Interesting article, thanks for the link!

They developed the goldfinger banana for this disease resistance.

Very sad. I think I'll go hug my dc's now!

Good read. However, the problem of relying on one crop strain is certainly not exclusive to bananas. Fortunately, there are numerous groups working on banana breeding and developement. I'd think it would be a good idea for the larger manufacturers to start promoting a few different banana cultivars. Through advertising the public could certainly be swayed to try new flavors. at least they wouldn't be relying on only one cultivar in case the inevitable happens. Most supermarkets have some other types, but they are sold as specialty items and cost a lot more of course.

Tim Chapman

You're right Tim...When people are used to paying 20 cents a pound for something, it's a pretty hard sell to go to a dollar a pound for something a little different. I don't think most people even realize what it costs..time...money...and environmental destruction to grow a pound of bananas the way it's been done in the past.

...I do see other bananas available from time to time, but, they don't have that pure yellow unblemished skin that American consumers have come to expect. Only time will tell how it's all going to play out.

...and as it's all being sorted out, I've got at least ten bunches growing in the yard right now...Z

I pay 59 cents a pound here.
5 to 10 years away for Cavendish to be wiped out seems a bit scary.

Except for being the cheapest price, $0.33/lb, I don't really like the taste of the cavendish bananas in the US grocery stores. I don't mind unsightly skin blemishes of other bananas either, as long the flesh inside is tasty and not squishy liquid.

So I will not really miss the popular cavendish types of bananas when they are wiped out to oblivion, I have several dozen types to choose from, and the western market is only accustomed to seeing one, and of course, this is not my fault (LOL!).

Great article. Ive actually been to the old united fruit compound in Honduras (called Lancetilla, after the very prickly palms that grow near there). The buildings are thought provoking in a country where cardboard is the main construction material...Anyway, in addition to bananas, theyve got virtually every tropical fruit youve ever even read about growing there. They tested everything, and have great mangosteens, when theyre in season. Still one of the highlights of that long ago jaunt through Latin America....

Very good article. I really enjoyed reading it and learned a lot.

Great Info. Thanks for posting the link to the article. I have shared it with several of my non-gardening friends. (I try to not associate with such people but sometimes have no choice.)

Thanks again for the link.

Very interesting article!

Interesting, very interesting. I have to agree with Joereal on the taste of grocery store bananas. Luckily our grocery carries several different kinds. Seems like every time mine are about to ripen we get a storm or winds and the bananas fall over, they will still ripen if far enough along but it seems it's always when they are too small to ripen. Tally HO!