1. Bananas
By: Erika Tuttobene
Orcutt Academy High School
Frosh Core Site

2. How important are bananas?
•They are a
key part of
many
country’s
economies
•Used daily in
smoothies,
baking, cereal,
etc.
• A vital
part of a
healthy
diet!

3. Too bad the banana
you know and love
is on a path to
destruction

4. The banana, due to years of
inbreeding, has become infertile.
Scientists predict it will be wiped out
within 10 short years due to the lack of
genetic diversity, and the banana you
know today could be gone forever.

5. 3
2
5
6
What are you most concerned
about if we were to never have
bananas again?
Effect on
Economy
Monkeys
Food
Health

6. •Selective
Breeding
•Sterilization
Why is the banana going extinct?

7. What does this all mean?
This has made bananas very
susceptible to disease
Every single banana you’ve eaten is an exact
genetic clone of the original Cavendish banana!

8. 0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
1
2
3
How worried are you about losing the
banana in the future?
•Most people have showed some
interest
• Only a few are really concerned
• Several did not care

9. Be prepared!
•Scientists predict the Cavendish will not live past another 10 years!

10. The biggest threat?
PANAMA
DISEASE

11. Panama Disease has already wiped
out a strain of bananas!
• The Gros Michel was a
species of banana that lasted
from 1835-1950
• Due to the lack of genetic diversity, the
entire species went extinct in less that 2
years once the disease was noticed
• Devastating effects to banana industry

12. The New Strain of
Disease
•Since the
1950’s, Panama
Disease has evolved
• The new strain (TR4)
was first discovered in
1992
• Has caused millions of
dollars worth of damage so
far!

13. Where has it spread?
= Disease has
begun to
spread to area
= Area under
severe attack
= Area at risk

14. Can we avoid it?
It would take genetic
sequencing, money, genetically modifying the
fruit even more, and LOTS of pesticides
Yes!
Are we going to try?
No!

15. Lose-Lose Situation
•NO MORE BANANAS
• Will cause millions in loss of
jobs and decline of economy
• Scientists may not be able
to engineer a new type of
banana before the Cavendish
is extinct
• Would cost millions in research
& pesticides
• Could potentially disease the crop
• YAY BANANAS
Don’t save Do Save

16. How Can You Help Research for
a new banana?
Become a BFF on Facebook
or support with a tweet!
@bananaresearch
http://www.panamadisease.org

17. Works Cited
Alison, Robert. Thanks to Selective Breeding our Favorite Fruit Can No longer Defend Itself. 19th July
2003. Internet. 4th Februaury 2014.
Busciello, Francesco. Bananas are all clones! 17th May 2013. Internet. 15th January 2014.
Ferris, Robert. Bananas are Wal-Mart's Best Selling Items and Other Facts. 23 July 2013. Internet. 28th
January 2014.
Hiskey, Daven. Commercial Bananas are Perfect Clones of one Another. 22nd June 2010. Internet. 3rd
February 2014.
Schmidt, Kara. The High Cost of Cheap Fruit. 24th July 2006. Internet. 14th January 2014.
Thanks to . n.d.
Weise, Elizabeth. Bananas too Inbred to Fight Disease. 5th July 2011. Internet. 25th January 2014.

18. Thank You!
Brought to you by
Erika Tuttobene