20] more so than most other fruits, because of their potassium

content and the small amounts of the isotope potassium-40 found in naturally occurring potassium.[21] Proponents of nuclear power sometimes refer to thebanana equivalent dose of radiation to support their

arguments.[22]

Taxonomy

Banana 'tree' showing fruit and inflorescence.The genus Musa is in the family Musaceae. The APG III system assigns Musaceae to the

order Zingiberales, part of the commelinid clade of the monocotyledonous flowering plants.

Some sources assert that Musa is named for Antonius Musa, physician to the EmperorAugustus.[23] Others

say that Linnaeus, who named the genus in 1750, simply adapted anArabic word for banana, mauz. The

word banana is generally said to be derived from theWolof word banaana.[24] Some 70 species

of Musa were recognized by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families as of January 2013;[25] several

produce edible fruit, while others are cultivated as ornamentals.[23]

Banana classification has long been a problematic issue for taxonomists. Linnaeus originally classified

bananas into two species based only on their uses as food: Musa sapientum for dessert bananas and Musa

paradisiaca for plantains. Subsequently further species names were added. However, this approach proved

inadequate to address the sheer number of cultivars existing in the primary center of diversity of the

genus, Southeast Asia. Many of these cultivars were given names which proved to be synonyms.[26]

In a series of papers published in 1947 onwards, Ernest Cheesman showed that Linnaeus' Musa

sapientum and Musa paradisiaca were actually cultivars and descendants of two wild seed-producing

species, Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana, both first described by Luigi Aloysius Colla.[27] He

recommended the abolition of Linnaeus' species in favor of reclassifying bananas according to three

morphologically distinct groups of cultivars – those primarily exhibiting the botanical characteristics ofMusa

balbisiana, those primarily exhibiting the botanical characteristics of Musa acuminata, and those with

characteristics that are the combination of the two.[26] Researchers Norman Simmonds and Ken Shepherd

proposed a genome-based nomenclature system in 1955. This system eliminated almost all the difficulties

and inconsistencies of the earlier classification of bananas based on assigning scientific names to cultivated

varieties. Despite this, the original names are still recognized by some authorities today, leading to

confusion.[27][28]

The currently accepted scientific names for most groups of cultivated bananas are Musa

acuminata Colla and Musa balbisiana Colla for the ancestral species, and Musa × paradisiaca L. for the

hybrid M. acuminata × M. balbisiana.[29]

A variety of banana cultivated widely inIndian state of Kerala, locally known asnendranSynonyms of M. × paradisica include:

A large number of subspecific and varietial names of M. × paradisiaca, including M.

p.subsp. sapientum (L.) Kuntze

Musa × dacca Horan.

Musa × sapidisiaca K.C.Jacob, nom. superfl.

Musa × sapientum L., and a large number of its varietal names,

including M. × sapientumvar. paradisiaca (L.) Baker, nom. illeg.

Generally, modern classifications of banana cultivars follow Simmonds and Shepherd's system. Cultivars

are placed in groups based on the number of chromosomes they have and which species they are derived

from. Thus the Latundan banana  is placed in the AAB Group, showing that it is a triploid derived from

both M. acuminata (A) and M. balbisiana (B). For a list of the cultivars classified under this system see List

of banana cultivars.

In 2012 a team of scientists announced they had achieved a draft sequence of the genome of Musa

acuminata.[30]

Bananas and plantainsIn regions such as North America and Europe, Musa fruits offered for sale can be divided into "bananas"

and "plantains", based on their intended use as food. Thus the banana producer and

distributor Chiquita produces publicity material for the American market which says that "a plantain is not a

banana". The stated differences are that plantains are more starchy and less sweet; they are eaten cooked

rather than raw; they have thicker skin, which may be green, yellow or black; and they can be used at any

stage of ripeness.[31]Linnaeus made the same distinction between plantains and bananas when first naming

two "species" of Musa.[32] Members of the "Plantain subgroup" of banana cultivars, most important as food

in West Africa and Latin America, correspond to the Chiquita description, having long pointed fruit. They are

described by Ploetz et al. as "true" plantains, distinct from other cooking bananas. [33]The cooking bananas

of East Africa belong to a different group, the East African Highland bananas,[10] so would not qualify as

"true" plantains on this definition.

An alternative approach divides bananas into dessert bananas and cooking bananas, with plantains being

one of the subgroups of cooking bananas.[34] Triploid cultivars derived solely from M. acuminata are

examples of "dessert bananas", whereas triploid cultivars derived from the hybrid

between M. acuminata and M. balbinosa (in particular the Plantain subgroup of the AAB Group) are

"plantains".[35][36] Small farmers in Colombia grow a much wider range of cultivars than large commercial

plantations. A study of these cultivars showed that they could be placed into at least three groups based on

their characteristics: dessert bananas, non-plantain cooking bananas, and plantains, although there were

overlaps between dessert and cooking bananas.[37]

In Southeast Asia – the center of diversity for bananas, both wild and cultivated – the distinction between

"bananas" and "plantains" does not work, according to Valmayor et al. Many bananas are used both raw

and cooked. There are starchy cooking bananas which are smaller than those eaten raw. The range of

colors, sizes and shapes is far wider than in those grown or sold in Africa, Europe or the Americas.[32] Southeast Asian languages do not make the distinction between "bananas" and "plantains" that is made

in English (and Spanish). Thus both Cavendish cultivars, the classic yellow dessert bananas, and Saba

cultivars, used mainly for cooking, are

calledpisang in Malaysia and Indonesia, kluai in Thailand and chuoi in Vietnam.[38] Fe'i bananas, grown and

eaten in the islands of the Pacific, are derived from entirely different wild species than traditional bananas

and plantains. Most Fe'i bananas are cooked, but Karat bananas, which are short and squat with bright red

skins, very different from the usual yellow dessert bananas, are eaten raw.[39]

In summary, in commerce in Europe and the Americas (although not in small-scale cultivation), it is possible

to distinguish between "bananas", which are eaten raw, and "plantains", which are cooked. In other regions

of the world, particularly India, Southeast Asia and the islands of the Pacific, there are many more kinds of

banana and the two-fold distinction is not useful and not made in local languages. Plantains are one of

many kinds of cooking bananas, which are not always distinct from dessert bananas.

Historical cultivationEarly cultivationSee also: Musa acuminata

Original native ranges of the ancestors of modern edible bananas. Musa acuminata is shown in green and Musa balbisiana in orange.[40]

Southeast Asian farmers first domesticated bananas. Recent archaeological and palaeoenvironmental

evidence at Kuk Swamp  in the Western Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea suggests that banana

cultivation there goes back to at least 5000 BCE, and possibly to 8000 BCE.[2][41] It is likely that other

species were later and independently domesticated elsewhere in southeast Asia. Southeast Asia is the

region of primary diversityof the banana. Areas of secondary diversity are found in Africa, indicating a long

history of banana cultivation in the region.[42]

Actual and probable diffusion of bananas during Islamic times (700–1500 CE)[43]

Phytolith discoveries in Cameroon dating to the first millennium BCE[44] triggered an as yet unresolved

debate about the date of first cultivation in Africa. There is linguistic evidence that bananas were known

in Madagascar around that time.[45] The earliest prior evidence indicates that cultivation dates to no earlier

than late 6th century CE.[46] It is likely, however, that bananas were brought at least to Madagascar if not to

the East African coast during the phase of Malagasy colonization of the island from South East Asia c. 400

CE.[47]

The banana may have been present in isolated locations of the Middle East on the eve ofIslam. There is

some textual evidence that Muhammad was familiar with bananas.[citation needed] The spread of Islam was

followed by far-reaching diffusion. There are numerous references to it in Islamic texts (such as poems

and hadiths) beginning in the 9th century. By the 10th century the banana appears in texts

from Palestine and Egypt. From there it diffused into north Africa and Muslim Iberia. During the medieval

ages, bananas fromGranada were considered among the best in the Arab world.[43] In 650, Islamic

conquerors brought the banana to Palestine. Today, banana consumption increases significantly in Islamic

countries during Ramadan, the month of daylight fasting.[48]

Bananas were introduced to the Americas by Portuguese sailors who brought the fruits fromWest Africa in

the 16th century.[49] The word banana is of West African origin, from the Wolof language, and passed into

English via Spanish or Portuguese.[50]

Many wild banana species as well as cultivars exist in extraordinary diversity in New

Guinea, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and thePhilippines.

There are fuzzy bananas whose skins are bubblegum pink; green-and-white striped bananas with pulp the

color of orange sherbet; bananas that, when cooked, taste like strawberries. The Double Mahoi plant can

produce two bunches at once. The Chinese name of the aromatic Go San Heong banana means 'You can

smell it from the next mountain.' The fingers on one banana plant grow fused; another produces bunches of

a thousand fingers, each only an inch long.—Mike Peed, The New Yorker[51]

Plantation cultivation in the Caribbean, Central and South AmericaMain article: History of modern banana plantations in the Americas

Fruits of wild-type bananas have numerous large, hard seeds.In the 15th and 16th centuries, Portuguese colonists started banana plantations in the Atlantic

Islands, Brazil, and western Africa.[52] North Americans began consuming bananas on a small scale at very

high prices shortly after the Civil War, though it was only in the 1880s that it became more widespread.[53] As late as the Victorian Era, bananas were not widely known in Europe, although they were available.[52] Jules Verne introduces bananas to his readers with detailed descriptions in Around the World in Eighty

Days (1872).

The earliest modern plantations originated in Jamaica and the related Western Caribbean Zone, including

most of Central America. It involved the combination of modern transportation networks of steamships and

railroads with the development of refrigeration that allowed bananas to have more time between harvesting

and ripening. North America shippers likeLorenzo Dow Baker and Andrew Preston, the founders of

the Boston Fruit Company started this process in the 1870s, but railroad builders like Minor C Keith also

participated, eventually culminating in the multi-national giant corporations like today's Chiquita Brands

International and Dole.[53] These companies were monopolistic, vertically integrated (meaning they

controlled growing, processing, shipping and marketing) and usually used political manipulation to

build enclave economies (economies that were internally self-sufficient, virtually tax exempt, and export

oriented that contribute very little to the host economy). Their political maneuvers, which gave rise to the

term Banana republic for states like Honduras and Guatemala, included working with local elites and their

rivalries to influence politics or playing the international interests of the United States, especially during

the Cold War, to keep the political climate favorable to their interests.[54]

Peasant cultivation for export in the CaribbeanMain article: History of peasant banana production in the Americas

The vast majority of the world's bananas today are cultivated for family consumption or for sale on local

markets. India is the world leader in this sort of production, but many other Asian and African countries

where climate and soil conditions allow cultivation also host large populations of banana growers who sell at

least some of their crop.[55]

There are peasant sector banana growers who produce for the world market in the Caribbean, however.

The Windward Islands are notable for the growing, largely of Cavendish bananas, for an international

market, generally in Europe but also in North America. In the Caribbean, and especially in Dominica where

this sort of cultivation is widespread, holdings are in the 1–2 acre range. In many cases the farmer earns

additional money from other crops, from engaging in labor outside the farm, and from a share of the

earnings of relatives living overseas. This style of cultivation often was popular in the islands as bananas

required little labor input and brought welcome extra income.[citation needed] Banana crops are vulnerable to

destruction by high winds, such as tropical storms orcyclones.[56]

After the signing of the NAFTA agreements in the 1990s, however, the tide turned against peasant

producers. Their costs of production were relatively high and the ending of favorable tariff and other

supports, especially in the European Economic Community, made it difficult for peasant producers to

compete with the bananas grown on large plantations by the well capitalized firms like Chiquita and Dole.

Not only did the large companies have access to cheap labor in the areas they worked, but they were better

able to afford modern agronomic advances such as fertilization. The "dollar banana" produced by these

concerns made the profit margins for peasant bananas unsustainable.[citation needed]

Caribbean countries have sought to redress this problem by providing government supported agronomic

services and helping to organize producers' cooperatives. They have also been supporters of the Fair

Trade movement which seeks to balance the inequities in the world trade in commodities.[citation needed]

East AfricaMain article: East African Highland bananas

Most farms supply local consumption. Cooking bananas represent a major food source and a

major income source for smallhold farmers. In east Africa, highland bananas are of greatest importance as

a staple food crop. In countries such as Uganda, Burundi, andRwanda per capita consumption has been

estimated at 45 kilograms (99 lb) per year, the highest in the world.[citation needed]

Modern cultivationAll widely cultivated bananas today descend from the two wild bananas Musa acuminata and Musa

balbisiana. While the original wild bananas contained large seeds, diploid or polyploid cultivars (some

being hybrids) with tiny seeds are preferred for human raw fruit consumption.[57] These are

propagated asexually from offshoots. The plant is allowed to produce two shoots at a time; a larger one for

immediate fruiting and a smaller "sucker" or "follower" to produce fruit in 6–8 months. The life of a banana

plantation is 25 years or longer, during which time the individual stools or planting sites may move slightly

from their original positions as lateral rhizomeformation dictates.[citation needed]

Cultivated bananas are parthenocarpic, i.e. the flesh of the fruit swells and ripens without its seeds being

fertilized and developing. Lacking viable seeds, propagation typically involves farmers removing and

transplanting part of the underground stem (called a corm). Usually this is done by carefully removing a

sucker (a vertical shoot that develops from the base of the banana pseudostem) with some roots intact.

However, small sympodial corms, representing not yet elongated suckers, are easier to transplant and can

be left out of the ground for up to two weeks; they require minimal care and can be shipped in bulk. [citation

needed]

It is not necessary to include the corm or root structure to propagate bananas; severed suckers without root

material can be propagated in damp sand, although this takes somewhat longer.[citation needed]

In some countries, commercial propagation occurs by means of tissue culture. This method is preferred

since it ensures disease-free planting material. When using vegetative parts such as suckers for

propagation, there is a risk of transmitting diseases (especially the devastating Panama disease).[citation needed]

As a non-seasonal crop, bananas are available fresh year-round.[citation needed]

Cavendish

Cavendish bananas are the main commercial banana cultivars sold in the world market.In global commerce in 2009, by far the most important cultivars belonged to the triploid AAA group  of Musa

acuminata, commonly referred to as Cavendish group bananas. They accounted for the majority of banana

exports,[57] despite only coming into existence in 1836.[58] The cultivars Dwarf Cavendish and Grand

Nain (Chiquita Banana) gained popularity in the 1950s after the previous mass-produced cultivar, Gros

Michel (also an AAA group cultivar), became commercially unviable due to Panama disease, caused by the

fungusFusarium oxysporum which attacks the roots of the banana plant.[57] Cavendish cultivars are resistant

to the Panama Disease but in 2013 there were fears that the Black Sigatokafungus would in turn make

Cavendish bananas unviable.[5]

Ease of transport and shelf life rather than superior taste make the Dwarf Cavendish the main export

banana.[citation needed]

Even though it is no longer viable for large scale cultivation, Gros Michel is not extinct and is still grown in

areas where Panama disease is not found.[59] Likewise, Dwarf Cavendish and Grand Nain are in no danger

of extinction, but they may leave supermarket shelves if disease makes it impossible to supply the global

market. It is unclear if any existing cultivar can replace Cavendish bananas, so

various hybridisation and genetic engineering programs are attempting to create a disease-resistant, mass-

market banana.[57]

RipeningExport bananas are picked green, and ripen in special rooms upon arrival in the destination country. These

rooms are air-tight and filled with ethylene gas to induce ripening. The vivid yellow color normally

associated with supermarket bananas is in fact a side effect of the artificial ripening process.[60][61] Flavor and

texture are also affected by ripening temperature. Bananas are refrigerated to between 13.5 and 15 °C

(56 and 59 °F) during transport. At lower temperatures, ripening permanently stalls, and turns the bananas

gray as cell walls break down. The skin of ripe bananas quickly blackens in the 4 °C (39 °F) environment of

a domestic refrigerator, although the fruit inside remains unaffected.

Ripened bananas (left, under sunlight) fluoresce in blue when exposed to UV light."Tree-ripened" Cavendish bananas have a greenish-yellow appearance which changes to a brownish-

yellow as they ripen further. Although both flavor and texture of tree-ripened bananas is generally regarded

as superior to any type of green-picked fruit,[citation needed]this reduces shelf life to only 7–10 days.[citation needed]

Bananas can be ordered by the retailer "ungassed", and may show up at the supermarket fully green.

"Guineo Verde", or green bananas that have not been gassed will never fully ripen before becoming rotten.

Instead of fresh eating, these bananas are best suited to cooking, as seen in Mexican culinary dishes. [citation

needed]

A 2008 study reported that ripe bananas fluoresce when exposed to ultraviolet light. This property is

attributed to the degradation ofchlorophyll leading to the accumulation of a fluorescent product in the skin of

the fruit. The chlorophyll breakdown product is stabilized by a propionate ester group. Banana-plant leaves

also fluoresce in the same way. Green bananas do not fluoresce. The study suggested that this allows

animals which can see light in the ultraviolet spectrum (tetrachromats and pentachromats) to more easily

detect ripened bananas.[62]

Storage and transportBananas must be transported over long distances from the tropics to world markets. To obtain maximum

shelf life, harvest comes before the fruit is mature. The fruit requires careful handling, rapid transport to

ports, cooling, and refrigerated shipping. The goal is to prevent the bananas from producing their natural

ripening agent, ethylene. This technology allows storage and transport for 3–4 weeks at 13 °C (55 °F). On

arrival, bananas are held at about 17 °C (63 °F) and treated with a low concentration of ethylene. After a

few days, the fruit begins to ripen and is distributed for final sale. Unripe bananas can not be held in home

refrigerators because they suffer from the cold.[citation needed] Ripe bananas can be held for a few days at home.

If bananas are too green, they can be put in a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato overnight to speed

up the ripening process.[63]

Carbon dioxide (which bananas produce) and ethylene absorbents extend fruit life even at high

temperatures. This effect can be exploited by packing banana in a polyethylene bag and including an

ethylene absorbent, e.g., potassium permanganate, on an inert carrier. The bag is then sealed with a band

or string. This treatment has been shown to more than double lifespans up to 3–4 weeks without the need

for refrigeration.[64][65][66]

Production and exportProduction and export of bananas

and plantains by country (2011)[Note 1]

Country Millionsof tonnes

Percentageof world

total

Table 1: Production

 India 29.7 20%

 Uganda 11.1 8%

 China 10.7 7%

 Philippines 9.2 6%

 Ecuador 8.0 6%

 Brazil 7.3 5%

 Indonesia 6.1 4%

 Colombia 5.1 4%

 Cameroon 4.8 3%

 Tanzania 3.9 3%

All other countries 49.6 34%

Total world 145.4 100%

Table 2: Exports

 Ecuador 5.2 29%

 Costa Rica 1.8 10%

 Colombia 1.8 10%

 Philippines 1.6 9%

 Guatemala 1.5 8%

All other countries 6.0 34%

Total world 17.9 100%Statistics on the production and export of bananas and plantains are available from theFood and Agriculture

Organization. Some countries produce statistics which distinguish between bananas and plantains, but

three of the top four producers (India,China and the Philippines) do not, so comparisons can only be made

using the total for bananas and plantains combined. The 2011 statistics (see Table 1) show that India led

the world in banana production, producing around 20% of the worldwide crop of 145 million metric

tonnes. Uganda was the next largest producer with around 8% of the worldwide crop. Its national data does

distinguish between bananas and plantains, and shows that the latter made up over 95% of production. Ten

countries produced around two thirds of the total world production.[Note 1]

The statistics for the export of bananas and plantains show a rather different picture (see Table 2). Total

world exports at around 18 million metric tonnes amounted to only 12% of total world production; two thirds

of the exports were generated by only five countries. The top three producing countries do not appear in

this table, and two countries, Costa Rica and Guatemala, do not appear in the table of top producers. Only

the Philippines has a consistent position in both tables. Exports were dominated by Ecuador, with 29% of

the world total. Statistics for Ecuador distinguish between bananas and plantains; 93% of its exports were

classified as bananas.[Note 1]

Bananas and plantains constitute a major staple food crop for millions of people indeveloping countries. In

most tropical countries, green (unripe) bananas used forcooking represent the main cultivars. Bananas are

cooked in ways that are similar topotatoes. Both can be fried, boiled, baked, or chipped and have

similar taste and texture when served. One banana provides about the same calories as one potato.[citation

needed]

Most producers are small-scale farmers either for home consumption or local markets. Because bananas

and plantains produce fruit year-round, they provide an extremely valuable food source during the hunger

season (when the food from one annual/semi-annual harvest has been consumed, and the next is still to

come). Bananas and plantains are therefore critical to global food security.

Bananas have been an important source of disagreement in the Doha Round of trade talks. A study

for ICTSD showed that the new deal on EU banana import tariffs will be a boon to Latin American exporters

but would trigger a drop in exports of the fruit from African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.[67]

Bananas are among the most widely consumed foods in the world. Most banana farmers receive a low

price for their produce as grocerycompanies pay discounted prices for buying in enormous quantity. Price

competition among grocers has reduced their margins, leading to lower prices for growers. Chiquita, Del

Monte, Dole, and Fyffes grow their own bananas in Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica,Guatemala,

and Honduras. Banana plantations are capital intensive and demand significant expertise. The majority of

independent growers are large and wealthy landowners in these countries. Producers have attempted to

raise prices via marketing them as "fair trade" or Rainforest Alliance-certified in some countries.[citation needed]

The banana has an extensive trade history starting with firms such as Fyffes and the United Fruit

Company (now Chiquita) at the end of the 19th century. For much of the 20th century, bananas

and coffee dominated the export economies of Central America. In the 1930s, bananas and coffee made up

as much as 75% of the region's exports. As late as 1960, the two crops accounted for 67% of the exports

from the region. Though the two were grown in similar regions, they tended not to be distributed together.

The United Fruit Companybased its business almost entirely on the banana trade, because the coffee trade

proved too difficult to control. The term "banana republic" has been applied to most countries in Central

America, but from a strict economic perspective only Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama had economies

dominated by the banana trade.[citation needed]

The European Union has traditionally imported many of their bananas from former

European Caribbean colonies, paying guaranteed prices above global market rates (see Lomé Convention )

As of 2005, these arrangements were in the process of being withdrawn under pressure from other major

trading powers, principally the United States. The withdrawal of these indirect subsidies to Caribbean

producers is expected to favour the banana producers of Central America, in which American companies

have an economic interest.[citation needed]

The United States produces few bananas. A mere 14,000 tonnes (14,000 long tons; 15,000 short tons)

were grown in Hawaii in 2001.[68] Bananas were once grown in Florida and southern California.[69]

Pests, diseases, and natural disastersMain article: List of banana and plantain diseases

Banana bunches are sometimes encased in plastic bags for protection. The bags may be coated with pesticides.While in no danger of outright extinction, the most common edible banana cultivar Cavendish (extremely

popular in Europe and the Americas) could become unviable for large-scale cultivation in the next 10–20

years. Its predecessor 'Gros Michel ', discovered in the 1820s, suffered this fate. Like almost all bananas,

Cavendish lacks genetic diversity, which makes it vulnerable to diseases, threatening both commercial

cultivation and small-scale subsistence farming.[70][71] Some commentators remarked that those variants

which could replace what much of the world considers a "typical banana" are so different that most people

would not consider them the same fruit, and blame the decline of the banana on monogenetic cultivation

driven by short-term commercial motives.[54]

Panama diseasePanama disease is caused by a fusarium soil fungus (Race 1), which enters the plants through the roots

and travels with water into the trunk and leaves, producing gels and gums that cut off the flow of water and

nutrients, causing the plant to wilt, and exposing the rest of the plant to lethal amounts of sunlight. Prior to

1960, almost all commercial banana production centered on "Gros Michel", which was highly susceptible.

[72] Cavendish was chosen as the replacement for Gros Michel because, among resistant cultivars, it

produces the highest quality fruit. However, more care is required for shipping the Cavendish, and its quality

compared to Gros Michel is debated.[by whom?][citation needed]

According to current sources, a deadly form of Panama disease is infecting Cavendish. All plants are

genetically identical, which prevents evolution of disease resistance. Researchers are examining hundreds

of wild varieties for resistance.[72]

Tropical Race 4TR4 is a reinvigorated strain of Panama disease first discovered in 1993. This virulent form of fusarium wilt

has wiped out Cavendish in several southeast Asian countries. It has yet to reach the Americas; however,

soil fungi can easily be carried on boots, clothing, or tools. This is how Tropical Race 4 travels and is its

most likely route into Latin America. Cavendish is highly susceptible to TR4, and over time, Cavendish is

almost certain to disappear from commercial production by this disease. The only known defense to TR4 is

genetic resistance.[citation needed]

Black SigatokaBlack sigatoka is a fungal leaf spot disease first observed in Fiji in 1963 or 1964. Black Sigatoka (also

known as black leaf streak) has spread to banana plantations throughout the tropics from infected banana

leaves that were used as packing material. It affects all main cultivars of bananas and plantains (including

the Cavendish cultivars[5]), impeding photosynthesis by blackening parts of the leaves, eventually killing the

entire leaf. Starved for energy, fruit production falls by 50% or more, and the bananas that do

grow ripenprematurely, making them unsuitable for export. The fungus has shown ever-increasing

resistance to treatment, with the current expense for treating 1 hectare (2.5 acres) exceeding $1,000 per

year. In addition to the expense, there is the question of how long intensive spraying can be

environmentally justified. Several resistant cultivars of banana have been developed, but none has yet

received commercial acceptance due to taste and texture issues.[citation needed]

In East AfricaWith the arrival of Black sigatoka, banana production in eastern Africa fell by over 40%. For example, during

the 1970s, Uganda produced 15 to 20 tonnes (15 to 20 long tons; 17 to 22 short tons) of bananas per

hectare. Today, production has fallen to only 6 tonnes (5.9 long tons; 6.6 short tons) per hectare.[citation needed]

The situation has started to improve as new disease-resistant cultivars have been developed by

the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and the National Agricultural Research Organisation of

Uganda (NARO), such as FHIA-17 (known in Uganda as the Kabana 3). These new cultivars taste different

from the Cabana banana, which has slowed their acceptance by local farmers. However, by

adding mulch and manure to the soil around the base of the plant, these new cultivars have substantially

increased yields in the areas where they have been tried.[citation needed]

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and NARO, funded by the Rockefeller

Foundation and CGIAR have started trials forgenetically modified bananas that are resistant to both Black

sigatoka and banana weevils. It is developing cultivars specifically for smallholder and subsistence farmers.[citation needed]

Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV)This virus jumps from plant to plant using aphids. It stunts leaves, resulting in a "bunched" appearance.

Generally, an infected plant does not produce fruit, although mild strains exist which allow some production.

These mild strains are often mistaken for malnourishment, or a disease other than BBTV. There is no cure;

however, its effect can be minimized by planting only tissue-cultured plants (in vitro propagation), controlling

aphids, and immediately removing and destroying infected plants.[citation needed]

CultureFood and cookingFruit

Peeled, whole, and longitudinal section

Bananas, rawNutritional value per

100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 371 kJ (89 kcal)

Carbohydrates 22.84 g

- Sugars 12.23 g

- Dietary fiber 2.6 g

Fat 0.33 g

Protein 1.09 g

Thiamine (vit. B1)

0.031 mg (3%)

Riboflavin (vit. B2)

0.073 mg (6%)

Niacin (vit. B3) 0.665 mg (4%)

Pantothenic acid (B5)

0.334 mg (7%)

Vitamin B6 0.4 mg (31%)

Folate (vit. B9) 20 μg

(5%)

Choline 9.8 mg (2%)

Vitamin C 8.7 mg (10%)

Iron 0.26 mg (2%)

Magnesium 27 mg (8%)

Manganese 0.27 mg (13%)

Phosphorus 22 mg (3%)

Potassium 358 mg (8%)

Sodium 1 mg (0%)

Zinc 0.15 mg (2%)

Fluoride 2.2 µg

Link to USDA Database entryPercentages are relative toUS recommendations for

adults.Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Bananas are a staple starch for many tropical populations. Depending upon cultivar and ripeness, the flesh

can vary in taste from starchy to sweet, and texture from firm to mushy. Both the skin and inner part can be

eaten raw or cooked. The banana's flavor is due, amongst other chemicals, to isoamyl acetate  which is one

of the main constituents ofbanana oil.[citation needed]

During the ripening process, bananas produce a plant hormone called ethylene, which indirectly affects the

flavor. Among other things, ethylene stimulates the formation ofamylase, an enzyme that breaks down

starch into sugar, influencing the taste of bananas. The greener, less ripe bananas contain higher levels of

starch and, consequently, have a "starchier" taste. On the other hand, yellow bananas taste sweeter due to

higher sugar concentrations. Furthermore, ethylene signals the production of pectinase, an enzyme which

breaks down the pectin between the cells of the banana, causing the banana to soften as it ripens. [73][74]

Bananas are eaten deep fried, baked in their skin in a split bamboo, or steamed inglutinous rice wrapped in

a banana leaf. Bananas can be made into jam. Bananapancakes are popular amongst backpackers and

other travelers in South Asia andSoutheast Asia. This has elicited the expression Banana Pancake Trail for

those places inAsia that cater to this group of travelers. Banana chips are a snack produced from sliced

dehydrated or fried banana or plantain, which have a dark brown color and an intense banana taste. Dried

bananas are also ground to make banana flour. Extracting juice is difficult, because when a banana is

compressed, it simply turns to pulp. Bananas feature prominently in Philippine cuisine, being part of

traditional dishes and desserts like maruya,turrón, and halo-halo. Most of these dishes use the Saba or

Cardaba banana cultivar.Pisang goreng, bananas fried with batter similar to the Filipino maruya, is a

popular dessert in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. A similar dish is known in the United States as

banana fritters.[citation needed]

Plantains are used in various stews and curries or cooked, baked or mashed in much the same way

as potatoes.[citation needed]

Seeded bananas (Musa balbisiana), one of the forerunners of the common domesticated banana,[75] are

sold in markets in Indonesia.[citation needed]

Banana in sweet gravy, known aspengat pisang in Malay. Popular along Malaysia's east coast.

Flower

Kilawin na pusô ng saging, a Filipino dishusing banana flowersBanana hearts are used as a vegetable [76]  in South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine, either raw or

steamed with dips or cooked in soups, curries and fried foods.[77] The flavor resembles that of artichoke. As

with artichokes, both the fleshy part of the bracts and the heart are edible.[citation needed]

Leaves

Nicaraguan Nacatamales, in banana leaves, ready to be steamedBanana leaves are large, flexible, and waterproof. They are often used as ecologically friendly disposable

food containers or as "plates" in South Asia and several Southeast Asiancountries. Especially in the South

Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradeshand Kerala in every occasion the food must be

served in a banana leaf and as a part of the food a banana is served. Steamed with dishes they impart a

subtle sweet flavor. They often serve as a wrapping for grilling food. The leaves contain the juices, protect

food from burning and add a subtle flavor.[78] In Tamil Nadu (India) leaves are fully dried and used as

packing material for food stuffs and also making cups to hold liquid foods. In Central American countries,

banana leaves are often used as wrappers for tamales.[citation needed]

Trunk

Kaeng yuak is a northern Thai currymade with the core of the banana plantThe tender core of the banana plant's trunk is also used in South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine, and

notably in the Burmese dish mohinga.

Nutrition and researchBananas are an excellent source of vitamin B6, soluble fiber, and contain moderate amounts of vitamin

C, manganese and potassium.[79] Along with other fruits and vegetables, consumption of bananas may be

associated with a reduced risk of colorectal cancer [80]  and in women, breast cancer [81]  and renal cell

carcinoma.[82] Banana ingestion may affectdopamine production in people deficient in the amino

acid tyrosine, a dopamine precursor present in bananas.[83][84] Individuals with a latex allergy may experience

a reaction to bananas.[85]

FiberTextilesThe banana plant has long been a source of fiberfor high quality textiles. In Japan, banana cultivation for

clothing and household use dates back to at least the 13th century. In the Japanese system, leaves and

shoots are cut from the plant periodically to ensure softness. Harvested shoots are first boiled in lye to

prepare fibers for yarn-making. These banana shoots produce fibers of varying degrees of softness,

yielding yarns and textiles with differing qualities for specific uses. For example, the outermost fibers of the

shoots are the coarsest, and are suitable for tablecloths, while the softest innermost fibers are desirable

for kimonoand kamishimo. This traditional Japanese cloth-making process requires many steps, all

performed by hand.[86]

In a Nepalese system the trunk is harvested instead, and small pieces are subjected to a softening process,

mechanical fiber extraction, bleaching and drying. After that, the fibers are sent to the Kathmandu Valley for

use in rugs with a silk-like texture. These banana fiber rugs are woven by traditional Nepalese hand-

knotting methods, and are sold RugMark certified .[citation needed]

In South Indian state of Tamil Nadu after harvesting for fruit the trunk (outer layer of the shoot) is made into

fine thread used in making of flower garlands instead of thread.[citation needed]

PaperMain article: Banana paper

Banana fiber is used in the production of banana paper. Banana paper is made from two different parts:

the bark of the banana plant, mainly used for artistic purposes, or from the fibers of the stem and non-

usable fruits. The paper is either hand-made or by industrial process.[citation needed]

Cultural roles

Coconut, banana and banana leaves used while worshiping River Kaveri atTiruchirappalli, India.

Banana flowers and leaves for sale in the Thanin market in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Arts The song "Yes! We Have No Bananas" was written by Frank Silver and Irving Cohn and originally

released in 1923; for many decades, it was the best-selling sheet music in history. Since then the song

has been rerecorded several times and has been particularly popular during banana shortages. [87]

[88]

A person slipping on a banana peel has been a staple of physical comedy for generations. A

1910 USA comedy recording features a popular character of the time, "Uncle Josh", claiming to

describe his own such incident:[89]

Now I don't think much of the man that throws a banana peelin' on the sidewalk, and I

don't think much of the banana peel that throws a man on the sidewalk neither ... my foot

hit the bananer peelin' and I went up in the air, and I come down ker-plunk, jist as I was

pickin' myself up a little boy come runnin' across the street ... he says, "Oh mister, won't

you please do that agin? My little brother didn't see you do it."

The poet Bashō is named after the Japanese word for a banana plant. The "bashō" planted in his

garden by a grateful student became a source of inspiration to his poetry, as well as a symbol of

his life and home.[90]

The cover artwork for the debut album of The Velvet Underground features a banana made

by Andy Warhol. On the original vinyl LP version, the design allowed the listener to 'peel' this

banana to find a pink, peeled phallic banana on the inside.[91]

Religion and popular beliefs

Nang Tani, the female ghost of Southeast Asian folk mythology that haunts banana trees

In Burma, bunches of green bananas surrounding a green coconut in a tray form an important part of

traditional offerings to the Buddha and the Nats.[citation needed]

In all the important festivals and occasions of Hindus, the serving of bananas plays a prominent part.

Traditionally in Tamil marriages, banana trees are tied on both sides of the entrance of houses to bless

the newlyweds to be useful to each other.[citation needed] The banana is one of three fruits with this

significance, the others being mango and jack fruit.[citation needed]

In Thailand, it is believed that a certain type of banana trees may be inhabited by a spirit, Nang Tani, a

type of ghost related to trees that manifests itself as a young woman.[92] Often people tie a length of

colored satin cloth around the trunk of the banana tree.[93]

In Malay folklore, the ghost known as Pontianak is associated with banana trees (pokok pisang), and

its spirit is said to reside in them during the day.[94]

Other uses Banana sap from the pseudostem, peelings or flesh may be sufficiently sticky for adhesive uses.

[citation needed]

The large leaves may be used as umbrellas.[78]

Banana peel may have capability to extract heavy metal contamination from river water, similar to

other purification materials.[95][96] In 2007, banana peel powder was tested as a means of filtration

for heavy metals andradionuclides occurring in water produced by the nuclear and fertilizer

industries (cadmium contaminant is present in phosphates). When added and thoroughly mixed for

40 minutes, the powder can remove roughly 65% of heavy metals, and this can be repeated. [97]

Banana peel has displayed antioxidant activity in vitro, especially from unripe extracts.[98]

See also Fe'i banana

Musella