Arrktrees, just like all apples are Malus domestica, all bananas are the same Musa species. (Not including one edible species grown only in the South Pacific). Just like you can have Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and Rome apples, you have small pink bananas, big white ones and plantains all from basically the same genome. In my parent's day, the variety was called Gros Michele, "Big Mike". The last load was imported into the U.S. in 1962, but the dying of bananas had been on-going and had inspired the song "Yes, we have no bananas". Since then, almost all dessert bananas are Cavendish. The reason is a disease that wiped out almost all Gros Michele. The reason for the quintessentially British name Cavendish is that when looking for a banana tree that was immune to the fungal disease, one was found in the greenhouses of Lord Cavendish. This single clone is that basis for the whole dessert banana trade. Now, there is a new threat, another fungus. The industry has already moved from countries like Honduras to Ecuador, the new #1 source of bananas to the US. The fungus has infected trees in South China, and recently was found in Queensland, Australia. When it comes to the New World, you will read it in the mainstream media. While you and I may think of bananas as an accessory to breakfast, places like Uganda and that region use bananas like we do potatoes, wheat and rice. This variety, a plantain type, is also killed by the new fungus. When it ravages East Africa, you can imagine what will happen when it hits there, imagine taking everything with rice, wheat or potato off your menu. Anyways, there is a process going on to try to find a resistant banana. Every banana is an ancient seedless (natural?) hybrid. However, have you ever noticed small brown specks at the blossom end of a banana? Those are vestigial seeds. For every about 100 thousand bananas, one will have seeds that can be made to grow. For every 1000 ones that grow, one will make it to maturity. For this reason, the Country of Honduras has a project where bananas are mashed through a sieve to recover those 'seeds'. They are sent to the U. of Louvain in Belgium where they do the growing. As they get plants, they multiply them and give them to people in India, Africa, South America etc. It is hoped on of these will show resistance to the new fungus. I'll stop this long post, there is so much more to say. For more info, look for info on Tropical Race Four.

Hi, Don. In answer to your question, "... does it affect hybrids grown up north?",the answer would be "Yes". The next question would be "How?" Because of the Internet and free trading across state borders, the canker disease can be spread back to Florida or other states by plants traded from Florida growers or from traders who have infected plants from Florida. Example: An infected tree is traded to a NY hobby grower. He is contacted by a CA hobby grower and sends a plant (illegally) to CA. The CA hobby growers lives in Riverside county and spread the disease to the UC Riverside ag school plants and beyond. The entire citrus industry of CA, AZ, or TX may now be compromised. Too many people don't think there illegal trades can cause problem, but the can and do. Do you remember about 10 years ago when they had the outbreak of Hoof (foot in UK)& Mouth disease in Britain? People in the US were still trying to make trades with people UK. If the soil borne disease had been transferred to the US, the entire cattle and swine industry could have been jeopardized. In short, the NY grower is unknowingly spreading the disease. An agricultural Typhoid Mary. The worst news for Floridians could be if the canker disease is ever contained in Florida, the citrus industry could be re-infected by hobby growers. It is sad to me as I drive along I-4 and remember how beautiful the citrus groves use to be from Tampa to Titusville. Now they are mostly gone. I remember when there were experimental groves at Gainesville (UF) along I-75 in the 1970s. Those too are now gone. I would surely hate to see the commercial groves along the FL Turnpike below Orlando disappear. Citrus has been a money maker for Floridians for many years. Speaking of commercial groves, how are they handling the canker disease? I hear about grandmas and grandpas fighting the state about cutting backyard trees but I never hear about mass cuttings in commercial groves. What is the story in, say, Indian River county?

Here is an excerpt from a UCR research page: L. Walling, UCR Professor of Botany and Plant Sciences, employs the tools of molecular genetics to reduce citrus seed set and enhance citrus tolerance to pests and diseases. At University of Arizona, G. Wright breeds new scion and rootstock citrus varieties that will thrive in challenging desert environments. UCR Professor of Botany and Plant Sciences M. Roose investigates phylogenetic relationships among Citrus types and directs both scion and rootstock breeding projects which use detailed genetic mapping and recombinant DNA technology as well as traditional breeding techniques. Research performed in Citrus Variety Collection by the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Citrus and Dates includes molecular characterization of sexually-derived accessions, evaluation of rootstock physical properties, as well as fruit quality evaluations. The Citrus Variety Collection also serves as a source of materials for indexing and cleanup by the NCGRCD. C. Martin at Auburn University in Alabama relies upon the resources of the Citrus Variety Collection to revise the taxonomy of Citrus and its relatives based upon analysis of the chloroplast and nuclear genomes. T.L. Kahn and T. Siebert utilize the collection and three citrus Evaluation Blocks each year to evaluate new citrus varieties for trueness-to-type and commercial potential. Here is a link that might be useful: UCR Research

Meyermike, Why grow citrus? Many years ago my then girlfriend had unlimited access to citrus at Christmas. I ate lots of it and put several seeds in a potted plant. I think every seed sprouted. I was hooked. I gave them all away. Later I raised orange trees on purpose (for the challenge). They were left out and froze. Several years ago I received an orange tree as a gift. It has produced some fruit for three years. 1. For the challenge. 2. For the envy of those who are either unable or unwilling to grow them. 3. The one that I have produces the best tasting orange that I have ever eaten (in memory). 4. I have four grown children that covet my oranges. 5. I would like to have enough to share them with my 12 grandchildren also. 6. The aroma is so intense that we cannot keep it inside the house. We keep it in the attached garage in the winter. 7. There are too many reasons to list them all.