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| {{otheruses}} | |||
| {{Taxobox | |||
| | color = lightgreen | |||
| | name = Banana | |||
| | image = Luxor, Banana Island, Banana Tree, Egypt, Oct 2004.jpg | |||
| | image_width = 250px | |||
| | image_caption = Banana plant | |||
| | regnum = ]ae | |||
| | divisio = ] | |||
| | classis = ] | |||
| | ordo = ] | |||
| | familia = ] | |||
| | genus = '']'' | |||
| | subdivision_ranks = Species | |||
| | subdivision = | |||
| Hybrid origin; see text | |||
| }} | |||
| '''Banana''' is the ] used for herbaceous plants in the ] '']'', which because of their size and structure, are often mistaken for ]s. Bananas are cultivated for their fruit which bear the same name, and to a lesser extent as ornamental plants. Bananas are of the ] ]. Globally, bananas rank fourth after ], ] and ] in human consumption; they are grown in 130 countries worldwide, more than any other fruit crop. Bananas are native to ] southeastern ] but are widely cultivated in tropical regions. In popular culture and commerce, "banana" usually refers to the soft, sweet "dessert" bananas that are usually eaten raw. The bananas from a group of cultivars with firmer, starchier fruit, generally used in cooking rather than eaten raw, are typically known as ]s. | |||
| The main or upright growth is called a ''pseudostem'', which, when mature, will obtain a height of 2–8 m (varies between different ]s), with ] of up to 3.5 m in length. Each pseudostem produces a single bunch of bananas, before dying and being replaced by a new pseudostem. The base of the plant is a ] (known as a ]). Corms are perennial, with a productive lifespan of 15 years or more. | |||
| The term ''banana'' is applied to both the plant and its elongated ] (technically a ]) which grow in hanging clusters, with up to 20 fruit to a tier (called a ''hand''), and 5-20 tiers to a bunch. The total of the hanging clusters is known as a bunch, or commercially as a "banana stem", and can weigh from 30–50 kg. The fruit averages 125 g, of which approximately 75% is water and 25% dry matter content. Bananas are a valuable source of ], ], and ]. | |||
| Although the wild species have fruits with numerous large, hard seeds, virtually all culinary bananas have ]s. Bananas are classified either as dessert bananas (meaning they are yellow and fully ripe when eaten) or as green cooking bananas. Almost all export bananas are of the dessert types; however, only about 10-15% of all production is for ], with the ] and ] being the dominant buyers. | |||
| ==History== | |||
| ] | |||
| The domestication of bananas took place in southeastern Asia. Many species of wild bananas still occur in ], ], ] and the ]. Recent archaeological and palaeoenvironmental evidence at ] in the Western Highlands Province of ] suggests that banana cultivation there goes back to at least ], and possibly to ]. This would make the New Guinean highlands the place where bananas were first domesticated. It is likely that other species of wild bananas were later also domesticated elsewhere in southeastern Asia. | |||
| The banana is mentioned for the first time in written history in ] texts in ]. ] discovered the taste of the banana in the valleys of ] in ]. The existence of an organized banana ] could be found in ] in 200 AD. In 650 AD, ] conquerors brought the banana to ]. ] merchants eventually spread bananas over much of ]. The word ''banana'' is of West African origin, and passed into ] ''via'' ] or ]. | |||
| In ] and ], ] colonists started banana plantations in the Atlantic Islands, ], and western Africa. As late as the ], bananas were not widely known in Europe, although they were available via ] ]. ] references bananas with detailed descriptions so as not to confuse readers in his book '']'' (1872). | |||
| ==Properties== | |||
| ]' bananas]] | |||
| {{nutritionalvalue | name=Banana (edible parts) | kJ=371 | protein=1 g | fat=0.3 g | carbs=23 g | fibre=2.6 g | sugars=12 g | potassium_mg=358 | vitC_mg=9 | right=1 | source_usda=1 }} | |||
| Bananas come in a variety of sizes and ]s; most cultivars are yellow when ripe but some are red or purple-ish. The ripe fruit is easily peeled and eaten raw or cooked. Depending upon cultivar and ripeness, the flesh can be starchy to sweet, and firm to mushy. Unripe or "green" bananas and plantains are used in cooking and are the staple ] of many ] populations. | |||
| Most production for local sale is of green cooking bananas and plantains, as ripe dessert bananas are easily damaged while being transported to market. Even when only transported within their country of origin, ripe bananas suffer a high rate of damage and loss. | |||
| The commercial dessert cultivars most commonly eaten in ] countries (species ''Musa acuminata'' or the ] ''Musa × paradisiaca'', a ]) are imported in large quantities from the ]. They are popular in part because being a non-seasonal crop they are available fresh year-round. In global commerce, by far the most important of these banana ]s is ']', which accounts for the vast bulk of bananas exported from the tropics. The Cavendish gained popularity in the ]s after the previously mass produced cultivar, ], was being destroyed by ], a fungus which attacks the roots of the banana plant. | |||
| It is common for fruit exports to be dominated by a single or very few cultivars. The most important properties making 'Cavendish' the main export banana are related to transport and shelf life rather than taste; major commercial cultivars rarely have a superior flavour compared to the less widespread cultivars. Export bananas are picked green, and then usually ripened in ripening rooms when they arrive in their country of destination. These are special rooms made air-tight and filled with ] gas to induce ripening. Bananas can be ordered by the retailer "ungassed", however, and may show up at the supermarket still fully green. While these bananas will ripen more slowly, the flavour will be notably richer, and the banana peel can be allowed to reach a yellow/brown speckled phase, and yet retain a firm flesh inside. Thus, shelf life is somewhat extended. The flavour and texture of bananas are affected by the temperature at which they ripen. Bananas are refrigerated to between 13.5 and 15 °C (57 and 59 °F) during transportation. At lower temperatures, the ripening of bananas permanently stalls, and the bananas will turn grey. | |||
| ] | |||
| It should be noted that ''Musa × paradisiaca'' is also the generic name for the common ], a coarser and starchier variant not to be confused with ''Musa acuminata'' or the Cavendish variety. Plantains have all but replaced the Cavendish in markets dominated by supply-side logistics. | |||
| In addition to the fruit, the ] of the banana plant (also known as ''banana blossom'' or ''banana heart'') is used in ]n, ] and ] (India) cuisine, either served raw with dips or cooked in soups and curries. The tender core of the banana plant's trunk is also used, notably in ], Bengali and Kerala cooking. The juice extract prepared from the tender core is used to treat kidney stones. | |||
| The ] of the banana are large, flexible, and waterproof; they are used in many ways, including as ]s and to wrap food for cooking. ] ] (this is rare, bamboo leaves are commonly used) and ]n ]s are sometimes ] in banana leaves, and the ]an ] is often lined with them. ] "pasteles" are boiled wrapped and tied inside the leaf. | |||
| ] are a snack produced from dehydrated or fried banana or, preferably, plantain slices, which have a dark brown colour and an intense banana taste. Bananas have also been used in the making of ]. Unlike other fruits, it is difficult to extract juice from bananas because when compressed a banana simply turns to pulp. | |||
| Seeded bananas (''Musa balbisiana''), considered to be one of the forerunners of the common domesticated banana, are sold in markets in Indonesia. | |||
| It is reported that in ], ], juice is extracted from the corm and used as a ] for the treatment of ]. In other places ] is mixed with mashed banana fruit and used for the same purpose. | |||
| ==Trade== | |||
| ] | |||
| {| class="wikitable" align=left style="clear:left" | |||
| ! colspan=2|Top Banana Producing Nations - 2005<br>(in million metric tons) | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{IND}} || align="right" | 16.8 | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{BRA}} || align="right" | 6.7 | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{CHN}} || align="right" | 6.4 | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{ECU}} || align="right" | 5.9 | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{PHI}} || align="right" | 5.8 | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{IDN}} || align="right" | 4.5 | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{CRC}} || align="right" | 2.2 | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{MEX}} || align="right" | 2.0 | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{THA}} || align="right" | 2.0 | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{COL}}|| align="right" | 1.6 | |||
| |- | |||
| | {{BDI}}|| align="right" | 1.6 | |||
| |- | |||
| |'''World Total''' || align="right" | '''72.5''' | |||
| |- | |||
| |colspan=2|''Source: <br>] (FAO)'' | |||
| |} | |||
| Bananas and plantains constitute a major staple ] for millions of people in ]. In most tropical countries green (unripe) bananas used for ] represent the main ]s. Cooking bananas are very similar to ]es in how they are used. Both can be ], ], ] or chipped and have similar ] and ] when served. One green cooking banana has about the same ] content as one potato. | |||
| In ], ] led the world in banana production, representing approximately 23% of the worldwide crop, most of which was for domestic consumption. The four leading banana exporting countries were ], ], ], and ], which accounted for about two-thirds of the world's exports, each exporting more than 1 million tons. Ecuador alone provided more than 30% of global banana exports, according to ] statistics. | |||
| The vast majority of producers are small-scale ]s growing the crop either for home consumption or for local markets. Because bananas and plantains will produce fruit year-round, they provide an extremely valuable source of food during the hunger season (that period of time when all the food from the previous harvest has been consumed, and the next harvest is still some time away). It is for these reasons that bananas and plantains are of major importance to ]. | |||
| Bananas are among the most widely consumed foods in the world. Most banana farmers receive a low unit price for their produce as supermarkets buy enormous quantities and receive a discount for that business. Competition amongst ] has led to reduced margins in recent years which in turn has led to lower prices for growers. ], ], ] and ] grow their own bananas in Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Honduras. Banana plantations are capital intensive and demand high expertise so the majority of independent growers are large and wealthy landowners of these countries. This has led to bananas being available as a "]" item in some countries. | |||
| The banana has an extensive trade history beginning with the founding of the ] (now Chiquita) at the end of the nineteenth century. For much of the ], bananas and ] dominated the export economies of Central America. In the ], bananas and coffee made up as much as 75 percent of the region's exports. As late as ], the two crops accounted for 67 percent of the exports from the region. Though the two were grown in similar regions, they tended not to be distributed together. The ] based its business almost entirely on the banana trade, as the coffee trade proved too difficult for it to control. The term "]" has been broadly applied to most countries in Central America, but from a strict economic perspective only Costa Rica, Honduras, and Panama were actual "banana republics", countries with economies dominated by the banana trade. | |||
| The countries of the ] have traditionally imported many of their bananas from the former European island colonies of the Caribbean, paying guaranteed prices above global market rates. 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. | |||
| ==Cultivation== | |||
| ] | |||
| While the original bananas contained rather large seeds, ] (and thus seedless) cultivars have been selected for human consumption. These are propagated ] from offshoots of the plant. The plant is allowed to produce 2 shoots at a time; a larger one for fruiting immediately and a smaller "sucker" or "follower" that will produce fruit in 6–8 months time. 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 rhizome formation dictates. Latin Americans sometimes comment that the plants are "walking" over time. | |||
| Cultivated bananas are '']'', which makes them sterile and unable to produce viable seeds. Lacking seeds, another form of propagation is required. This involves removing and transplanting part of the underground stem (called a ]). 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 harder to transplant and can be left out of the ground for up to 2 weeks; they require minimal care and can be boxed together for shipment. | |||
| In some countries, bananas are commercially propagated 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). | |||
| == Pests and diseases == | |||
| 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, has already suffered this fate. Like almost all bananas, it lacks genetic diversity, which makes it vulnerable to diseases, which threaten both commercial cultivation and the small-scale subsistence farming. Major diseases include: | |||
| ].]] | |||
| ] | |||
| * ] (Race 1) – ] (a ] ]). The fungus enters the ] through the ] and moves up with water into the trunk and leaves, producing gels and gums. These plug and cut off the flow of water and ], causing the plant to ]. Prior to ] almost all commercial banana production centered on the cultivar ']', which was highly susceptible to fusarium wilt. The cultivar 'Cavendish' was chosen as a replacement for 'Gros Michel' because out of the resistant cultivars it was viewed as producing the highest quality ]. However, more care is required for shipping the 'Cavendish' banana and its quality compared to 'Gros Michel' is debated. | |||
| * Tropical Race 4 - a reinvigorated strain of ] first discovered in 1992. This is a virulent form of fusarium wilt that has wiped out 'Cavendish' in several southeast Asian countries. It has yet to reach the Americas; however, soil fungi can easily be carried on ], ], or ]s. This is how Tropical Race 4 moves from one plantation to another and is its most likely route into Latin America. The Cavendish cultivar is highly susceptible to TR4, and over time, Cavendish is almost certain to be eliminated from commercial production by this disease. Unfortunately TR4's only known defense is genetic resistance. | |||
| * ] - a fungal leaf spot disease first observed in ] in ] or ]. Black Sigatoka (also known as Black Leaf Streak) has spread to banana plantations throughout the tropics due to infected banana leaves being used as packing material. It affects all of the main cultivars of bananas and ], impeding ] by turning parts of their leaves black, and eventually killing the entire leaf. Being starved for energy, fruit production falls by 50% or more, and the bananas that do grow suffer premature ], making them unsuitable for ]. The fungus has shown ever increasing resistance to fungicidal treatment, with the current expense for treating 1 hectare exceeding US$1000 per year. In addition to the financial expense there is the question of how long such intensive spraying can be justified environmentally. Several resistant cultivars of banana have been developed, but none has yet received wide scale commercial acceptance due to taste and texture issues. | |||
| * Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV) - this ] is spread from plant to plant by ]. It causes stunting of the leaves resulting in a "bunched" appearance. Generally, a banana plant infected with the virus will not set fruit, although mild strains exist in many areas which do allow for some fruit production. These mild strains are often mistaken for malnourishment, or a disease other than BBTV. There is no cure for BBTV, however its effect can be minimised by planting only tissue cultured plants (In-vitro propagation), controlling the aphids, and immediately removing and destroying any plant from the field that shows signs of the disease. | |||
| 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. Likewise, 'Cavendish' is in no danger of extinction, but it may leave the shelves of the supermarkets for good if diseases make it impossible to supply the global market. It is unclear if any existing cultivar can replace 'Cavendish' on a scale needed to fill current demand, so various hybridisation and genetic engineering programs are working on creating a disease-resistant, mass-market banana. | |||
| ==Effects of banana diseases in East Africa== | |||
| ] | |||
| Most bananas grown worldwide are used for local consumption. In the tropics, bananas, especially cooking bananas, represent a major source of food, as well as a major source of income for smallholder farmers. It is in the East African highlands that bananas reach their greatest importance as a staple food crop. In countries such as ], ] and ] per capita consumption has been estimated at 450 kg per year, the highest in the world. Ugandans use the same word "matooke" to describe both banana and food. | |||
| In the past, the banana was a highly sustainable crop with a long plantation life and stable yields year round. However with the arrival of the Black Sigatoka fungus, banana production in eastern Africa has fallen by over 40%. For example during the 1970s, Uganda produced 15 to 20 tonnes of bananas per hectare. Today production has fallen to only 6 tonnes per hectare. | |||
| The situation has started to improve as new disease resistant cultivars have been developed such as the ] (known in Uganda as the Kabana 3). These new cultivars taste different from the traditionally grown banana which has slowed their acceptance by local farmers. However, by adding ] and animal ] to the soil around the base of the banana plant, these new cultivars have substantially increased yields in the areas where they have been tried. | |||
| The ] has started trials for ] banana plants that are resistant to both Black Sigatoka and banana weevils. It is developing cultivars specifically for smallholder or subsistence farmers. | |||
| ==Fibre== | |||
| The banana plant has long been a source of fibre for high quality textiles. In Japan, the cultivation of banana 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. The harvested shoots must first be boiled in lye to prepare the fibres for the making of the yarn. These banana shoots produce fibres of varying degrees of softness, yielding yarns and textiles with differing qualities for specific uses. For example, the outermost fibres of the shoots are the coarsest, and are suitable for tablecloths, whereas the softest innermost fibres are desirable for ] and ]. This traditional Japanese banana cloth making process requires many steps, all done by hand. | |||
| In another system employed in Nepal, the trunk of the banana plant is instead harvested, small pieces of which are subjected to a softening process, mechanical extraction of the fibres, bleaching, drying, after which the fibres are sent to the ] for the making of high end rugs with a textural quality similar to silk. These banana fibre rugs are woven by the traditional Nepalese hand-knotted methods, and are sold ]. | |||
| Banana fibre is also used in the production of ]. | |||
| ==Popular culture== | |||
| The depiction of a person slipping on a banana peel has been a staple of ] for generations. A ] comedy record produced by ] features a popular character of the time, "Cal Stewart", claiming to describe his own such incident, saying: | |||
| {{cquote|I don't think much of a man what throws a bananer peelin' on the sidewalk, and I don't think much of a bananer what throws a man on the sidewalk, neether. ... my foot hit that bananer peelin' and I went up in the air, and cum down ker-plunk, and fer about a minnit I seen all the stars what stronomy tells about, and some that haint been discovered yit. Wall jist as I wuz pickin' myself up a little boy cum runnin' cross the street and he sed "Oh mister, won't you please do that agin, my mother didn't see you do it.}} | |||
| However, because of the stereotypical image of ] and ] eating bananas, they have been used as a means for ] insults, such as throwing bananas at sports players of ]n descent (e.g. ). In Chinese culture, banana is a slang term which is used to describe an Asian person who acts like a ] (yellow on the outside, white on the inside). Due to their association with monkeys they are also used as tokens in the 3D ] versions of ] and the ] series ]. Bananas are also "humorously" used as a ] due to similarities in size and shape. | |||
| ] | |||
| === Other practical uses === | |||
| A banana peel can be used to shine shoes. | |||
| {{Further|]}} | |||
| ==References== | |||
| *FAO. , 2004 | |||
| *Denham, T., Haberle, S. G., Lentfer, C., Fullagar, R., Field, J., Porch, N., Therin, M., Winsborough B., and Golson, J. Multi-disciplinary Evidence for the Origins of Agriculture from 6950-6440 Cal BP at Kuk Swamp in the Highlands of New Guinea. ''Science'', June 2003 issue. | |||
| * Skidmore, T., Smith, P. - ''Modern Latin America'' (5th edition), (2001) New York: Oxford University Press) | |||
| * {{cite journal | author=Editors | title=Banana fiber rugs | journal=] | year=2006 | volume=6 | issue=7 | pages= 44}} Brief mention of banana fibre rugs | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| *] (''false banana'') | |||
| *] | |||
| == External links == | |||
| {{wiktionary}} | |||
| {{Commons|Banana}} | |||
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| * Article about traditional Japanese banana cloth production | |||
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